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Background: There is no gainsaying the fact that demand for proteins has continuously outweighed supply in Nigeria. This is largely due to the rising population on one part and the low level of technology to cope with changing production practices specifically in the fishery sub-sector and agricultural production in general on the other part. The resultant effect of this is the widening demand and supply gap which often culminate in farmers devising different technologies or approaches to mediate the shortfall. This study therefore examined comparative analysis of technical efficiency among catfish producers using different construction designs in Lagos State, Nigeria. A sample consisting of 43 earthen catfish producers, 33 cage culture and 37 plastics tank was selected from three agricultural zones in the state. Data collected were analysed using descriptive statistics, budgetary and profitability analysis, regression analysis and Data Envelopment Analysis approach. Results and main findings: Overall average technical efficiency estimates obtained under the Variable Returns to Scale (VRS) and Constant Returns to Scale (CRS) specification for earthen catfish producers were 0.92 and 0.73, respectively. The overall average technical efficiency estimates for VRS and CRS specification under cage culture catfish producers were 0.92 and 0.79, respectively, and overall mean estimates obtained for VRS and CRS specification under plastic tank catfish producers were 0.95 and 0.69, respectively. However, for CRS under earthen pond, two variables, sex and age of farmer with t values of − 2.10 and 1.82, were equally significant. Again, for CRS under cage culture, two variables were significant, and these were years of formal education and primary occupation with t values of − 2.09 and 2.16. Under CRS for plastic tank, two variables-age and religion with t values of 2.04 and 1.99-were significant at 5 and 10%, respectively. Conclusions: The study concludes that the most efficient and profitable construction designs among earthen, cage culture and plastic tank are the earthen pond. This is because of its cost-effectiveness in terms of design and management as well as the limited impact on the environment. As indicated, years of formal education were significant in all the designs revealing that education plays a pivotal role in efficiency. The implication of the findings is that famers should be better educated on the dangers inherent in polluting water bodies to avoid contamination (since the earthen pond is the most efficient) to enhance catfish production if the much desired production increase is to be sustained.

This study analysed the economics of fish demands in Lagos State, Nigeria. Primary data were collected from a total of 110 fish consumers using multistage sampling procedure. Data were collected on household consumption activities for 2002 consumption period. The data were analysed using descriptive statistics and regression analysis. The results showed that the average sampled consumers are literate with mean household size of 5. It was evident from the study that, the higher the income level of the respondents the higher the quantity of fish demanded and fish demand also increases as household size and age increases. The result of the regression analysis revealed that fish demand in the study area is income inelastic. It was also revealed that (income, substitute, household size and age) half of the variables positively influenced the monthly expenditure on fish, while the rest four variables (sex, marital status, occupation and education) influenced the monthly expenditure on fish negatively. However, age and education had significant relationship with monthly expenditure on fish.

What constitutes poverty transcends the lack of income but generally captures such other subjective and supplementary aspects that represent human functioning and capability. This view enables the design and implementation of policies to alleviate poverty among the poor, especially the riverine households with their attendant risks. Data were obtained from 448 riverine households in South-western Nigeria to examine the level of multidimensional deprivation and poverty among them. The mean household size was 5; fifty-six (56%) having less than minimum 9 year compulsory and basic education; only about 16% of them having members gainfully engaged and about 68% of the household heads engaging in Onshore livelihood activities. Majority (60.3%) of the households suffered deprivation in eight indicators (61.54% of the total possible number of deprivation) and above, all (100%) of the riverine households being adjudged poor in about 6%, 12% and 19% respectively' of the thirteen dimensions of deprivation. At dual cutoff value (k = 8), the adjusted multidimensional poverty rate of the households (M 0 = 0.3422); adjusted poverty gap (M 1 = 0.1608), and poverty severity (M 2 = 0.0761) showed high level of inequality among the deprived households. Conclusively, poverty was manifested in basic standard of living commodities and services among the riverine households as indicated by their low level of education, limited access to hygienic source of drinking water, food, energy, health care, toilet facilities as well as improved means of livelihood.

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Land acquisition and use remain a critical issue of great policy relevance in developing countries such as Nigeria. This study therefore examined land acquisition and use in Nigeria within the context of food and livelihood security. The chapter used secondary data obtained from the World Bank website, National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) and other sources. It was found that there are gender, location and income-group considerations in the allocation of land in Nigeria. While the urban land market is relatively more formal, the rural land market is informal and the transactions were not documented in most cases. The study found that bureaucratic bottlenecks, high cost of registering land and long registration procedures, and inconsistent policy regimes impede the development of land market in Nigeria. Based on the findings of the study, it was recommended that the government should reduce and make the processes to be completed in registering lands in Nigeria easier. The Land Use Act 1978 should be amended to capture the prevailing realities around customary laws and informal markets. The government should reduce the cost of land registration in Nigeria. Multilateral organisations and government should co-create and co-finance innovative interventions to improve activities in the land market.

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Malaria is one of the commonest tropical diseases plaguing the