Fish Losses for Whom? A Gendered Assessment of Post-Harvest Losses in the Barotse Floodplain Fishery, Zambia
Few studies examine post-harvest fish losses using a gender lens or collect sex-disaggregated data. This mixed-methods study assessed fish losses experienced by female and male value chain actors in a fishery in western Zambia to determine who experiences losses, why, and to what extent. Results ind...
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doaj-bd06e5b5399148a7a1753c6effb953ff2020-12-04T00:02:23ZengMDPI AGSustainability2071-10502020-12-0112100911009110.3390/su122310091Fish Losses for Whom? A Gendered Assessment of Post-Harvest Losses in the Barotse Floodplain Fishery, ZambiaAlexander Michael Kaminski0Steven Michael Cole1Robin Elizabeth Al Haddad2Alexander Shula Kefi3Alex Dennis Chilala4Gethings Chisule5Kelvin Ntaswila Mukuka6Catherine Longley7Shwu Jiau Teoh8Ansen Ronald Ward9WorldFish, Plot 18944 Lunbansenshi, Lusaka 10101, ZambiaWorldFish, Plot 18944 Lunbansenshi, Lusaka 10101, ZambiaSchool of Geography, Development & Environment, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ 85721, USADepartment of Fisheries, Ministry of Fisheries and Livestock, Government of the Republic of Zambia, P.O. Box 350100, Chilanga 10101, ZambiaDepartment of Fisheries, Ministry of Fisheries and Livestock, Government of the Republic of Zambia, P.O. Box 350100, Chilanga 10101, ZambiaDepartment of Fisheries, Ministry of Fisheries and Livestock, Government of the Republic of Zambia, P.O. Box 350100, Chilanga 10101, ZambiaDepartment of Fisheries, Ministry of Fisheries and Livestock, Government of the Republic of Zambia, P.O. Box 350100, Chilanga 10101, ZambiaIndependent Researcher, Kent CT1, UKWorldFish, Batu Maung, Bayan Lepas 11960, MalaysiaIndependent Researcher, Kent CT1, UKFew studies examine post-harvest fish losses using a gender lens or collect sex-disaggregated data. This mixed-methods study assessed fish losses experienced by female and male value chain actors in a fishery in western Zambia to determine who experiences losses, why, and to what extent. Results indicate that participation in the fishery value chain is gendered and most losses occur during post-harvest activities. Discussions with fishers, processors, and traders suggest the value chain is more fluid than often depicted, with people making calculated decisions to sell fresh or dried fish depending on certain conditions, and mostly driven by the need to avoid losses and attain higher prices. The study shows that gender norms shape the rewards and risks offered by the value chain. This could be the reason why a greater proportion of women than men experienced physical losses in our study sample. Female processors lost three times the mass of their fish consignments compared to male processors. Technical constraints (lack of processing technologies) and social constraints (norms and beliefs) create gender gaps in post-harvest losses. Addressing unequal gender relations in value chains, whilst also promoting the use of loss-reducing technologies, could increase fish supply and food security in small-scale fisheries.https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/12/23/10091genderpost-harvest lossessmall-scale fisheriesvalue chainsBarotse FloodplainZambia |
collection |
DOAJ |
language |
English |
format |
Article |
sources |
DOAJ |
author |
Alexander Michael Kaminski Steven Michael Cole Robin Elizabeth Al Haddad Alexander Shula Kefi Alex Dennis Chilala Gethings Chisule Kelvin Ntaswila Mukuka Catherine Longley Shwu Jiau Teoh Ansen Ronald Ward |
spellingShingle |
Alexander Michael Kaminski Steven Michael Cole Robin Elizabeth Al Haddad Alexander Shula Kefi Alex Dennis Chilala Gethings Chisule Kelvin Ntaswila Mukuka Catherine Longley Shwu Jiau Teoh Ansen Ronald Ward Fish Losses for Whom? A Gendered Assessment of Post-Harvest Losses in the Barotse Floodplain Fishery, Zambia Sustainability gender post-harvest losses small-scale fisheries value chains Barotse Floodplain Zambia |
author_facet |
Alexander Michael Kaminski Steven Michael Cole Robin Elizabeth Al Haddad Alexander Shula Kefi Alex Dennis Chilala Gethings Chisule Kelvin Ntaswila Mukuka Catherine Longley Shwu Jiau Teoh Ansen Ronald Ward |
author_sort |
Alexander Michael Kaminski |
title |
Fish Losses for Whom? A Gendered Assessment of Post-Harvest Losses in the Barotse Floodplain Fishery, Zambia |
title_short |
Fish Losses for Whom? A Gendered Assessment of Post-Harvest Losses in the Barotse Floodplain Fishery, Zambia |
title_full |
Fish Losses for Whom? A Gendered Assessment of Post-Harvest Losses in the Barotse Floodplain Fishery, Zambia |
title_fullStr |
Fish Losses for Whom? A Gendered Assessment of Post-Harvest Losses in the Barotse Floodplain Fishery, Zambia |
title_full_unstemmed |
Fish Losses for Whom? A Gendered Assessment of Post-Harvest Losses in the Barotse Floodplain Fishery, Zambia |
title_sort |
fish losses for whom? a gendered assessment of post-harvest losses in the barotse floodplain fishery, zambia |
publisher |
MDPI AG |
series |
Sustainability |
issn |
2071-1050 |
publishDate |
2020-12-01 |
description |
Few studies examine post-harvest fish losses using a gender lens or collect sex-disaggregated data. This mixed-methods study assessed fish losses experienced by female and male value chain actors in a fishery in western Zambia to determine who experiences losses, why, and to what extent. Results indicate that participation in the fishery value chain is gendered and most losses occur during post-harvest activities. Discussions with fishers, processors, and traders suggest the value chain is more fluid than often depicted, with people making calculated decisions to sell fresh or dried fish depending on certain conditions, and mostly driven by the need to avoid losses and attain higher prices. The study shows that gender norms shape the rewards and risks offered by the value chain. This could be the reason why a greater proportion of women than men experienced physical losses in our study sample. Female processors lost three times the mass of their fish consignments compared to male processors. Technical constraints (lack of processing technologies) and social constraints (norms and beliefs) create gender gaps in post-harvest losses. Addressing unequal gender relations in value chains, whilst also promoting the use of loss-reducing technologies, could increase fish supply and food security in small-scale fisheries. |
topic |
gender post-harvest losses small-scale fisheries value chains Barotse Floodplain Zambia |
url |
https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/12/23/10091 |
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