Abstract:
In the past three and a half a century since fisheries development was embarked upon in West Africa, the
significant contributions of women in sustaining the socio-economic livelihoods of their families has been neglected and
taken for granted. Development and support systems have paid much less attention to the economic potentials of women in
small-scale fisheries in West Africa. Women in developing economies, especially in Africa lack access to services such as
credit, fisheries extension, technology, information and basic education which are critical for shifting patterns of fisheries
production or increasing output, all these are limited. Research information on the role and extent of women’s involvement in
agricultural and/or fisheries development process show a genuine desire to improve their socio-economic status. However, by
a combination of factors, women could not break through the cycle of poverty. There is therefore need for the support
systems to be organized in a way that should bring about social changes that may be resisted at first, but will eventually
promote the role of women in the economy. Gender relations should not be seen as competitive but rather as complementary
and mutually reinforcing. General recommendations include: training and extension programmes in fisheries targeting
women in areas where they contribute to fisheries activities like processing, packaging, distribution and marketing;
microcredit programmes to benefit women; networks formed at national level with the active participation of all the
stakeholders.
