IDENTIFICATION OF SKILLS REQUIRED BY WOMEN FARMERS IN THE

DOMESTICATION OF EARTHWORM AS ORGANIC SUPPLEMENT IN FISH

FARMING FOR FOOD SECURITY IN NASARAWA STATE, NIGERIA
By
Onu, D.O1, Dr Obademi, A. O2 and Alanji, Daniel A.1
1
Department of Agricultural Education
2
Department of Educational Foundations and General Studies
University of Agriculture, Makurdi. 07039586417
P.M.B 2373, Makurdi- Nigeria.
E-mail: debbieonu2@gmail.com
Abstract

This study identified work skills required by women farmers in the domestication of
earthworm as organic supplement in fish production for food security in Nasarawa state. Five
research questions were raised and five hypotheses were formulated and tested at 0.05 alpha
level of significance to guide the study. The study made use of survey research design and
was carried out in Nasarawa state. The instrument for data collection is a structured
questionnaire made up of a 25-item titled “skills required in the domestication of earthworm”
(SRDE) and was administered on a 112 respondents made up of 47 extension workers and 65
registered women fish farmers in the state. The data collected were analyzed using weighted
mean, standard deviation and t-test statistics. From the analysis, it was revealed that women
fish farmers required 5 skills in sourcing for earthworm, 4 skills in housing of earthworm, 4
skills in feeding of earthworm, 2 skills in management of earthworm and 12 skills in
harvesting and processing of earthworm for fish production. Testing of hypotheses revealed
that there was generally no significant difference in the responses of fish farmers and
extension agents in Nasarawa State. It was therefore, recommended among others, that the
identified skills be packaged into workshop materials and bulletins for fish farmers, the
extension workers should use the materials for training and retraining of fish farmers in order
to master the skills involved in domesticating earthworm for fish production.
Keywords: Fish farming, Skills, women farmers, Domestication, Earthworm domestication,
and food security

Introduction

Fish farming is an ancient practice that can provide many profitable opportunities today. The
raising of fish has proven to be economically successful throughout the world. Fish farming is
growing in popularity due to increasing recognition that fish is a healthy food, low in calories
and cholesterol levels, but rich in protein. Fish is one of the sources of animal protein found in
this country and has greatly contributed to the dietary needs of the Nigeria populace,
(Anyanwu, 2002).

The rearing of fish has become important because fish is a cheap and a major source of animal
protein consumed by Nigerians, especially natives living in coastal communities. Fishing in
the wild is a way of life and a primary occupation of the coastal dwellers. They depend on it
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for their livelihood, because it has contributed significantly to food security, income
generation, trades, employment opportunity, improved living standards, and aid foreign
exchange earnings in many developing countries (Ayinla, 2010). As a result, its production is
becoming a more complex enterprise as farmers whether literate or not find means of
enhancing fish production because of the supply-demand gap for fish and fishery products in
Nigeria.

Fish farming is the act of raising fish in controlled aquatic environment (Brown and Gratzek,
2004). Iwena (2002) conceived fish farming as fish culture, which is the act of rearing fish in
commercial quantities, under scientifically controlled conditions in enclosed bodies of water
such as ponds, streams and rivers. The existence of enormous water bodies offers great
potentials for the development of fishing industry.

The author Ayinla (2010) asserts that, the consumption of fish is highly relished among
people of all classes and ages because it is less tough and more digestible when compared to
beef, mutton, chicken and bush meat. It is also low in fat, calories and cholesterol and is
relatively cheaper than other types of meat except pork and is available to Nigerians in fresh,
smoked, dried or frozen form with no religious or health taboos like pork and beef. The
importance of fish has revealed that fish oil enhances intelligence of fetus and infants, reduces
incidence of heart related problem (Food and Agricultural Organization FAO, 2000).
Increased production of fish will help combat hunger and malnutrition, because this remains
one of the most devastating problems facing majority of the poor in the world. Fish as a rich
source of food for the poor plays a crucial role in improving the food security and nutritional
status of the human populace. Hence the need to identify skills required by farmers in
domestication of earth worm as organic supplement for sustainable fish Production becomes
an issue of great concern. Earthworm Domestication is a method of breeding earth-worms
locally and processing them as an alternative feed to fish. The challenge has been, producing
earthworms in high required volumes enough to compete with the fish-feed market.
Innovators are refining a breeding unit to rapidly produce large masses of Earth worms under
a controlled environment using bio-waste as the substrate so that communities can then use
local technology to process the earthworms into a form that can be mixed with fish feed as
supplement.

