Enhancement of Women s Role in Artisanal Fishing Communities Egypt

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1 3 Enhancement of Women s Role in Artisanal Fishing Communities Egypt IOI Operational Centre Involved: IOI-Egypt, located at the National Institute of Oceanography and Fisheries, Alexandria, Egypt Project Coordinator: Azza A. El-Ganainy S U M M A R Y A pioneering project was initiated by IOI-Egypt in April 2006 to enhance the role of women in poor fishing communities. The project implemented an intensive educational and training programme to upgrade skills and raise awareness in the fishing sector and other similar jobs in order to increase the women s income and improve their livelihoods. In Egypt, most of the fishing communities are concentrated in the area of the northern lakes so the programme was focused on these communities. During the first phase (April-July 2006), training was conducted in El-Teloul village (Bardawil lagoon), Northern Sinai Governorate. The second phase of training (July-October 2007) was conducted in Borg El-Brollus village (Brollus Lake), Kaferelshaikh Governorate. The women in the small-scale fishing communities, like their counterparts in other developing countries, are still not 31

2 32 VOLUME 16: EXAMPLES OF SUCCESSFUL EXPERIENCES IN COASTAL COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT recognized as being economically active. In Egypt, there is a general lack of information concerning the extent of the economic participation of women in the small-scale fisheries sector nationwide. The project focused particular attention on the activities of the artisanal fisheries sector. Women in these small fishing communities were trained in the cleaning, sorting, processing and packing of fish. The objective was to increase the job opportunities and income-generating activities for women who are disadvantaged. The project also emphasized the participation of women in the economy and encouraged the recognition of their unrewarded efforts in the management of these communities. It was also able to help the women to apply for small loans from banks for initiating small projects. The project received $15,000 over two years ( ) from IOI-Egypt. B A C K G R O U N D A N D J U S T I F I C AT I O N The fisheries sector is a major source of employment and income in Egypt, where fish is an important food item. The main occupation of the northern lakes communities is fishing, which is practised mainly by artisanal fisherfolk and processors. Fishing is an occupation dominated by men because of the image that only men can go to sea in their fishing boats. In most fishing communities, women are not allowed to go with the fishing vessels. Artisanal and industrial boats work side by side in the open sea and the coastal waters of the Mediterranean and Red Seas of Egypt. However, in the Delta lakes, which extend mostly along the Egyptian Mediterranean coast and in which the water depth varies between 50 and 200 cm, small flat-bottomed boats without engines are commonly used. The fishermen there are mostly poor and live in primitive conditions. The entire family of such a fisherman may live in a small house consisting of only a single room in the immediate vicinity of the coast. Artisanal fisherfolk have low economic and educational levels. They learn their job through family tradition, starting to work between the ages of 12 and 15 years, many of them abandoning school to contribute to the family income. Artisanal fisherfolk have neither a sense of ownership nor a culture of saving. When they return home, they rest while the women prepare the fishery products for sale on the beach, at the markets or to wholesalers. These working conditions imply a high level of daily commitment. Artisanal fishery involves work every day throughout the year, which shows the importance of women s contribution in the organization of the family. In spite of harsh living conditions, the women play an important role in these artisanal fishing communities by facilitating the sailing needs as well as by taking care of the children at home. They are involved in performing skilled and time-consuming jobs onshore, such as making and mending nets and processing

3 Enhancement of Women s Role in Artisanal Fishing Communities Egypt 33 and marketing the catch, handling the small-scale marketing that involves inexpensive fish varieties. Frequently, the women wade along the shores and collect shellfish. Their activities either contribute to household income or provide food directly for the table. In addition, the women are in charge of training the boys in how to assist their fathers in their work. The women s work, which is near the family and home but far away from urban centres, is passed on to the future generations of women. Women in the artisanal fisheries sector have become important actors in the socio-economic development of the Egyptian fisheries, playing an active part at all levels of the fishery productive chain, from the catch to seeding, harvesting in aquaculture and marketing. Nevertheless, their role in the fishery sector is often perceived to be one in which they wait passively for their husbands to return from the sea after their working day is finished. Despite their key role, the importance of the women s contribution is often not well known. O B J E C T I V E S The overall objectives of the project were to: develop the capabilities and strengthen specific skills of women of the artisanal fishing communities in selected areas of the Egyptian Mediterranean coastal lakes in order to enhance their role in their respective communities; and ensure that women use their full potential in profitable activities and hence improve living conditions in these communities. P R O J E C T P L A N N I N G During the two phases of the project, the planning was carried out as follows: survey of the fishing communities in the northern lakes area, including a questionnaire completed by the women interviewed in the fishing communities. The fishermen societies (NGO) helped in gathering and inviting the women for the interviews and to complete the questionnaire; selection of the site and the local communities where the project would be implemented; selection of a suitable place for training in each of these communities. This was done through the help of enumerators from the General Authority for Development of Fish Resources (government) in El-Telloul village during the first phase of the project. During the second phase, the Fishermen Cooperatives (NGO) in Borg El-Brollus village helped in providing and preparing a place for the training; motivation of women by explaining the benefits of the training and educational programme with respect to upgrading their livelihood;

