International Journal of Marine Science, 2016, Vol.6, No.18, 1-8
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para-boiling; 2.9% had access and 5.6% had no access to extension agents and fresh form, 1.9% had no access to
extension agents. However, chi-square test indicated no significant differences between contact to extension
agents and fish processing techniques ( = 0.485).
Table 7 Participation of women in associations and fish processing techniques:
Participation
Fish processing Activities
Sun-drying
Smoking
Parboiling
Fresh fish
Yes
93.2%
1.4%
5.5%
0
No
87.5%
6.3%
0
6.3%
4 Discussion
Processing techniques employed by women at Msaka beach in Mangochi district.
Results show that 82% (figure 1) of the women involved in fish processing techniques at Msaka beach use
sun-drying to process
E. sardella
(Usipa). This could be because most of the women do not have enough facilities
to use other processing techniques. Okorley (2007) observed that most of the women fish processors have little
capital such that they cannot afford to meet necessary requirements for other processing techniques. For example,
smoking and parboiling require firewood and labour to process the fish which incurs high costs as compared to
sun-drying.
1% (Figure 1) of the women preserves
E.sardella
in fresh form. Lack (1%) of preservation of fish in any form
could be attributed to the fact that there is no electricity at Msaka beach. Block ice is sold at Malawi Development
Corporation (MALDECO) which is about twenty kilometers from Msaka beach as such most women cannot
afford to purchase block ice to keep
E.sardella
in fresh form due to transport costs and lack of financial power to
procure ice. Kolawole (2010) reported that most women prefer to process the fish rather than keeping the fish in
fresh form due to lack of storage facilities. Njai (2000) also noted that where there are limited ice supply and cold
storage facilities at the landing sites access to block ice is very expensive, and as such fish is smoked or dried for
preservation. Lack of ice production facilities close to major coastal fishing centers increases the cost of ice for
operators who have to transport it long distances.
4.1 Factors that influence involvement of women in fish processing age
More women participate in fish processing irrespective of their age (Table 1). Some women hire a crew of fellow
women to process the fish whilst they patronize the whole process. The results of the current study agree
favorably with Yarhere (2009) who found out that most women participate in fish processing irrespective of their
age and the age usually ranges from 20 – 60. In other perspective, however, the results of the present study
contradict with Kolawole (2010) who reported that the use of fish processing techniques by women is affected
by age because the older the woman the less likely the use of indigenous fish processing techniques due to
physical weakness because of senility. However, the present study observes that older women use more of the
indigenous fish processing techniques as they have experience.
4.2 Marital status
The present study observes that most of the women processors were married followed by divorced and single
women (Table 2).This could be because married women have responsibilities on their families and would venture
into the business to improve the standard of their families. They can use family labour to cut down expenses on
labour and the women would also have support on monetary issues from their husbands as compared to women
who are single and widow. Single women would have to hire people as labour to help in processing the fish, if
some single women do not have enough capital then they would not venture into the business as they do not have
supporting financial muscle.
The findings of the present study are in line with Okwu (2011) who reported that most of the fish processors are
