Women Empowerment in Aquaculture: Why it Matters!

Aquaculture is one of the most promising and lucrative sectors for food production, estimated to grow exponentially with the increasing demand for protein. In order to achieve the sustainable and responsible development of the industry, various stakeholders must work together to empower farmers, especially small-scale producers and marginalized farmers.

Aquaculture development has great potential to address food insecurity, especially in Sub-Saharan Africa where one in every four people is reported to be undernourished, and young children and women are reported to have the highest cases of vitamin A and Iron deficiency (Science Direct). In Kenya, fish consumption is reported to be 4kg per capita per year compared to the global average of 20kg per capita per year, indicating high levels of undernutrition and low fish consumption. Fish is a good source of protein and other valuable nutrients, especially for women and children, and should be readily available and affordable as it plays an important role in combating malnutrition.

Traditionally, fish farming and capture fisheries were presumed to be male-dominated. However, studies have shown that women play a significant role in both aquaculture and fisheries and are actively involved in all areas of the industry. For instance, women in aquaculture not only carry out the construction of fish-rearing structures like ponds but are also active in post-harvest activities, including processing, value addition, and marketing. Studies in Cambodia show that ponds managed by women give higher outputs compared to those managed by men, thus leading to the increased availability of fish in the market, improved socio-economic conditions, and improved family income. In the Zanzibar and Lake Victoria regions of Tanzania, the seaweed production sector and the drying and selling of Rastrineobola argentea, locally known as dagaa, is dominated by women (Research gate).

Despite the evident contribution of women to the aquaculture industry, women still earn less compared to men in similar positions, further contributing to higher poverty rates among women. Women with less education and fewer economic resources are usually involved in low-status and tedious work compared to more educated women who, despite being involved in skilled labor, are overworked, underpaid, and have lower promotion rates and more inequalities for the same amount of work done as men (FAO 2017). In instances where technology has been modernized, women’s roles often become more limited, and they seldom rise to the top management levels.

Women often need more resources and support to invest in commercially viable aquaculture activities, and the few who have worked to adopt new aquaculture technologies often have restricted roles. Their contribution is usually disregarded, and some of their work is classified as unpaid family work with no records of the exact number of women involved in these activities. This lack of employment data in the aquaculture industry makes it difficult to understand the severity of the case of gender inequality. Due to gender norms and laws in many developing countries, women have limited control of assets and cannot own land or property. This inequality creates major barriers for women to access credit since they lack collateral for the loans. This, coupled with limited access to capital, creates even greater challenges for women to establish sustainable fish farming businesses.

In some communities, women are viewed purely as child bearers and household managers. This results in young girls lacking access to basic education as they spend their development period being trained to be mothers and housewives. This lack of education creates challenges in gaining relevant skills and access to well-paying roles in the industry, leading to fewer opportunities for these women to develop professionally, producing a cycle that encourages discrimination and exploitation. Even with the opportunity to be involved in aquaculture, the competing needs of household responsibilities mean they work fewer hours in the industry and have no time to participate in capacity-building activities due to familial responsibilities and restrictions with movement, especially if they have children.

These issues, coupled with harsh economic times, have prompted some women in coastal communities to participate in “Jaboya” – the act of transactional sex work where women trade sex to get fish for sale and for consumption. In most fishing communities, men own the fishing boats, while women buy fish from them for market distribution. Due to the inability of women to go fishing as it is viewed as a man’s role, poverty and helplessness prompt some of the women to introduce their daughters to jaboya in order to secure fish. Exposure to multiple sexual partners puts women at risk of sexually transmitted diseases and HIV infections. Since men are mostly in control of factors of production both in aquaculture and fisheries, the power dynamics are favorable to men, enabling the exploitation of women for sex (National library of Medicine). A report with disclosures by fishermen in Malawi indicates that 25 fishermen would line up to have sex with one woman in exchange for 15 dozen fish if no condom is used during sexual intercourse, or 3 dozen fish if a condom is used (Journal of the International AIDS Society).

Gender equality is pivotal for promoting aquaculture development and poverty reduction. Comprehensive interventions are necessary, starting with removing barriers to education and property ownership. Encouraging women’s participation in capacity-building and aquaculture training, diversifying extension teams, and educating local communities on gender awareness can help overcome social and cultural barriers.

Studies indicate that gender equality plays a major role in promoting aquaculture development, food and nutrition security, and poverty reduction. As major stakeholders in the industry, the empowerment of women can significantly enhance fish production, improve household incomes, and promote good nutrition.

Interventions towards the challenges faced by women need to be all-inclusive and avoid casting the burden on women by designing simple and proven channels to identify problems and develop solutions with the urgency deserved. This should begin with removing barriers that prevent women from getting a good education and owning property, as well as encouraging women to participate in capacity building and aquaculture training. Extension officers in the industry also need more women on their team to achieve gender equity and create a safe space for women to voice their problems (World Fish).

Local support networks and communities need to be educated on gender awareness and the importance of supporting women in these communities. The right support and education will play a major role in helping women overcome social and cultural barriers and provide them with a chance to have a better life through improved living standards.

Academia, aquaculture research, and project implementations should be inclusive to ensure that the different needs of both women and men are met. Policies should have guidelines in place on gender equality. These guidelines should be prioritized in aquaculture planning, development, monitoring, and evaluation and should involve the participation of various stakeholders in the aquaculture industry, including research and learning institutions, government, non-governmental organizations, and the private sector to work together in overcoming gender blindness.

In order to achieve this, an evidence-based approach is needed to showcase how empowering women at different levels of the industry can enhance the sector’s productivity. A systematic data collection on gender participation in aquaculture needs to be developed to be used in planning and development. The collection of this data should be made a legal obligation to ensure sufficient data on gender is available during planning and implementation. This data should include information on women’s participation in various stages of the industry, type of work, payment, and working conditions, with the main targets being decent working conditions and gender equality. Women and men in high-level aquaculture positions with decision-making capacity should be trained to understand and promote gender equity.

For concrete societal change to occur, both women and men must advocate for gender equality. This is no easy feat and requires a deliberate commitment to change by recognizing the indignity of leaving women to their own demise despite the disadvantages they already face. I believe each individual has a role in questioning the rooted and degrading manner in which women’s work is portrayed and perceived in aquaculture and other industries. By challenging our assumptions about gender roles, we can help achieve gender equality.

It is also essential to recognize women’s important role in aquaculture to improve productivity. This can be achieved through research and innovation to formulate better aquaculture policies that are inclusive of women, where factors most crucial for women’s empowerment are identified and implemented. This should involve economic empowerment along with changes in society and institutional norms. The stories of successful women in the industry should be documented by sharing details of how they overcame challenges, to encourage other women and show that they can rise above challenges.