Women, fish and Solar energy: a new model for sustainable livelihoods in Egypt –
For decades, many women in Kafr El-Sheikh Governorate, one of Egypt’s most important aquaculture and fisheries regions, have earned their living through small-scale fish retailing. Despite playing an essential role in connecting producers and consumers, they have traditionally operated under difficult conditions, often without refrigeration, reliable electricity or adequate facilities to preserve fish quality throughout the working day.
The result has frequently been reduced product quality, post-harvest losses, lower market prices and unstable incomes. Improving these working conditions therefore means not only increasing household income, but also strengthening food security and making the entire fisheries value chain more resilient. This article was made possible thanks to the valuable technical contribution of Dr. Mohamed Mohamed Fathi, Scientist (PhD), Project Manager and aquaculture expert.
Renewable energy meets women’s empowerment
A remarkable example of this approach has recently been implemented through the Center for Renewable Energy in Aquaculture (CeREA), a flagship initiative of WorldFish, with the support of the Royal Norwegian Embassy in Cairo and in close collaboration with the Lakes and Fish Resources Protection and Development Agency (LFRPDA), the Kafr El-Sheikh Governorate, the National Council for Women, the Ministry of Social Solidarity and private-sector partners. The project aims to scale renewable energy solutions across Egypt’s aquaculture value chain while improving livelihoods, food security and climate resilience.
Twenty-seven women working in fish retail have received mobile refrigerated fish carts, solar-powered live fish storage and display systems, together with practical training covering food safety, fish processing, value addition and small business management.
Rather than providing simple equipment, the initiative has invested in people’s capacity to develop sustainable businesses, combining renewable energy, entrepreneurship and technical knowledge into a practical model that can be replicated in many other coastal and inland communities.
A simple technology with a remarkable impact
Among the most innovative components of the initiative is the solar-powered live fish tank, a fully off-grid solution specifically designed for small-scale fish retailers operating in markets where electricity is limited or unreliable. Developed by WorldFish through the CeREA project, the system was conceived to support women working in informal and underserved markets by keeping fish alive, healthy and marketable throughout the selling day without relying on grid electricity or diesel generators.
The system combines a 100-litre food-grade tank, a 30 Wp photovoltaic panel, battery storage and a 15 W circulation and aeration pump. Continuous water circulation, together with a sponge filtration system, maintains dissolved oxygen and removes suspended solids, while the automatic switching between solar and battery power guarantees up to 10 hours of operation, including approximately 6–8 hours powered by the battery alone.
This innovation addresses one of the most common challenges faced by fish retailers. Under conventional unaerated conditions, live fish may survive for only a couple of hours after harvesting, resulting in significant food losses, declining product quality, lower market prices and reduced income. In many local markets, reliable electricity is unavailable, while diesel-powered alternatives are expensive, polluting and often impractical.
Field applications have demonstrated fish survival rates of up to 95%, while allowing retailers to handle approximately 25 kg of live fish per day with improved quality and consumer confidence. Beyond fish preservation, the system also provides electricity for digital weighing scales and includes a USB charging port for mobile phones and other small business devices, making it an affordable, modular and locally maintainable solution with strong potential for replication across off-grid fish markets throughout Africa and the wider Global South.
Beyond technology: strengthening communities
The real strength of this initiative lies not only in the technology itself, but in the development model behind it. Renewable energy becomes a tool for economic inclusion, while women become key actors in strengthening local food systems and fisheries value chains.
The project demonstrates how relatively simple technological solutions, when combined with institutional cooperation, technical training and community participation, can generate measurable social, economic and environmental benefits. It also offers an inspiring example for many countries across Africa and the Global South where small-scale fisheries continue to support millions of livelihoods.
As the blue economy continues to evolve, the future will depend not only on innovation, but on ensuring that innovation reaches the people who need it most. The experience of Kafr El-Sheikh shows that empowering women, reducing food losses and embracing renewable energy can all be part of the same solution, creating more resilient fisheries and stronger coastal communities.
Women, fish and Solar energy: a new model for sustainable livelihoods in Egypt