In the submission of Sogbesan, Ugwumba, Madu, Eze and Isa (2007), Earthworms produced
by different out-growers in optimized units will have a substantial impact on reducing the fish
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feed industry’s reliance on inorganic supplement moreover at a much lower cost. Earthworm
farming will create employment opportunities for groups like the youth, women as well as
awakening communities on the possibilities of exploring of other potential sources of animal
protein feed. To domesticate earthworms, various skills are needed.

Skills are capacities needed by individuals to be efficient to execute a task. Skills in the
statement of Okorie (2000) are a well established habit of performing tasks in a manner that is
acceptable by workers in the profession. The author stated that to possess skills is to
demonstrate the habits of acting, thinking and behaving in the specific activity in such a way
that the process becomes natural to the individual through continuous practice. Osinem (2008)
posited that work skills are the expertness, practiced ability or proficiency displayed in the
performance of task. These skills are required by women farmers.

A farmer in the opinion of Olaitan (2005) is a person who grows crops or rears animals for the
benefit of mankind. Similarly, a farmer is defined as an individual who owns and managed,
plough soil, cultivates plants and rear livestock to earn livelihood. In this context, farmers are
individual women who own, manage or domesticate earthworms and use them in feeding
fishes in her fish enterprise. To boost earthworm domestication in Nasarawa State, the
Nasarawa fish farmers must be taught to adopt new techniques and best practices in fish
production. The extension agents, who are the main channels of information dissemination
from research institutes to farmers and vice versa, can reach out to farmers and help to
increase the current demand of earthworm used in feeding fishes. Using earthworm in feeding
fish plays a significant role of producing organically produced food like fish which have high
and recommendable health value.

Domestication is the extent to which captive animals are capable of adapting to certain
artificial environment or management practices (Baenninger and Rinsch 2009), domestication
is the act in which wild species are bred and raised in captivity. Domestication has not only
provided a ready supply of food, clothing and companionship but, in many respects, has
changed the way people live and view the world. Good nutrition in an animal production
system is essential to economically produce a healthy, high quality product. Nutrition is
critical because it represents 40% to 50% of operational and production cost. Fish nutrition
has advanced dramatically in recent times with the development of new and balanced
commercial feeds that promote optimal fish growth and health.
 4

The development of species specific feed formulations support the aquaculture industry as it
expands to satisfy increasing demands for affordable, safe, and high quality fish and fish
products. The cost of fish feed is considered as the highest share of total cost in any
aquaculture operation, therefore feed quality and feeding strategies are of great importance in
fish nutrition sciences. The feed should supply all essential nutrients and energy in tune with
the animal’s needs for the maintenance of vital physiological functions such as growth,
reproduction and health. Protein is usually the first nutrient considered, with the level of
energy in the diet being adjusted to provide the optimum ratio. The protein has to be balanced
for essential amino acids. It is the main constituent of the fish body. Animal sources are
higher in protein than plant sources. Hence earthworm species (Eisenia foetida) are used as a
source of protein to formulate the feed.

Fish meal is the most common source of protein for fish feeds. However, the cost of fish meal
is on the rise, because of its competing use as feed ingredient by other animals (livestock,
ruminants among others). It is therefore necessary to find alternatives to fish meal in the
preparation of fish diets. Various workers have attempted to use other locally available cheap
protein sources (such as plant protein, agricultural by- products, fishery by-products,
terrestrial animal by-products, grain legumes, oil seed plants among others.) in animal feeds.
Plant protein sources have been used as alternatives in the diets of fish with some measure of
success particularly grain legumes (Gimenez, Gimenze and May 2008). A major setback in
the use of plant proteins however, is the presence of antigrowth factors. The use of
earthworms has also been documented. Earthworms are abundant in most parts of Africa and
their nutritional values have been determined. They possess amino acid profiles similar to fish
and have been used as protein supplements in the diets of fish (Dedeke 2010). The author
asserted that replacing fishmeal with earthworm meals at low levels of inclusion in the diets
did not have any adverse effect on the growth performance or feed utilization efficiency of the
species.

