A  new four-year, multinational programme is being introduced to attract women and youth in Africa to work in the fisheries sector.

Africa Business Communities reports that the initiative aims to create more than 240 000 job opportunities for women and youth in the sector in seven countries or regions – Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, the DRC, Zambia, Nigeria and selected Island states. It hopes to stimulate trade in fish and fish products by about US$100 million by 2028.

A collaboration between the African Continental Free Trade Area Secretariat, the MasterCard Foundation and TradeMark Africa (TMA), the Women and Youth Economic Empowerment in Fisheries programme is intended to help women and youth starting out in the industry through a wide range of initiatives.

It will offer training, improve access to markets and finance, promote supply chain linkages, create digital solutions, simplify trade regimes, enhance standard compliance and enable streamlined cross-border market access.

‘Addressing the structural barriers which are unique to women and young people in the fish value chain is a critical necessity that aims to enhance the participation and competitiveness of program participants in the sector,’ says TMA deputy CEO Allen Sophia Asiimwe.

2 July 2024
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