Women along Coastaline East Africa and South-West Indian Ocean specialising in octopus farming have strengthened their network which will assist them improve their livelihood and at the same time conserve ecosystem sustainabily.
The African Union Inter-African Bureau for Animal Resources (AU-IBAR) which operates as a specialized technical office within the Department of Agriculture, Rural Development, Blue Economy, and Sustainable Environment (DARBE) of the African Union Commission (AUC) on June held a meeting which validated the continental strategy on Strengthening Regional Blue Value Chains in Small-Scale Octopus Fisheries.
The conference which was held at Pride Inn Mombasa aimed at strengthening gender dimensions in Small-Scale Octopus Fisheries in East Africa and the South-West Indian Ocean.
The aim of the workshop participants worked towards strengthening gender dimensions, climate change and environmental considerations in East Africa and South-West Indian Ocean.
The three-day workshop held on 3rd to 5th June held inclusive dialogue and knowledge exchange where the participants from Kenya,Tanzania, Comoros and Madagascar catalyzed policy and programmatic responses that support both biodiversity conservation and socio-economic resilience in coastal regions.
Participants included technical experts, policymakers, community leaders, and representatives from national governments and Regional Economic Communities (RECs).
During the workshop, participants evaluate current practices and suggest ways to improve regional blue value chains in small-scale octopus fisheries.
The initiative is a great chance to support the African Blue Economy Strategy (ABES) by giving young people and women a bigger say in coastal and marine resource management and reaping the benefits of these resources.
Women Octopus farmers have since adopted Octopus closures which involve setting aside a designated area within a fishing ground and prohibiting octopus fishing.
Octopus closures are a form of fishing management where a designated area is closed to octopus fishing for about 3-4 months, allowing octopus population to recover and grow.
This practice is sometimes referred to as a form of "farming" because it mirrors agricultural techniques where crops are allowed to mature before harvesting. By temporarily halting fishing, the octopus population can increase, leading to a larger harvest when the area is reopened, benefiting both the environment and the community's livelihood.
Octopus fishing is done in shallow waters unlike men who often have better swimming skills and fishing equipment, can access deeper and more productive octopus fishing grounds that is why us women have taken advantage of this closure octopus farming.
AU-IBAR Gender Policy Strategy Expert Stephanie Achieng said specific challenges, limited value chain documentation, and the impacts of climate change have hindered the full realization of their socio-economic potentialparticularly for women who play a vital role in harvesting, processing, and trading octopus.
"With the project, we intend to bring together women to benefit from octopus farming to support their families. This can only be achieved through learning from different octopus farmers along the coastline," said Ms Achieng.
Mrs Achieng also noted these fisheries also face growing risks from climate change such as coral bleaching, rising sea temperatures, and habitat degradation alongside systemic challenges like unsustainable harvesting practices, limited infrastructure, and inequitable access to markets.
A consultant, Prof Bernard Fulanda said gender-specific challenges, limited value chain documentation, and the impacts of climate change have hindered the full realization of their socio-economic potential particularly for women who play a vital role in harvesting, processing, and trading octopus.
Prof. Fulanda of Pwani University assessed the current state of the octopus fisheries value chain and proposed mechanisms to enhance gender inclusion, climate resilience, and sustainability across the sector.
"Small-scale octopus fisheries are a lifeline for many coastal communities in the SWIO region. Women are actively engaged across multiple stages of the value chain—from gleaning and harvesting to processing and trading. Despite this, their contributions remain largely under-recognized in formal governance structures and policy-making spaces," said Prof. Fulanda.
Ms Hellen Guebama, AU- IBAR fisheries official during the workshop said with the validation event, AU-IBAR reaffirms its dedication to incorporating gender and climate resilience into the governance of aquatic ecosystems across Africa.
"The results will guide continental initiatives and provide AU Member States with the tools they need to build an inclusive blue economy that can help implement Agenda 2063 and the SDGs," said Ms Guebama.
She added, "With this validation event, AU-IBAR reaffirms its dedication to incorporating gender and climate resilience into the governance of aquatic ecosystems across Africa. The results will guide continental initiatives and provide AU Member States with the tools they need to build an inclusive blue economy that can help implement Agenda 2063 and the SDGs
