Women urged to join fishing

EASTERN PROVINCE RWAMAGANA — Women in the country have been asked to take up fishing jobs to earn a living. The advice was made by Robinah Mbabazi, an official of the Inland Lakes Integrated Development and Management Project known by its French acronym as –PAIGELAC, during 2-day meeting of fisheries officials. The meeting held at AVEGA center yesterday, brought together all heads of fishing associations, cooperatives and other stake holders, aimed at discussing the modalities of integrating women in fishing activities. “We have been urging women to equally participate in the fishing-related activities, because it all aims at earning a living. Development goes hand in hand with changing situations, therefore, its high time women changed their mentality and join men in fishing,” Mbabazi said. She added that fishing is an economic activity where anybody can prosper regardless of ones’ gender. Jean Claude Ndorimana, PAIGELAC specialist in charge of fishing activities on Lake Muhazi noted that their organisation has improved fishing. He also called for active participation of all people of different gender in the fishing activity. He explained that with the help of PAIGELAC, fisher men have formed gender sensitive cooperative made up of 12 fishing associations where women are included. Ndorimana was also concerned about human activities like cultivation practiced within a radius of five meters from Lake Muhazi, warning that such activities pose a threat to the lake. He warned fishermen against trapping immature fish, saying the practice which has been common on the Lake, could lead to extinction of some fish species. As a solution, he said, PAIGELAC has introduced a uniform four-inch-trap that can only catch mature fish. Franciose Mukakamari, 35, one of the members appreciated the efforts of PAIGELAC, in promoting women in the fishing industry. She appealed to fellow capable women to join the industry. PAIGELAC is an African Development Bank-sponsored project under the Ministry of Agriculture, which was given a six year mandate from 2006 to manage Lakes in the country. It trains Lake Communities to conserve the water bodies; by terracing nearby hills to prevent external materials from entering the water, helps in marketing of fish, and trains fisher men to encourage professionalism in their work. Ends