Women’s participation in aquaculture in southwest Bangladesh

Abstract

Aquaculture plays an important role in income generation, poverty alleviation and household nutrition in Bangladesh. In aquaculture, women in rural households have important roles that are often ignored. The current study, carried out in the districts of Khulna, Sathkhira and Bagerhat under a USAID supported AIN (Aquaculture for Income and Nutrition) Project of WorldFish, assessed women’s participation in different aquaculture systems. A total of 450 households, 50 % of which were assisted under the project, were selected. Women in 74 % of the households participated in aquaculture. In homestead-based aquaculture women’s participation was higher (89 %) than the corresponding rates for commercial fish culture (69 %) and commercial shrimp culture (36 %). Increased awareness and better capacity building initiatives have played a part in increasing women’s participation in aquaculture activities.