Opportunities to Enhance Women’s Roles in the Fisheries Value Chain

The project can be considered an opportunity to enhance women’s roles in the fisheries value chain

According to research and survey findings of Hue City Fisheries Association, women constitute the core workforce in seafood processing activities. They undertake most stages of seafood production, from sorting and pre-processing to producing products such as fish sauce, shrimp paste, fermented shrimp, and dried fish. Furthermore, they are also actively engaged in marketing and selling these products at local markets or via trader networks.

The study also highlights opportunities to further enhance women’s roles within the fisheries value chain, including the development of OCOP products, the promotion of a circular economy in seafood processing, and greater female participation in the governance of cooperatives and fisheries associations. At the same time, enabling women to take a more active role in policy-making processes is identified as a key factor in strengthening the local fisheries value chain in particular, and improving women’s socio-economic conditions in general.

According to Mr. Duong Ngoc Phuoc, Standing Vice Chairman of Hue City Fisheries Association, the project “Green Fisheries - A Circular Economy Initiative Led by Women in Fisheries Sector in Hue City” has been designed to further promote the role of women in circular economy models. The initiative aims to improve access to financial and scientific-technological resources for women-led organizations, while supporting research, product development, and market linkages, thereby creating sustainable livelihoods for green, clean, and circular seafood processing products.

The project will be implemented over 18 months and is funded by the Project Supporting Women-led Green Transition Initiatives (PWG). Managed by Oxfam in Vietnam, PWG is one of two components of the “Women-led Green Partnership Initiatives”, which is financed by the European Union.