The Minister for Fisheries and Aquaculture, Hon. Emelia Arthur, has held a high-level meeting with representatives of the Cerath Development Organization to discuss a strategic partnership aimed at empowering women in Ghana’s fisheries sector.
The meeting focused on the implementation of the “Empowering Women in Ghana’s Fisheries Sector” initiative, a seven-year programme expected to run from 2026 to 2032. The initiative is funded by the Co-Impact Gender Fund and will be implemented in close collaboration with the Fisheries Commission.
The programme seeks to address long-standing inequalities affecting women in Ghana’s fisheries value chain, particularly in the post-harvest sector, where women play a dominant role as fish processors, traders, helpers and carriers.
Although men are mainly involved in fish harvesting, women remain the backbone of post-harvest fisheries activities across coastal and inland fishing communities. However, many continue to face unfair working conditions, limited access to finance, inadequate support systems and gender-based barriers in the allocation of resources.
The Cerath Development Organization initiative is expected to directly improve livelihood opportunities and financial independence for more than 1.6 million women working in the fisheries sector. It will also strengthen women’s leadership, enhance their decision-making power and support advocacy for increased national budgetary allocation to post-harvest fisheries management systems.
Speaking during the meeting, Hon. Emelia Arthur said the initiative aligns strongly with the Government of Ghana’s broader vision of building a resilient, inclusive and sustainable blue economy.
“Our post-harvest fisheries management system must be modernized, and that begins with empowering the women who form its backbone,” the Minister stated. “This partnership reflects our commitment to transforming the fisheries and aquaculture sector into a sustainable, highly competitive, and job-creating industry that leaves no one behind.”
The Minister noted that empowering women in fisheries is not only a gender equality issue but also a critical economic and food security priority. She emphasized that women’s contribution to fish processing, distribution and marketing remains central to sustaining households, communities and local economies.
The intervention is expected to promote inclusive growth by improving access to financial resources, strengthening institutional support and creating a more enabling environment for women-led fisheries enterprises.
By bringing together government leadership, development expertise and international funding support, the partnership between the Ministry of Fisheries and Aquaculture and Cerath Development Organization is positioned to make a significant impact on poverty reduction, national food security and climate resilience.
The initiative is also expected to contribute to the modernization of Ghana’s post-harvest fisheries system, while enhancing the socio-economic resilience of fishing communities across the country.
Stakeholders say the programme marks an important step toward ensuring that women, who remain central to Ghana’s fisheries economy, receive the recognition, resources and opportunities needed to thrive in a modern and competitive sector
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