Freshwater aquaculture systems have developed rapidly in Nigeria during recent years. An
important feature of these systems is the use of trash fish harvested from coastal areas and
also from freshwater surfaces as a feed for culturing fish of economic importance. There are
other demands for trash fish, as livestock feed, to make fish source and also as human food.
As the availability of this natural resource is finite, the increase in demand is resulting in an
increase in the price.
 5

An alternative to the use of small shrimp that is now receiving increasing attention is the
earthworm. It is said that the zigzag eel fish grew faster when fed on earthworms than when
fed with small shrimp (Edwards and Lofty 2009). Consistency in the fish production can bring
about food security. Food security is concerned with not only food supply but also safety to
human society and the environment, Antiaobong, Etop and Ettemfom (2013). Despite the
enormous importance of earthworm in the feeding of fish for better growth, its domestication
is yet to be widely accepted and used by fish farmers in Nasarawa state which may be due to
lack of adequate skills for its domestication. It is on the basis of this gap in knowledge that the
researchers deemed it fit to embark on this study.

Statement of the Problem

 Fish farmers in Nasarawa state are yet to achieve their aim and objectives despite all efforts
put in place before this present time, fish farmers have been enveloped with several glitches in
the cost of producing fishes for both small and large scale. From the interaction of the
researchers and the women fish farmers, it was observed that the low level of productivity
may have resulted from lack of appropriate production knowledge and skills in natural feed
formulations since the cost of improved feed is high thereby making those who embark on
fish production enterprise to run at a lost. Sometimes, in a bid to increase production and
profitability, fish farmers feed fishes with inorganic supplement which in turns make the
produced fish unhealthy for consumption. It is on this premise that the researchers deemed it
fit to embark on this study.

Objective of the study

The Objectives of this study is to identify the skills required by women farmers in the
domestication of earthworm as organic supplement in fish farming for food security which
are: sourcing of substrate for earthworms, housing of earthworms, sourcing for earthworms,
management of earthworms, harvesting and processing of earthworms.

Research questions

• What are the skills required by women farmers in sourcing of substrate for
earthworm?

• What are the skills required by women farmers in housing of earthworm?

 6

• What are the skills required in sourcing for earthworm?

• What are the skills required by women farmers in the management of earthworm?

• What are the skills required by women farmers in harvesting and processing of
earthworm?

Research hypotheses

 There is no significant difference in the mean ratings of responses of women farmers

and extension agents on skills required for sourcing of substrate for earthworm.
 There is no significant difference in the mean ratings of responses of women farmers
and extension agents on skills required for housing of earthworm.
 There is no significant difference in the mean ratings of responses of women farmers
and extension agents on skills required for sourcing for earthworm.
 There is no significant difference in the mean ratings of responses of women farmers
and extension agents on skills required for management of earthworm.
 There is no significant difference in the mean ratings of responses of women farmers
and extension agents on skills required for harvesting and processing of earthworms.

Methodology

The research design for this study is survey. This design, according to Nworgu (2006), is a
design in which group of people or items is studied by collecting and analyzing data from a
few people , or items considered to be representative of the entire group. The total population
for the study is sixty five (65) registered fish farmers and 47 extension agents which were
randomly selected from the three (3) senatorial districts of Nasarawa state namely: Nasarawa
north, Nasarawa south and Nasarawa west. A twenty (25) items structured questionnaire
titled, skills required in the domestication of earthworm (SRDE) was developed and
administered on a 112 respondents made up of 47 extension workers and sixty five registered
fish farmers. The data collected were analyzed with the weighted mean and standard
deviation. The population was small and could be managed by the researchers hence, no
sampling. The questionnaire had a four point response options of highly required (HR),
averagely required (AR), slightly required and not required (NR) of weigh value, 4,3,2 and 1
respectively. A mean of 2.5 and below for any item is not required while any item with a
mean of 2.5 and above is required. While, t-test was used to test the formulated hypotheses at
0.05 level of significance. The decision rule for acceptance or rejection of null hypothesis was
 7

based on the p-value and alpha value. A hypothesis of no-significant difference was rejected
for any cluster of item whose P-value was less than the alpha value of 0.05 while it was not
rejected for any cluster of item whose alpha value and p-value was greater or equal to 0.05.
Research question 1: What are the skills required by women farmers in sourcing of substrate
for earthworm?
Table 1 mean ratings and t-test analysis on skills required by women farmers and
extension agents in sourcing of substrates for earthworm (N=112)

