EVALUATION OF NEXUS BETWEEN BENEFITS DERIVED AND WELFARE STATUS ATTAINED BY FISH FARMERS FROM IMPLEMENTATION OF FADAMA II PROJECT IN SOUTHWEST, NIGERIA

he scourge of poverty still abounds in Nigeria, in this regard Fadama II project was established to enhance agricultural productivity, stimulate an increase in income, and alleviate poverty. This study evaluated the benefits derived and welfare status attained by fish farmers from theimplementation of Fadama II Project in Southwest, Nigeria. Out of one thousand and eighty (1,080) fish farmers, five hundred and forty (540) Fadama beneficiaries (FB), Non-Beneficiaries Living Within Fadama areas (NBLWF), and Non-Beneficiaries Living Outside Fadama areas (NBLOF) respondents were selected through multistage sampling procedures, which disaggregated to 180 in Lagos, 150 in Ogun and 210 in Oyo states. Frequency, percentages, mean standard deviation and Analysis of variance were used to analyse the data for the test of hypothesis at p<0.05 significance level using SPSS version20. Results from the study indicated that the male gender constituted 57%, while 62% were in the age 41-50 category; 95% were married and had formal education. However, 95% of FB had major benefits and 83.3% of them also attained the ‘Better-off’ welfare status category in contrast to the status of NBLWF and NBLOF. There were differences in the level of welfare status attained across the fish farmer groups. In conclusion, a significant relationship existed between the derived benefits and welfare status attained by the fish farmer groups through the implementation of Fadama II project in the study area. It was recommended that agricultural development programmes should emphasise the sustainability of derived benefits and their positive effects on the welfare status of fish farmer groups.