CONSTRAINTS TO SMALL SCALE FISH PROCESSING AND MARKETING BY WOMEN: A CASE STUDY IN THE TEMA METROPOLIS.

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INTRODUCTION
The world fishery production in 2005 was close to 142 million(mt),
Comprising 94million(mt) from capture fisheries, 48million(mt) from aquaculture. 2007). In Africa about 35 million people depend wholly or partly on the artisanal fisheries for their livelihood (Brownell 1997).

About 105 million(mt) was used directly for human consumption (FAO

Marine and inland fisheries resources are the main sources of livelihood
for over 5 million people in W and C. African countries and represents up to two thirds of the animal protein content of the average diet throughout the whole region playing a very crucial role in national food security(SFLP 2004).

200 million people are supported by small scale fisheries worldwide of

which 100million depend on the post harvest sector(McGoodwin 2001).

Introduction contd
Fisheries in Ghana provide: Marine production of 290705.58(mt) with a value of
GHC712,632.00 (DOF Ghana, 2007).

Food-per capita consumption is 20-30kg, one of the

highest in Africa (DOF Ghana, 2007).

Employment - Over 1500,000 fishers are engaged in The fisheries sector contributes 5percent to the GDP

marine capture fisheries whiles 1.5 2 million people rely directly on these fishers. (Mensah et al 2006). (DOF. Ghana, 2008). Food processing is the set of methods and techniques used to transform raw ingredients into food and other forms Joel et al 1990). Various processing methods including, drying, salting

Introduction contd
However, smoking is predominantly used in the Tema
Metropolis and forms the focal point of this research.

Marketing is the performance of business activities that direct

the flow of goods from producer to consumer (Sirra, 2004).

Some of the market centres for smoked fish from the area are
in the Eastern, Ashanti regions, etc.

Some fish species processed and marketed in the Tema

Metropolis are tuna, sardinella, salmon, shrimps, and octopus.

Problem statement
Fish is an important source of animal protein, fatty acids,
minerals and vitamins. Fish is made up of 70-84 % water, 0.1-22 % fat and 1-2 % minerals however, the high moisture content of fish it extremely perishable. (Improved Fish Smoking in Ghana, 2007).

It has been estimated that in the high ambient temperatures

of the tropics, make fish spoils between 12-20 hours of being caught depending on species and size(Improved Fish Smoking in Ghana, 2007).

Smoking of fish is one of the most important methods used

Problem statement contd

In Ghana, smoked fish has been thought to have had an incredible
shelf life of 3-6 months (Mensah et al 2006) Estimates of 500,000 people are engaged in processing, distribution and marketing of fish throughout the country (Mensah et al 2006).

Thus approximately only 2.5% of the population of Ghanas (20

million) people are into fish processing marketing and distribution and provides the fish needs of the rest of the population.

These activities are the most common livelihood activities of the

processors , mostly women in that they provide a sustainable means of food and employment through which they survive and earn incomes , resulting in poverty reduction. Inevitably, they contribute significantly to socio-economic development activities relating to food security, employment and poverty alleviation (DOF Ghana, 2006)..

Problem statement contd

In spite of the critical and sensitive nature of this trade to the livelihood
of the women and the general economy, not much has been done in terms of development plans targeted at these women to assist them exercise their full potential.

Often times, they are marginalized (Mensah et al 2006) and are

vulnerable to discrimination in various respects as they are people with low qualification and rarely have special programmes for training and technological improvement (SFLP 2004). minimal training and capacity building in fish processing and marketing.

As a result, these women are confronted with challenges such as Contrarily, marine fisheries resources is being significantly depleted

which has caused reduced production, irregular supply and has resulted in reduced supply to the processors.

Problem statement contd

Also some of the processors lack the Chorkor smoker, an efficient
and recommended smoking equipment.

Furthermore, there is waste and quality loss from poor handling, lack
of proper storage techniques and long market chain leading to post harvest losses. and non-hygienic treatment as well as absence of improved technologies for processing and preservation (Mensah 1997).

About 100,000 tonnes of fish go waste annually through bad handling

Inadequate access to credit.

Research questions:
What is the current state of Agricultural Extension Services
provided to women in fish smoking and marketing in the Tema Metropolis?

