Contribution of Women to Aquaculture Development in Rwanda

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.Rwanda is one of the sub-Sahara African countries that have made greater strides in promoting gender equality and empowerment of women across all agricultural sectors aquaculture. Until recently the country has been more or less self-sufficient as regards food supplies. Now, however the estimated rate of population increase is greater than the rate of increase of food production. Women make up 53% of population of Rwanda and participate in Agriculture more than men. A great number of women participating in aquaculture sub- sector and highly engaged in this as independent fish farmers in cooperatives, wage farmers and unpaid family labor. It has been proven that women play an important role in aquaculture production activities in Rwanda and their participation is notably something so common that it is taken for granted without always realizing the heavy burdens imposed on women. Increase in number of women and disadvantaged groups actively involved in fish farming organizations and service provision in fisheries sector with more off –fish farming jobs like fish processing, packaging and marketing are hold by women. Women play a significant role in aquaculture sub- sector development in Rwanda; however, they are still facing many challenges that need to be addressed such as lack of access to credits from financial institutions, less technical skills aquaculture production systems, unaffordable fish feeding (pellets) since these are imported, insufficient supply of fingerlings by Rwanda Agriculture Board, but can’t satisfy the demand for restocking among others