Spotlight on African Women in Aquaculture as the AUDA-NEPAD, World Aquaculture Society (African Chapter) and Partners commemorate the UN International Year of the Woman Farmer 2026
Women are central to fisheries and aquaculture value chains in Africa, fulfilling critical roles across producing, harvesting, processing, trading, and retail, and often underpinning household food security and local economies. Women comprise a significant proportion—particularly in post-harvest segments—where their labour adds value, reduces losses, and sustains market systems, yet their contributions remain largely informal and undervalued.
According to AUDA-NEPAD, empowering women in fisheries and aquaculture value chains is a matter of equity, and also a strategic imperative for achieving inclusive economic growth, improved nutrition, and resilient aquatic food systems. Evidence shows that when women have equitable access to resources, finance, technology, and decision-making platforms, productivity increases, incomes rise, and benefits are more likely to be reinvested in families and communities. Strengthening women’s roles in fisheries and aquaculture also accelerates progress toward continental priorities, while unlocking the full potential of aquatic foods as a driver of sustainable development across Africa.
The United Nations has designated 2026 as the International Year of the Woman Farmer (IYWF 2026). The World Aquaculture Society African Chapter (WAS-AC), in collaboration with the African Union Development Agency – (AUDA-NEPAD) and its media partner Aquaculture Africa Media (AAM), have seized the opportunity to focus on women in fish farming; to highlight the crucial role they are playing in aquatic foods systems. In support to the IYWF commemorations, the FAO has created a Communications Handbook and Toolkit to guide its partners in developing strategic actions that may potentially amplify the celebrations of IYWF 2026. At the end of the year the WAS-AC plans to host a Special Side-Event at the upcoming Aquaculture Africa 2026 Conference in Tanzania (1-4 December 2026) to conclude the commemorations.
On March 24, 2026, a pioneering webinar session was held to raise awareness and promote initiatives aimed at enhancing women’s livelihoods in aquaculture. The session attracted nearly 300 participants from around the world, primarily from Africa. Keynote speakers included Dr. Khalid Salie (President of the WAS-AC); Dr. Foluke Areola, (President Elect of WAS); Dr. Bernice McLean (Head of the Blue Economy Unit at AUDA-NEPAD); and Ms. Jennifer Gee (FAO Gender Lead for Fisheries and Aquaculture). The speakers all highlighted the importance of implementing strategic and impactful actions that support the critical roles of women aquaculture producers in Africa, particularly in terms of food security, nutrition, and poverty eradication.
Following the opening session, a panel of identified women champions from several African countries, including Egypt, Nigeria, Ghana, Senegal, Kenya, and South Africa, spoke of their experience in aquaculture production. The champions had the opportunity to showcase their aquaculture enterprises, share their transformative journeys, discuss opportunities for scaling up, and highlight some of the challenges they face. The need for interventions to address long-term challenges such as increased access to land, credit, markets, education, training, and innovative technologies that can empower women was apparent. The solutions proposed included supportive regulations, institutions, and investments, as well as by encouraging collaboration among various stakeholders for women empowerment.
This webinar marks the beginning of a broader journey that AUDA-NEPAD, WAS-AC, and their partners plan to undertake this year. This journey will involve outreach initiatives to identify women aquaculture farmers across various regions of Africa, along with regional webinar sessions and other online engagements and activities – following up to the Communications Handbook and Toolkit. The commemoration will culminate in a final event at the Aquaculture Africa 2026 Conference (AFRAQ2026), scheduled to take place in Tanzania from December 1 to 4, 2026.
To learn more about the Webinar Session on Women in Aquaculture Production, visit link. The webinar recording is available here.
Spotlight on African Women in Aquaculture as the AUDA-NEPAD, World Aquaculture Society (African Chapter) and Partners commemorate the UN International Year of the Woman Farmer 2026