What is the trend in marine fish production between the period

2000-2008 and its relevance in fish supply to the fish smokers in the Metropolis?

What is the length of the marketing channel for fish(fresh and

smoked) and how is fish stored by the women in the Metropolis?

Research questions contd

What are the factors influencing the acquisition Why do the women have inadequate access to
credit? and use of the chorkor smoker in the Metropolis?

Primary objective:
To determine the constraints to small scale fish processing
(smoking) and marketing by women in the Tema Metropolis.

Secondary objectives:
To establish the current state of Agricultural Extension Services
provided to small scale fish smoking and marketing in the Metropolis. and its relevance to fish supply to the fish smokers and marketers in the Metropolis.

To describe the trend in marine fish production between 2000-2008

Secondary objectives contd

To identify the marketing channel for fish(fresh and
smoked) and how fish is stored by the smokers and marketers in the Metropolis.

To identify factors influencing the acquisition and use of

the chorkor smoker in the Metropolis. credit.

To identify and rank the causes of inadequate access to

Justification of the Study

Development plans in Ghana - main agenda is poverty alleviation and
improvement in living standards.

livelihood options available - income levels, its sustainability, ability

to acquire basic necessities of life and move out of poverty.

Smoking and marketing of fish on a small-scale - one of the essential

livelihood options and a major occupation available to a lot of the women in the Tema Metropolis.

However, many pressing constraints exist in the trade that compel the
traders to under exploit their potential and even put their business at risk.

Justification contd
These constraints exposed the whole
industry to a lot of challenges, compelling most of the traders to produce far below capacity whiles others eventually fall out of the trade. rate, increasing poverty levels and rising food insecurity. constraints in the interest of the industry and

Result - Loss of jobs, rising unemployment Therefore there is the need to address these

Significance of the study

The results of the study will bring t notice the degree to which
Agricultural Extension Services provided to the women in fish smoking and marketing is helping them in technological development, technological transfer, basic managerial and accounting skills etc. so that where lapses are identified appropriate interventions would be made.

The outcome will show the current marine fisheries resources

depletion state and how it impacts on fish production, fish supply to the processors and marketers and on their trade.

The results will pinpoint the actual sources of post harvest losses

of fish the smokers and marketers encounter in the metropolis and how it affects their business for appropriate intervention scheme to be designed by relevant authorities to reduce the losses.

Study area
Tema was created out of a cluster of small fishing village
known as Torman (a town of guards). A favourable coastline terrain, Tema afforded itself for habour, an industrial town and a modern township.

Demography - major settlements in the Metropolis are Tema

(capital) and Tema Manhean. Over 80% of the population of the Metropolis is concentrated in these major settlements.There are over 40 rural communities, which occupies over 60% of the landmass (Kpone, Baatsonaa, Sakumono, among others). Location and Size - Tema is situated about 30km east of Accra. The Metropolis shares boundaries-north and east wit (DWDA), west with (AMA), north- west with (GDA) and south with the Gulf of Guinea. It covers an area of 35,959km.

 The study covers women involved in small-scale fish smoking and

Sampling and Sample Size

marketing within the Metropolis. Relevant agencies, institutions and organizations such as the District Assembly, MoFA, MoH and DoF in the Metropolis will be contacted. cluster sampling and simple random sampling techniques will be used to select respondents(women fish smokers and marketers) from the Metropolis.

Basically: four fishing communities in the Tema Metropolis -Kpone,

Manhean, Tema township and Sakumono. However, Tema, Kpone and Manhean will be chosen for the study. in the Metropolis. in the Metropolis. Fish processing and marketing is most often than not is a combined activity controlled together by an individual processor. Ninety of them will be contacted 30 from each town.

Data Collection
Questionnaires will be used as the main research
tool to obtain primary data.

Secondary data will be obtained from MoFA,

DOF,etc

Both primary and secondary data will be used.

Method of Data Analysis

Objective One: To establish the current state of

Agricultural Extension Services provided to women in small scale fish smoking and marketing.

The current state of extension services to fish smokers and

marketers will be assessed to determine the role of MoFA and particularly departments of WIAD, Fisheries and Agricultural Extension on fish smoking and marketing in the Metropolis by assessing extension contacts and sources of information to the fish smokers.

Deceptive Statistics like bar chart and pie chart will be used to
display and explain the results.

