An Investigation of Women Participation in Fish Value Chain and Value Chain Governance in Malawi: A Case of Msaka on Lake Malawi and Kachulu on Lake Chilwa

Suggested Bibliographic Reference: Challenging New Frontiers in the Global Seafood Sector: Proceedings of the Eighteenth Biennial Conference of the International Institute of Fisheries Economics and Trade, July 11-15, 2016. Compiled by Stefani J. Evers and Ann L. Shriver. International Institute of Fisheries Economics and Trade (IIFET), Corvallis, 2016.Proceedings of the Eighteenth Biennial Conference of the International Institute of Fisheries Economics and Trade, held July 11-15, 2016 at Aberdeen Exhibition and Conference Center (AECC), Aberdeen, Scotland, UK.This paper fills an important gap towards ensuring gender responsive fish value chains by analyzing the factors that influence women’s participation in fish value chains and value chain governance in Malawi. The study was based on the hypothesis that gendered differences are prevalent in the fish value chains and their governance. In testing the hypothesis, Focus Group Interviews, Key Informant Interviews and Gender Transformative Approaches were used to analyse a) market access by men and women; b) Institutional arrangements in the value chain; c) perceptions and experiences of men and women in the value chain processes. In addition relevant documents were reviewed to determine to which extent gender is considered in fish value chains and their governance. From the preliminary findings, the results show that indeed disparities exist in the value chain and their governance. The study will also contribute to deepening understanding of women issues in the fisheries sector in Malawi hence providing further opportunities for gaining support for women empowerment in the fisheries sector