Assessment of the Economic Viability of Integrated Poultry-Fish Farming Systems in Ogun State

Integrated poultry-fish farming systems offer the potential to reduce feed costs and improve nutrient use efficiency in aquaculture, yet rigorous economic viability data for this production model under Ogun State conditions are limited. This study assesses the production performance and economic viability of integrated poultry-fish systems versus monoculture fish farms in Abeokuta and Ifo Local Government Areas, Ogun State, South West Nigeria. Twenty integrated farms and 20 monoculture fish farms of comparable scale were selected for comparative financial analysis. Data collected over one production cycle included total capital investment, operating costs broken down by category, fish and poultry output, gross revenue, gross margin, and net income. In integrated farms, poultry droppings were applied to fish ponds to stimulate natural food production, and supplementary feed application rates were adjusted accordingly. Results showed that integrated farms reduced commercial feed input by an average of 32% compared to monoculture fish farms while maintaining comparable fish yields, attributed to the nutritional contribution of pond fertilisation. Total operating costs were 21% lower in integrated farms, leading to gross margins that were on average 28% higher than in monoculture systems. Return on investment was 34% in integrated systems versus 24% in monoculture fish farms. The study confirms the economic superiority of integrated poultry-fish systems under the conditions prevailing in Ogun State and recommends their promotion in the state's Agricultural Development Programme extension outreach.

Keywords: integrated farming, poultry-fish, economic viability, Ogun State, gross margin