Problems and prospects of community-based resource management approach: an experience with the implementation of the ban on beach seines on Lake Kainji

Community Based Resource Management (CBRM) understood as an approach emphasizes a community's capability, responsibility and accountability with regards to managing resources. Based on the recommendations for the Nigerian-German Kainji Lake Fisheries Promotion Project (KLFPP), the Niger and Kebbi States Fisheries Edicts were promulgated in 1997. These edicts, among other things, banned the use of beach seines. Given the conviction of KLFPP, that if communities whose livelihood is linked to the fishery, understand and identify the problems and by consensus agree to the solutions of fisheries problems, they are more likely to adhere to any control measures, specifically the ban on beach seine. In 1999 a first agreement was reached between beach seiners, non-beach seiners and government authorities leading to an almost complete elimination of beach seine on the Lake Kainji. However, despite on going efforts of the Kainji Lake Fisheries Management and Conservation Unit in 2000 and possibly because of certain oversights during and after the first agreement, in May 2001 a significant number of beach seiners was observed. This led to a re-assessment of our approach, which lately culminated into another round of negotiation. The paper presents the latest results on this on-going proces

Participatory action development as a strategy within a community-based approach to aquatic resource management for Nigeria inland waters

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Application of participatory rural appraisal (PRA) techniques in the verification of fisheries data and trend on Lake Kainji

After several years of surveys on the Kainji Lake fisheries activities by the Nigerian German Kainji Lake Fish promotion Project (KLFPP) trends regarding catches, yield and other parameter begin to emerge. However, it became obvious that some of the data were not quite as accurate as they were believed to be. Looking at the different editions of the statistical bulletin of Kainji Lake, concerning one given fisheries parameter, sometimes it is possible to reveal inconsistencies and unexplained trends. As compared to the survey method, PRA is primarily for analysis of differences in local phenomenon and processes. Therefore, PRA was used as a complementary tool to enhance the knowledge on issues like fisher women, entrepreneurs, gear ownership structure, mode of operation by owners of large gear number, preference in the use of twine and nylon gill nets, and reasons for misinformation on the number of fishing equipment owned by entrepreneurs, which cannot be done with frame survey. PRA techniques like timeline, mapping, seasonal calendar, transect walk and key informant interviews were utilized in the study proces

Cooperative management of artisanal fisheries: implementation of democratic principles in fisheries management around Lake Kainji

Kainji Lake, the first man-made lake in Nigeria is one of the most researched water bodies in Africa. Earlier studies indicated that there was no systematic management of the lake fisheries involving the participation of the fishers in the decision-making processes before 1993. In 1993, the Nigeria-German Kainji Lake Fisheries Promotion Project (KLFPP) started the introduction of a bottom-up approach in the management of the fishery resources through a random selection of some fishers representatives for the decision making body of the project. The paper traces the democratization process of the management approach to the lake fisheries culminating in the systematic selection, appointment, training and assignment of responsibilities to twenty-four Wakilis covering the 316 fishing communities around Lake Kainj

Nutritional habits and food consumption pattern of fishing communities around Lake Kainji, Nigeria

The findings are presented of a nutrition survey carried out in the framework of the Nigerian-German Kainji Lake Fisheries Promotion Project in March/April 1995. The major aim of the study was to obtain closer information on the food habits and food consumption patterns of the fishing population, especially the quantification of fish and small fish in particular, consumed at the household level. A standardized questionnaire was used to collect relevant information on demographic, education and occupational profiles; the information was collected in 39 villages in the southern sector of Kainji Lake. (PDF contains 75 pages

Multipurpose Uses of on-Farm Plants and Hedge Row Trees in Small Scale Farms of Atiba Local Government Area of Oyo State

