The SOUTH AFRICAN NETWORK FOR WOMEN IN THE FISHERIES & AQUACULTURE SECTOR (SANWFA) was established to ensure impactful inclusion of women in all aspects of the value chain in fisheries and aquaculture sector within South Africa. The overall objective of the non-profit company is to contribute to improving the welfare, working conditions and income of women in the fisheries and aquaculture sector within South Africa.
At the continental level, the South African Network of Women in the fisheries and aquaculture is anchored to the African Women Fish Processors and Traders Network (AWFISHNET) as a forum through which women could share experiences, build the capacities of its members to adopt best practices, improve the access of women’s fish products to local and regional markets, and advocate as one ‘One Voice’ to leverage their role and contribution to the sector. Membership of AWFISHNET is comprised of national women’s fish organisations from all 55 African Union member states with regional chapters in place.
Regionally, the South African Network of Women in the fisheries and aquaculture will be anchored within the Southern African Non-State Actors platform in Fisheries and Aquaculture (SANSAFA) as a regional partners for AWFISHNET in order to enhance communication among members and create linkages with other regional stakeholders for regional trade. SANSAFA was formed in 2018 to provide strategic leadership and coordination of all national and sub-national level non state actors in fisheries and aquaculture in the region. This platform is utilised and fully recognised by the Southern African Development Community (SADC).
The formation of the national chapter SANWFA has been supported by the African Union- Inter-African Bureau for Animal Resources (AU-IBAR) and AUDA-NEPAD Agency in response to the demand driven request from the non-state actors including women responding to the implementation of the Policy Framework and Reform Strategy for Fisheries and Aquaculture in Africa advocating for the equitable participation of women among the key strategies for improving the performance of Africa’s fisheries sector.
This year SANWFA has embarked on setting up projects on ground level for its members and support existing producers through technical support and training. That has seen SANWFA engaging new partnerships and collaborations. SANWFA is in the final stages of negotiations for establishing an aquaculture project at Molepo Dam in Limpopo in partnership with CMC developers for a smart cities. To date the network has partnered with Future Fish, UK based company, to exchange knowledge and experiences, identify and assess opportunities in the Limpopo province. Also thoroughly engaging the Limpopo Department of Land and Rural Development, Agricultural Colleges and the University of Limpopo in efforts to forge collaborations. A Memorundum of Agreement has since been signed with one of the Agricultural Colleges which allows the 2 parties to exchange information and join hands in providing training for the people of Limpopo across all the genders and background. A few water bodies have been identified for fresh water aquaculture and environmental compliance processes are in the final stages.
The objectives are as follows:
*Launch the Flagship Project and develop its implementation strategy; *Collaboration and cooperation with identified stakeholders to advance and maximize socio-economic gains for women in the sector; *Building and strengthening the capacity of members to effectively participate in the sector and build sustainable enterprises including community-based enterprises.
*Attraction of increased public & private investment in the whole value chain; Youth and people living with disabilities.