S/N Items X Std Df Sig. Remark

1 Sourcing for substrate materials 3.46 .50 110 .354 Required, ** NR
2 Fermenting of substrate for four 110 .571 Required, ** NR
3.28 .70
weeks
3 Separating of substrates 3.29 .95 110 .763 Required, ** NR
4 Sun drying of substrate chunks 3.21 .67 110 .347 Required, ** NR
5 Crushing of chunks into powder 3.28 .81 110 .661 Required, ** NR
N= number of respondents, X = mean of respondents Std = Standard deviation of respondents, df = degree of freedom=110, Sig. = P-value;
P > 0.05, ** = Not significant, NR = Not rejected.

Research question 2: What are the skills required by women farmers in housing of
earthworm?
Table 2 mean ratings and t-test analysis on skills required by women farmers and
extension agents on housing for earthworm (N=112)
S/N Items X Std Df Sig. Remark
1 Digging of moody soil with spade 3.56 .59 110 .613 Required, ** NR
2 Hand sorting of earthworms into 3.41 .63 110 .712 Required, ** NR
sampling plastic bottles
3 Transporting of earthworm into the 3.06 .79 110 .635 Required, ** NR
boxes
4 Covering of the transported 2.93 .83 110 .887 Required, ** NR
earthworm with substrate to a height
of 15cm
N= number of respondents, X = mean of respondents Std = Standard deviation of respondents, df = degree of freedom=110, Sig. = P-value;
P > 0.05, ** = Not significant, NR = Not rejected.

Research Question 3: What are the skills required in sourcing for earthworm?
Table 3 mean ratings and t-analysis on skills required by women farmers and extension
agents on sourcing for earthworm (N=112)
S/N Items X Std Df Sig. Remark
1 Digging of moody soil with spade 3.29 .71 .813 Required, ** NR
2 Hand sorting of earthworms into Required, ** NR
sampling plastic bottles 3.58 .80 .312
3 Transporting of earthworm into the .515 Required, ** NR
3.10 .88
boxes
4 Covering of the transported
earthworm with substrate to a height
of 15cm 2.81 .78 .417 Required, ** NR
N= number of respondents, X = mean of respondents Std = Standard deviation of respondents, df = degree of freedom=110, Sig. = P-value;
P > 0.05, ** = Not significant, NR = Not rejected.
 8

Research question 4: What are the skills required in management of earthworm?

Table 4 mean ratings and t-test analysis on skills required by women farmers and
extension agents on management of earthworm (N=112)
S/N Items X Std Df Sig. Remark
1 Wetting of earthworm in the boxes .523 Required, ** NR
3.41 .67
2 Feeding of earthworm with fermented Required, ** NR
poultry dung 3.11 .62 .414
N= number of respondents, X = mean of respondents Std = Standard deviation of respondents, df = degree of freedom=110, Sig. = P-value;
P > 0.05, ** = Not significant, NR = Not rejected.
Research question 5: What are the skills required by women farmers in harvesting and
processing of earthworm?
Table 5 mean ratings and t-test analysis on skills required by women farmers and
extension agents in harvesting and processing of earthworm (N=112)
S/N Items X Std Df Sig. Remark
1 Carefully digging the substrata 3.13 .67 110 .331 Required, ** NR
2 Removing of earthworm from the 110 .091 Required, ** NR
substrata 3.09 .80
3 Thoroughly washing of harvested 3.03 .88 110 .813 Required, ** NR
earthworm with water
4 Keeping of washed earthworm in 2.94 1.01 110 .312 Required, ** NR
bowls for 30minutes for evacuation
from the guts of undigested residues
5 Weighing of earthworms 2.95 .81 110 .883 Required, ** NR
6 Blanching of worms in hot water 2.95 .59 110 .712 Required, ** NR
7 Reweighing 3.08 .96 110 .341 Required, ** NR
8 Oven-drying at 80oC for 3 hours 3.61 .63 110 .879 Required, ** NR
9 Re-weighing after drying 3.24 .75 110 .532 Required, ** NR
10 Milling of dried worms into powder 3.35 .61 110 .223 Required, ** NR
11 Packaging of dried earthworm meal 2.64 1.06 110 .775 Required, ** NR
in airtight container
12 Storing of packaged meal at 0-20oC 3.08 .88 110 .619 Required, ** NR
till when needed
N= number of respondents, X = mean of respondents Std = Standard deviation of respondents, df = degree of freedom=110, Sig. = P-value;
P > 0.05, ** = Not significant, NR = Not rejected.

