Positioning women smallholder fisher folk to benefit from the Blue Economy

In November this year, over 17,000 delegates from all over the globe gathered in Nairobi for the Blue Economy Conference. Among ministers, CEOs and scientists was Jackline Auma, a fisherwoman from Shakababo Lake, in the Tana River Delta, Kenya. Auma is one of the 47% women who are part of the 120 million people who earn money directly from fishing and processing. But unlike these other women who make up 85% of the workforce in jobs such as fish mongering, gutting, filling cans or other processing, Auma is a boat owner. She sometimes goes out to fish, and at other times she rents out her boat to others. Auma also processes fish and has employed several people who work for her. In a sector where fishing is a predominantly male activity, Auma was not always this successful