Geospatial Assessment of Site Suitability for Tilapia Cage Culture in Cross River State, Nigeria
Geospatial Assessment of Site Suitability for Tilapia Cage Culture in Cross River State, Nigeria
Chukwudi Njoku1*, Inyang Etim-Inyang2, Prince-Charles Itu1 and Arinze Uzoezie1
ABSTRACT
This study applies geospatial technology to determine the most suitable sites for the development of Tilapia cage culture in Cross River State, Nigeria. A Geographic Information Systems (GIS) Multi-Criteria Evaluation (MCE) technique was applied using secondary data and considering factors such as elevation, land-use, accessibility (roads), river width, population density, distance from anthropogenic activities and climatic variables (temperature and rainfall intensity). The criteria and threshold for siting Tilapia cage culture were adopted from previous studies and processes such as classification, buffering, interpolation, slope analyses, single and multiple Structured Query Languages (SQL). The analyses divulged 23 river sites that are suitable for setting up Tilapia cage culture in the State, all covering a total of 18.44 square kilometers (4.49 percent) of the water bodies in the area. The result is an essential decision-making tool for individuals and organizations in agro-business, fishermen and especially. It can also be key to stimulating sustainable water resource use and management. The study illuminates the need for site suitability assessment by small and large-scale aquaculture farmers and the application of geospatial tools and findings for real-world decision making in Nigeria’s aquaculture and agriculture sector.
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June 2022
Vol. 38, Iss. 2, Pages 388-758
