A Social-Ecological Systems Modelling Approach to Climate Resilience among Fisheries Extension Workers in the Calabar Agricultural Zone

Climate change is creating serious challenges for fisheries in coastal Nigeria. Fisheries extension workers, who support fishers with advice and training, must themselves be resilient to continue delivering services. This study assessed the resilience of extension workers in the Calabar Agricultural Zone using surveys, interviews, and system-level modelling. Data were collected from 164 workers across eight local government areas, focusing on their access to climate information, institutional support, and training. Results showed adaptive capacity scores ranged from 0.32 to 0.89, with an average of 0.61. Institutional support (? = 0.32), access to climate information (? = 0.28), and training exposure (? = 0.20) were the strongest predictors of resilience. Simulation results indicated that increasing training by 38% raised overall system resilience from 0.52 to 0.72, while strong governance support kept service delivery efficiency above 0.72 even under high climate stress. These findings highlight that extension workers are not just information providers but central actors whose skills and institutional linkages drive resilience in fisheries systems. Strengthening training, institutional networks, and climate information services will enhance adaptation among extension workers and fishing communities, while also providing a foundation for national fisheries policy under climate change