Uulili small-scale fishers receive post-harvest training
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31 small-scale fishers, fish farmers, and fishmongers in Uulili, in the Oshana Region, participated in a three-day Gender Transformative Approaches (GTA) training organized by the Ministry of Fisheries and Marine (MFMR) with support from the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO).
The training was aimed toward supporting improved post-harvest practices amongst small-scale fishers and equip them with the necessary skills to succeed in the small-scale fisheries (SSF) sector. It also sought to engage the SSF sub-sector at the grassroots level and gauge the views of locals at common fishing spots in the region.
During the opening day of the training, the MFMR Deputy Director of Aquaculture and Inland Fisheries, John Hamukwaya, highlighted that for many years the SSF sub-sector has not been accounted for in terms of its contribution to food security as well as economic growth.
Hamukwaya noted that the GTA training formed part of government’s effort to uplift the sub-sector by educating small-scale fishers on how to fish sustainably and inform them of existing laws that affect the sector. He further noted that the Ministry is also focused on consulting small-scale fishers on the challenges they face and finding solutions on how best to resolve them.
Sector overlooked
Hamukwaya also highlighted that government’s focus has largely been on commercial fishing, however, the Ministry realised that there is a big number of local fishermen at the grassroots level whose input is equally relevant in bettering the fishing sector.
“We want to interrogate the challenges faced by the small-scale fishermen. Even in our laws we did not really pay attention to small-scale fishers but the majority of our people are benefiting from this sector,” Hamukwaya said.
To date, 45 000 people directly benefit from the SSF sub-sector while about 280 000 people (approximately 11% of the country’s total population) living along the coastal area, rivers and lakes benefit directly or indirectly from the sector. The sector provides income, employment, foo security, nutrition and socio-economic benefits.
Challenges faced
During the workshop, various issues were brought to the fore by small-scale fishers. One of the challenges highlighted was a lack of access to the mainstream fisheries market which hinders them from earning a decent income.
Meanwhile MFMR Chief Fisheries Biologist in Oshana region, Elizabeth Ndivayele, who also oversees all catching areas in the region, highlighted that there is a need for a structured plan for processing fish as at present, fish is processed traditionally through unsanitary means of gutting and drying, which poses a health risk to consumers.
“The current means to process fish is unhygienic because the fish is dried in an open area and sometimes on the ground and as a result they sometimes have sand and germs on them,” said Ndivayele.
Ndivayele also noted that the current camping arrangements for small-scale fishers also needs to be looked at as they sleep in makeshift rooms made from recycled plastics without any water or sanitation facilities. While most do not have proper fishing gear or life-saving jackets and many, especially women, cannot swim.
Assistance required
Simon Kambala, who has been fishing for the last 23 years, said the fishers at Uulili are in dire need of the authorised fishing gear and a structured place to dry their fish to reduce the exposure of fish to sand and germs.
“We also need a cold storage so that our fish do not get spoiled,” Kambala added.
Fisherwoman, Rebekka Festus, who also fishes at Uulili, called on for abolution facilities to be erected at fishing spots and for potable water to be made available to them.
“The current living conditions at Uulili are not hygienic as we have no clean water or even toilets to relieve ourselves,” she said.
Empowering fishers
In September 2020, the Government of Namibia, through the Ministry of Fisheries and Marine Resources (MFMR) committed to develop her National Plan of Action for Small-Scale Fisheries (NPOA-SSF) through implementing the Voluntary Guidelines for Securing Sustainable Small-Scale Fisheries in the Context of food Security and Poverty Eradication (SSF Guidelines).
MFMR, along with key stakeholders such as FAO, has embarked upon the NPOA-SSF implementation process in a bid to improve organizational capacity, extend gender transformative capacity development support and improve post-harvest processes for small-scale fishers. This support is being provided in the form of workshops, learning exchanges and demonstrations.