4 34 VOLUME 16: EXAMPLES OF SUCCESSFUL EXPERIENCES IN COASTAL COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT assuring the women regarding the proper marketing of the products; training of women in the different methodologies for preparing fish meals and producing marketable products; and training of women in knitting, repairing and mending of artisanal fishing nets. sorting them according to size and packing them. After the training of all the groups, each participant was tested alone. Each woman was asked to clean, process and pack a quantity of shrimp, which was then given to her as a gift. This training continued for two months and was still ongoing at the time of writing of the case study. P R O J E C T A C T I V I T I E S A C H I E V E M E N T S The project constituted a Working Group of five scientists from the different branches of the National Institute of Oceanography and Fisheries. During the first three months of each phase of the programme, the Working Group surveyed some fishing communities in the area of the five northern lakes. The survey included a questionnaire completed by the women in the fishing communities. The practical training started in the fourth month of each phase through fortnightly visits to the selected village and meeting with the participating women (35 women in El-Teloul and 20 in Borg El-Brollus) in a building prepared for this purpose. It comprised lectures and handson learning activities as follows: Two lectures were given on the scientific procedures in processing and marketing shrimps. The women were then divided into groups of five each and each group received practical training for about two hours on cleaning and processing shrimps and then The expected outcomes are as follows: Women would earn a significant supplementary income from the products that they would make. This would, it was hoped, be sustained after the lifetime of the project and in the future. Family income would increase considerably (for example, selling 10 kg of processed or cooked fish would provide a net income of 150 Egyptian pounds). Marketable fish would be sold at a reasonable price owing to an abundant supply in the market. Labour opportunities would be provided to women and youth in the artisanal fishing communities. The main achievements and outcomes of the project are as follows: Women were trained in the different methodologies for preparing fish and shrimp meals and producing marketable products.

5 Enhancement of Women s Role in Artisanal Fishing Communities Egypt 35 Arrangements were made for the establishment of a shrimp-processing plant in El-Teloul village and for hiring the women trained in this activity so as to increase their income. Arrangements were also made with the traders for marketing the processed fish and shrimp in Borg El-Brollus village to help the women to sell their products and earn a significant supplementary income. M O N I T O R I N G Monitoring of these activities is still in progress through the previously mentioned arrangements. S U S T A I N A B I L I T Y At present, the rate of increase of the Egyptian population is still high, estimated at about 2 per cent annually. Accordingly, the demand for dried, salted, processed and cooked fish will also increase. Unless the artisanal fishing communities, particularly women, improve their skills and increase their capabilities to deliver these products, they will not be able to cope with this increase in demand. Therefore, the project has a high potential for sustainability. Once it has been implemented successfully, it can easily be replicated in other places in the country; hence it would yield important results and have future positive impact nationwide. P A R T N E R S H I P S The partnerships are the following: The General Authority of Development of Fish Resources (government) and the Fishermen Cooperatives (NGO) played an important role in gathering and inviting the women who participated in the training programme and in providing and preparing a place for the training. The National Council of Women (government), led by Mrs. Suzan Moubarak, has offered financial support to the project although the amount has not yet been defined. IOI-Brazil has offered to be a partner in this programme. R E P L I C A B I L I T Y This training programme has already been replicated in two small-scale fishing villages. The experience in the two villages showed that by enhancing the role of women, sustainable development of the artisanal fisheries could be achieved. The rational exploitation of the marine resources could be implemented only with the support of all members of the respective fishing community, including women, who often constitute more than half the population of these communities. Thus, the continuation of such a programme in other areas in Egypt with small-scale fisheries is a necessity.

6 36 VOLUME 16: EXAMPLES OF SUCCESSFUL EXPERIENCES IN COASTAL COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT D I F F I C U LT I E S The main difficulties faced by the Working Group were as follows: The low educational level and socio-cultural constraints of women restrict their participation in development activities of the sector. Their ability to access and use available information is affected by their low level of literacy. The women s lack of belief in their own competence and ability affects their confidence in pursuing projects independently. Women s participation in incomegenerating activities and other development tasks, such as attendance at meetings and training courses, is often short-lived. There is no credit facility intended primarily to respond to the needs of the women who sell fish or process the catch. Such credit could be used to buy the catch of other fisherfolk for bigger processing operations. F U T U R E P L A N S Reduction of post-harvest losses in fisheries and improved fish-processing technology will constitute an important challenge for the future because the exploitation of fish stock may have reached maximum levels. Future plans include the following: An integrated study on the technical, socio-economic and micro-enterprise aspects of women s needs in fisheries will be prepared. This study should include qualitative and quantitative data for the purpose of defining the action fronts and the priorities of the country. Credit lines and other loan systems will be promoted and targeted to poor women involved in fisheries. P U B L I C A T I O N S The project procedures and outputs were elaborated in two progress reports and a paper presented at the Pacem in Maribus XXXII Conference in Malta from 5 to 8 November Contact Fahmy Ahmad Mamdouh Director, IOI-Egypt National Institute of Oceanography and Fisheries P.O. Box 182 Attaka Suez Egypt Tel.: mamfahmy@netscape.net, azzaelgan@yahoo.com