‘Women’s contributions in small-scale fisheries underrated’

Although women play an essential role in Namibia’s N$250-million small-scale fisheries sector, their contributions often go unnoticed or undervalued.

This was said by Alushe Hitula, the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organisation fisheries consultant, at a workshop organised in collaboration with the Ministry of Fisheries and Marine Resources at Mariental in the Hardap region.

“This workshop provides a platform for dialogue, knowledge exchange and capacity building, enabling us to work together towards achieving gender equality and women’s empowerment,” she said.

It is estimated that Namibia’s small-scale fisheries subsector indirectly supports more than 280 000 Namibians (approximately 11% of the country’s population) through providing income, employment, socio-economic benefits, and food and nutrition security.

This sector is worth US$5,4 billion (about N$100 billion) in Africa, with 5,2 million tonnes of fish produced annually, according to data from the Indian Ocean Commission.

The Mariental workshop was organised to address gender disparities and raise awareness on the importance of women’s participation and inclusion in decision-making processes and to enhance their socio-economic opportunities within the sub-sector.

Held under the theme ‘Achieving Gender Equality and Women’s Empowerment in Small-Scale Fisheries’, the three-day event brought together 23 fisherwomen, fish processors and fish traders from Namibia’s 14 regions.

The women, who are members of the Namibia Women’s Fisheries Network (Namfishnet), discussed opportunities, shared experiences and explored strategies for fostering gender equality in this vital industry.

They also highlighted the challenges faced by women in the sector and proposed potential solutions.

The workshop also sought to strengthen Namfishnet’s organisational capacities and establish lessons learnt and key issues noted to inform other small-scale fisheries organisations in the future.

Namfishnet chairperson Aina Petrus emphasised the economic benefits of empowering women.

“As a woman small-scale fisher in Namibia, I have witnessed first-hand the economic benefits that come with empowering women.

When women are given equal access to resources, training and opportunities, they become powerful contributors to the growth and sustainability of our communities. Investing in women is investing in economic prosperity for all,” she said.

Kaarin Kuumbwa from Walvis Bay said integrating women into small-scale fisheries in Namibia promotes socio-economic empowerment, sustainable development and knowledge transfer.
– email: matthew@namibian.com.na