International Journal of Marine Science, 2016, Vol.6, No.18, 1-8
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into tap into their indigenous knowledge in fish processing.
Low levels of women participation in fish processing has negatively affected most Malawian fishing communities.
As a result, most families are food insecure which leads to poor health that eventually lead to malnutrition, early
marriages arising from ultra poverty (FAO, 2012) and high school drop outs as a result of low income.
Therefore, the present study aimed at analyzing the role of women in fish processing, determine fish processing
techniques employed by women and factors that influence involvement of women in fish processing.
2 Materials and Methods
2.1 Study area
The study was conducted in March, 2014 at Msaka beach in South West Arm (SWA) of Lake Malawi at
Monkeybay in Mangochi district. Mangochi is in the Southern region of Malawi covering an area of 6, 273 km2
with a population of 610, 239 (Go M., 2009). The study area was chosen because there are a lot of fishing
activities that take place in the area.
2.2 Study population and Data collection
The study used primary data which was collected through administration of questionnaire. Systematic random
sampling technique was used to select the respondents to the questionnaire where a total of 90 women were
sampled.
The questionnaire constituted both open and closed questions.Both qualitative and quantitative data were collected.
Qualitative data constituted the thinking of women on fish processing and quantitative data included number and
age of women. The questionnaire constituted social demographic factors which included; age, marital status,
household size, level of education, employment, access to loan, participation in associations and contact to
extension agents.
2.3 Data analysis
The data was analysed using Statistical Package for Social Science (SPSS) where descriptive statistics such as
frequency tables, percentages and graphs were generated to show fish processing techniques employed by women.
Frequency tables were also used to show the number of women and preferred processing techniques. Cross
tabulations were used to show relationship between factors that influence involvement of women in fish
processing techniques. Chi-square test was run in order to determine whether significant differences exist between
the factors that influence involvement of women and processing techniques.
3 Results
3.1 Fish processing techniques employed by women
Figure 1 Processing techniques for
Engraulicypris sardella
(Usipa) employed by women
Results indicate that most (82%) women at Msaka beach process their fish through sun-drying technique while a
few (2%), smoke parboil (4%) and sell fresh (1%).
