Mapping women’s small-scale fisheries organizations in Ghana

Book excerpt: Through the FAO-NORAD project, survey data was used to “map” women’s organizations and assess their present capacities and needs in the small-scale fisheries sector. Data collection for this study (herein referred to as the Women’s SSF Mapping Assessment) in Ghana focused on six regions: Western, Central, Eastern, Greater Accra, Volta and Oti. Across these regions, a total of 46 surveys were collected between 23 September and 5 November 2020 (for a full overview of the study methods, see Appendix 1). The results of this study and related recommendations for capacity enhancement activities were later validated by stakeholders at the National Inception and Consultative Workshop held on 20–23 April 2021 in Winneba in the Central region. The workshop was attended by 59 participants, including fish processors drawn from ten project communities; officers from the Fisheries Commission and other partner agencies, including the Food and Drugs Authority (FDA) and the Food Research Institute (CSIR-FRI); and civil society organizations and local non-governmental organizations (NGOs). Each of the ten communities were represented by two processors who participated in project-related surveys (e.g. the study’s baseline assessment) and a leader from at least one women’s small-scale fisheries group. In addition, women’s small-scale fisheries group leaders at the district, regional and national levels were also invited. In all, 30 fish processors and leaders participated in the validation process.