The Gender Role in Fish Processing and Trading Practices in Lake Victoria (Kenya).
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Date
2000
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Show full item recordAbstract
This paper examines the role of gender in fish processing and trade along the Kenyan part of Lake Victoria. The study was carried out with aid of a structured questionnaire administered through personal interviews. Two surveys were conducted sequentially, in which samples of fish traders and processors were interviewed. Results show that at the artisanal level women dominate fish trading and processing. Most female traders and processors were introduced into the fish business by their parents or spouses while male traders have joined the fish trade because the business requires little initial capital. The most frequently traded fish is Nile perch, with a slightly greater proportion of men trading in adult of this species than females who mainly trade in juveniles. Male traders prefer to deal in fresh fish, while the largest proportion of women deal in sun-dried fish products. The three main sources of financing the fish business are: income obtained from selling farm produce or livestock, money lent by relatives and from respondents' personal savings. The paper concludes that there is gender disparity in many aspects of the fish trading and processing. It recommends improved infrastructure, increased access of women to credit facilities, improved techniques of fish processing and preservation to avoid spoilage, and to enhance incomes from fish trading and processing.Page Range
pp.278-289Title of Parent Book or Report
Regional Stakeholders Workshop on the Role of Women in Fisheries Management of Lake Victoria. Kisumu, Kenya, 13-15 November, 2000.Publisher or University
Lake Victoria Fisheries OrganizationCollections