Kenya has launched the national African Women Fish Processors and Traders Network Chapter (AWFISHNET).
Speaking during the official launch in Nairobi, Director of fisheries and agriculture at the State department of fisheries, Rodrick Kundu said the establishment of the women network Kenya chapter will help women in the country link up with other women for benchmarking and opportunities.
AWFISHNET is an initiative supported by the African Union- Inter African Bureau for Animal Resources (AU-IBAR) and funded by the European Union. The network is envisaged to provide a platform for women fish processors and traders in the continent to collaborate and cooperate; Share best practices, experiences, technologies and learning together.
Policy environment
The women will advocate for issues affecting their activities and facilitate enabling policy environment to enhance their role in the fisheries sector in the continent and strengthen their role as small-medium enterprises hence expanding their market and marketing opportunities, resulting in improved intra-regional African fish trade that contributes to food security and nutrition.
‘’We are implementing an aquaculture program financed by International Fund for Agricultural Development in conjunction with the Kenyan government to the tune of sh14 billion and sub-counties in Central and Western Kenya. ’We want to transition from the subsistence fish farming to commercial aquaculture,’’ said Kundu.
African Union- Inter African Bureau for Animal Resources acting Director, Dr Nick Nwankpa in a statement thanked the Kenyan government for accepting to support women in the fisheries and aquaculture sector organise into a national network as among the mechanisms for fostering equity and sustainability within Africa’s fish sector.
‘’Our action today follows the outcomes of the Malabo Declaration on Accelerated Agricultural Growth and Transformation for Shared Prosperity and Improved Livelihoods,’’ he said.