This research looked into the analysis of smallholder farms with on-farm trees in Atiba Local Government area of Oyo state, Nigeria. The tree types, their uses and incentives to make them more abundantly available to combat carbon emission in and around smallholder farms were also studied. Structured questionnaire and field verification were tools used to elicit information. Data collected were analyzed using simple percentages and graphs. Logit regression model was used to measure the contribution of variables that aided farmers resolve to leave in-situ plants and hedge row trees on farms and even plant new ones. Results showed that only old age farmers living in villages in the study area nurse on-farm trees on their farms (78.78%). All the farmers with trees on their farms are men (100%) with no women representation. Looking at the canopy diameter values of agro-forestry trees in the study area they are so wide and cover large expanse of farm lands. Using on-farm trees for soup or condiments takes prime importance for the farmers at 100%. Other uses such as for food, timber, charcoal, firewood and shade fell to 80% each while using the trees for essential oil, antiseptic and chewing stick was lowest at 70%. The only variable with significant value at P <0.05 is LAN (Loan for small scale farmers with trees on their farms). However in the study area, the presence or absence of carbon credit (2.2), Training (3.1) and improvement on environmental effects of trees (2.4) effectively determine allowing hedgerow plants in farms by farmers. With the odd ratio of  2 for carbon credit, 3 for training and 2 for improvement on the environmental effects of trees, there is likelihood that farmers will indicate support for plants 2 times for carbon credit availability, 3 times if training is available to farmers and 2 times if there is improvement on the environmental effects of trees through hybridization. Keywords: Agro-forestry, hedgerow plants, hybridization, Social forestry, recreational forestr

The Concept of Arialusi in Edo Religion

The existential experience of Arialusi to the people of Edo is a priori real and a minute-to-minute phenomenon in their consciousness. To the Edo,metaphysical issues are attempts to understand the universe by means oflogical investigation of reality rather than an empirical inquiry based onsensory evidence. Thus, the metaphysical issue as evident in Arialusi is alaw of retribution and a hidden force, when activated by human conductand external stimulus, produces corresponding effects either good or bad,fortune or misfortune, happiness or suffering. It is also a cosmic law ofjustice, which holds that one’s life is determined by the performance in theprevious life. Thus, this paper adopted religio-cosmological and mythicoexegetical methods of investigating Arialusi as having the propensity for religious, philosophical and sociological implications. It is revealed that Arialusi and reincarnation have simultaneous togetherness, and their diverse strength takes full advantage of spiritual association and easily recreates human awareness as the ritual performance is ethno-centric in nature. This paper therefore postulates that Arialusi is a never-ending process of life and lies in the acceptance of the need for a corrective process of experimentation with our own experience, and this presupposes our readiness to admit openly our errors and to also learn from them. To this end, Arialusi is not deterministic as it is binding upon the recalcitrant, but it is an eternal and immutable law of nature. It has its own reward, so also it has its seat in the soul of every human being.Key words: Edo, Religion, Arialusi, Reincarnation, Freewill

Community mobilization for water hyacinth control strategies: experiences from Kainji Lake area, Nigeria

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Wetland Farmers and Conflict Indices in Oyo State Fadama II Project

Fadama land is otherwise called wetland. The land is characterized by the presence of water in the most parts of the year. One hundred and fifty wetland farmers were randomly selected for study between September 2004 and October 2005. The selection was done in such a way that all local government areas were represented. The study basically was on identifiable indices of conflicts and frequency of occurrence within and between groups. The causes of conflict were observed in the following decreasing order of occurrence; Trespassing, nomadic activities, land tenure, lack of adequate knowledge about the use of wetlands (LAK), inheritance. It was also notedthat WITHIN group conflicts were far less in occurrence compared to BETWEEN group conflicts. It was also discovered that environmental conflict is highly indicative of social conflicts

Pulpit Ministry And Integrity: A Contextual Analysis Of Titus 2:7-8

Integrity has become a topic with more prominence in research on personality and leadership in both secular and religious organizations. It is a fundamental virtue necessary for an understanding of leadership in both dimensions. Today, integrity crisis is perhaps one of the major challenges facing pulpit ministry. This has brought the church under serious tests especially in the present day Nigerian society. It seems immorality has reached a pan-epidemic level in the Nigerian church both among the clergy and the laity and consequently, respect for pastors has come to an all-time low level. While undertaking an examination of pulpit ministry and integrity in Titus 2:7-8 vis-a vis the Nigerian society, the historical-critical approach and a contextual analysis of the text was done to bring out its relevance to the contemporary situation. The result indicates that while some contemporary Nigerian church pastors preach and teach good sermons with emphasis, at times, on prosperity; it seems many do not model what they preach. One of the implications of this is a mere religiosity without serious impacts in the society. This paper recommends the need for leaders in the Nigerian church to go back to the Bible and practice what they teach