RESULTS
Data in table 1 revealed that all the 5 skills listed are required and the null hypothesis tested
was not rejected. The mean for the items ranged from 3.21 -3.46 which showed that the skills
are highly required. The table also showed that the standard deviation of the responses of the
respondents ranged from 0.50 – 0.95, indicating that the respondents were not too far from the
mean and from the opinion of another in their responses.
 9

Data in table 2 has a mean value range from 2.90-3.56 which showed that all the skills are
required and the tested hypothesis was not rejected for any item. The table also showed that
the standard deviation of the responses of the respondents ranged from 0.59 – 0.83, indicating
that the respondents were not too far from the mean and from the opinion of another in their
responses.

Data in table 3 revealed that all the items stated are required with a mean range of 2.81-3.58,
also the hypothesis tested was not rejected. The table also showed that the standard deviation
of the responses of the respondents ranged from 0.71 – 0.88, indicating that the respondents
were not too far from the mean and from the opinion of another in their responses.

Data in table 4 revealed that the stated skills are required for feeding of earthworm with a
mean range of 3.11- 4.11. The tested hypothesis was not rejected. The table also showed that
the standard deviation of the responses of the respondents ranged from 0.62 – 0.67, indicating
that the respondents were not too far from the mean and from the opinion of another in their
responses.

Data in table 5 has a mean range of 2.64-3.35 which showed the listed items are required for
harvesting and processing of earthworm. The hypothesis tested was not rejected. The table
also showed that the standard deviation of the responses of the respondents ranged from

0.59 – 1.06, indicating that the respondents were not too far from the mean and from the
opinion of another in their responses.

DISCUSSION OF RESULTS

The results revealed that farmers required 5 skills are in Sourcing for substrates, 4 skills in
housing of earthworm, 4 skills in sourcing for earthworm, 2 skills in management of
earthworm and 12 skills in harvesting and processing of earthworms. The results of this study
agree with the findings of Ukonze (2010) in a study on vegetable production skills needed by
instructors in Universities for effective teaching of vegetable crop in Enugu State. The
researcher identified 16 skills in planning for vegetable production, 18 skills for management
and 7 skills in marketing for effective teaching of vegetable crop in Enugu State. Also, the
result is in consonance with Asogwa, Odo and Obetta (2015) in a study on Job skills required
by retirees in cucumber production enterprise for sustainable economic and emotional security
in Enugu State. The researchers identified 8 skills in establishment, 12 skills in management,
8 skills in harvesting and 7 skills in marketing of cucumber.
 10

CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS

From the interaction of the researchers and the women fish farmers, it was observed that the
low level of productivity of fish may have resulted from lack of appropriate production
knowledge and skills in natural feed formulations since the cost of improved feed is high
thereby making those who embark on fish production enterprise to run at a lost. Sometimes, in
a bid to increase production and profitability, fish farmers feed fishes with inorganic
supplement which in turns make the produced fish unhealthy for consumption.
Fish is of high necessity with high nutritive value. Its farming and production requires good
attention in their feed composition in order to meet up with the rising demand for fish
consumption daily. The quality of feed given to fish will in turn results in quality and quantity
of fish produced, hence earthworms which are commonly found with high protein can be used
in feed formulation. The data analyzed showed that all the identified skills are required by
women fish farmers for the domestication of earthworm as organic supplement. The
researchers therefore, put forward the following recommendations:
1. The identified skills should be packaged into training modules and workshop materials for
training of women fish farmers on the domestication of earthworm for fish production.
2. The extension workers should use the materials for training and retraining of fish farmers in
order to master the skills involved in domesticating earthworm for fish production.
3. The extension agents should ensure that the necessary information on the skill required for
the domestication of earthworm is delivered to the farmers by all methods of dissemination of
information for proper assimilation.
4. Women fish farmers could form cooperative society so they can unanimously air out their
problems for solution especially when they are making losses in the fish enterprise.

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