| Type | Thesis or Dissertation - Master's | 
| Title | Harnessing aquaculture as a strategy for poverty reduction in some selected Districts in the Western Region of Ghana | 
| Author(s) | |
| Publication (Day/Month/Year) | 2011 | 
| Abstract |  This research work investigates the role that both the private and public sectors have  played to harness the development of aquaculture in the three selected districts of the  Western Region, namely Juabeso, Bia and Aowin Suaman. The NDPC (2002-2005)  indicates that there is a high incidence of poverty (59 percent) among food crop  farmers. They further indicated that 54 percent of the populations do not have access  to safe water and other basic services.  The need to reduce poverty and improve the  living conditions has ignited the call for diversification of agricultural activities  through aquaculture. Following literature review, reconnaissance  survey was conducted to identify  the  difficulties to be anticipated in the area and to establish a rapport with potential  respondents in the three districts. Multi-stage sampling technique was adopted and  three districts where aquaculture was a major occupation were randomly selected out  of five. The objective was to keep the cost of the survey low without seriously  affecting the validity of the results. This was followed by questionnaire survey and  interviews with those engaged in aquaculture. The data analyses revealed associated  with labour shortage, land acquisition, lack of financial support and the deficiency in  the number of staff with knowledge in aquaculture made the industry unattractive to  farmers. The District Assembly should facilitate the provision of financial support to the  farmers through the banks. The research recommends that farmers should form  Farmer Based Organizations (FBOs) in order to access loans and help each other in  digging their ponds and also award hardworking fish farmers during farmers? day  celebrations. There is also the need to train more staff and farmers to acquire  techniques in aquaculture and research into fish species that can thrive well in the  study area. In collaboration with MoFA, the District Assembly should establish  hatcheries at district capitals for easy accessibility. If these measures are put in place,  the small scale rural farmers would have improved their standard of living |