The women of the fishing communities of Senegal are central to the processing and trade of product landed by the country’s artisanal fleet, roles that have been critical to the fishing industry for many decades. Furthermore, the majority of women’s earnings are devoted to providing for their children, as well as contributing to their husband’s work. Nevertheless, until recently, women’s contributions to their families, communities and the fishing industry as a whole, have not been acknowledged. Consequently, women have been underrepresented in fisheries management and/or discussions of ways to improve the sustainability of the fishing industry. The practical necessities of providing for their children, with little or no help from their husbands, interferes with women’s ability to save or reinvest in their business. Lack of access to credit is a major constraint on both traders and processors. The traditional savings groups (naat) are insufficient to finance business expenses. Even where there are banks (mutuals), high interest rates, paperwork and/or the delay in obtaining funds often hampers their effectiveness. The need for funding is most acute when fish is scarce and prices higher.Basic infrastructure needs for processors, including access to clean water, basins to
ferment fish, tables to dry fish and ovens to smoke fish, shade, as well as lights for night work, storage facilities to prevent theft, and schools or childcare centers are in constant demand. Even in the cases where International NGOs have provided infrastructure facilities, these are all too frequently too small, inappropriately designed, or worse, started and left incomplete. At least a quarter of the communities visited had processing facilities that are unsatisfactory and at least two are unusable, resulting in crowding and very poor conditions.
Basic infrastructure for traders is less complicated: access to fresh water, ice, shade, basins or counters to display the fish, transportation and cold storage. Nevertheless, traders are rarely provided with help from NGOs, or even local government. In addition,
they face strong competition from men, including subsidized traders from other West
African countries. Other infrastructure desperately needed by the small sector of women who fish, that is, collect shellfish, includes gloves, water shoes, safety equipment such as life vests, and pirogues to reach the mangroves.
Many of the women recognize the characteristics and value of good leadership. Attributes include communication skills, knowledge (e.g., literacy), confidence, willingness to attend meetings and report to women at the group level. Typically, the processors are better organized than the traders. Workshops to teach literacy, accounting, proper handling of seafood, marketing, etc. are appreciated by the women and well attended when available. Product diversification and training in repurposing waste was also mentioned as potential workshop topics. A longer-term commitment to providing such skills and helping women retain them would clearly be beneficial. This could take the form of extension services, modeled on the U.S.’s Sea Grant Program. Such work could lead to empowerment and capacity building among the women in the fishing communities. A variety of research, outreach and educational activities are recommended.