Role of Women in Processing and Marketing of Dry Fish from Coastal Bangladesh – An Exploratory Study

Abstract

Women fisher folk play a significant role in creating income generating activities (IGA) in different levels of dry fish marketing structure in coastal Bangladesh. This paper focuses mainly on the role of fisherwomen in processing and marketing of dry fish from coastal areas. The study covers seven different villages of Cox’s bazaar districts. A total of 280 women fishers among - 140 fisherwomen and 140 women workers, were selected for the study. The paper points out that the sample women are involved in different income generating activities like drying, sorting and grading, cleaning and salting. The paper highlights that the income generating activities and monthly income derived from those activities vary in peak and lean seasons. The paper also identifies that most of the female fishers are semiskilled or unskilled and only 12.14% of them got training from NGOs. The article shows that their attitude towards NGOs is positive as they attain bundle of benefits from the NGOs among which are getting loans, marketing assistance, creating social awareness, enjoying sanitary latrine and the likes. Finally the paper puts forward some policy recommendations to overcome the problems of the women fishers, avail opportunities of the dry fish sector and thus lead a sustainable livelihood.