Objective Two : To describe the trend in fish

production between 2000-2008 and its relevance to fish supply to the fish smokers and marketers in the Metropolis.

This objective will be achieved by studying the production trend of

marine fisheries resources from 2000-0008. The trend in fish production will be explained using a graph and the growth rate computed as log Qt = a + bT Where Qt denotes output of fish T denotes time variable b denotes growth rate a denotes constant

Objective Three: To identify the marketing

channel for fish (fresh and smoked) and how fish is preserved by the smokers and marketers in the Metropolis.

The marketing channel right from the source of fresh fish supply to the
marketing of the finished produce will be assessed by identifying the type of fish market, the market segments, and the actual actors in the market in both the Metropolis and where the finished produce is sold. The storage methods used in the Metropolis for both fresh fish and smoked fish would be identified.

A flow chart will be used to show the market channel pertaining in the
study area to the final destination of the finished produce. Descriptive statistics will be used to explain the results.

Objective four : To identify factors

influencing the acquisition and use of the chorkor smoker in the Metropolis.

The factors that influence both the acquisition and use of the

chorkor smoker in the metropolis, will be identified with respect to the skills associated with its use, accessibility of assemble materials, availability of construction experts, affordability, number of hands (labour) required in using it, dangers associated with its usage, stocking capacity, fuel economy, duration of smoked fish and quality of smoked fish.

Descriptive statistics will be used to explain the results.

Objective five :To identify and rank the causes

of inadequate access to credit.

The major causes of inadequate access to credit will be identified and

ranked. The Kendalls coefficient of concordance will be used to test for the agreement among the ranking of constraints. The Kendalls concordance coefficient (W) is given by

W = 12S [m2 (n3 n)]-1

Where ; W denotes Kendalls concordance coefficient, m denotes number of rankings by the respondent (the traders) and n denotes the number of credit constraints, S is sum of deviation squared.

Objective five contd

W will be tested for significance using F - test. The test of significance of Kendalls concordance coefficient is given by Z = 0.5 log e [(m-1) / w (1- w)]-1 Statement of hypothesis: Ho: There is no agreement among the ranking of the constraints. H1: There is agreement among the rankings of the constraints. Where Ho and H1 denote null and alternate hypothesis respectively. If Zcal > than the relevant Zcrit, reject H0 In favour of H1 and vice versa.

REFERENCES
Chris Gordon and Julius K. Ametekpor, The sustainable Integrated
Development Of the Volta Basin in Ghana. Volta Basin Research Project, University of Ghana 1991. Department of fisheries Ghana 2008 report. Fisheries Development in the third millennium: challenges and opportunities. Food and Agricultural Organization, 2002. Ghana Poverty Reduction Strategy (GPRS I) 2002 2005. Mensah M. A, Kwei E. A. and Adjetey J.N.N.(2006) Ghana Fisheries Status Report. Mensah M.A.(2007) Improved Fish in Ghana. Ragnhild Overa Partners and Competitors. Gendered Entrepreneurship in Ghanaian Canoe Fisheries, University of Bergin, 1998. Report of the study on problems and prospects of artisanal fish trade in West Africa, International Collective in support of fish workers (2002). Sirra E. Njai, Traditional Fish Processing and marketing of the Gambia, Fisheries Department, Banjul, 2000.

REFERENCES contd
The Medium Term Development Plan for Awutu-Efutu-Senya District (2002
2004). The State of the Ghanaian Economy Report, 2002 and 2003. Institute of Statistical, Social and Economic Research (ISSER). University of Ghana, Legon. The State of the Ghanaian Economy Report, 2006 and 2007. Institute of Statistical, Social and Economic Research (ISSER). University of Ghana, Legon. Poverty and Post-Harvest Fishery Livelihood in Ghana. a project funded under DFIDs Post-Harvest Fishery Research Programme. Fishery Law 1991, PNDCL, 256. FAO, 1998. Responsible Fish Utilization. FAO technical guidelines for responsible Fisheries. No. 7 FAO, 2000. FAOSTAT Database Results. Statistical Data on Proposed Fish Products. FAO Publication. ( 2 Nov 2002). Njai S. E. & Njie, M 1998. Overview of artisanal fish processing in the Gambia. Fisheries Department, The Gambia Pp 1-10. Unpublished.

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