Gender and food loss in sustainable fish value chains in Africa

Book excerpt: Food losses are a major concern and occur in most fish distribution chains worldwide. Not only do losses constitute lost income to fishers, processors, and traders, but they also contribute to food insecurity. Progress has been made in identifying the direct causes of fish losses and quantifying the magnitude of the loss. However, loss reduction strategies have tended to focus on technological solutions and hence have overlooked the relevance of socio-economic factors, including gender relations, that influence the functioning of the fisheries value chain. This document provides guidance on integrating gender concerns into food loss interventions within the fish value chains. It describes the different steps to understand the key components of a gender-sensitive food loss value chain analysis. In particular, it recommends highlighting the dynamics and factors that influence women’s and men’s natural social disposition and participation in fisheries activities according to dominant assigned gender roles. While addressing the existing knowledge gaps and contributing to the development of an approach tailored to African small-scale fish value chains, this document also provides introductory information on the application of the FAO Gender-Responsive Fish Loss Assessment Methodology (GRFLAM).