Forty-six-year-old Charlotte Quarcoo stood out among the farmers and fishermen and women who were honoured for their dedication and hard work in the agricultural sector. She works with eight 'chorkor smokers' and processes 150 trays of various species of fish a day. Charlotte Quarcoo is a BECE Certificate holder and has been in the fish processing industry for 10 years. For her prize, she was awarded a double-door deep-freezer, three bundles of wire mesh, seven aluminium bowls, a 52-kilogram gas cylinder, a large-size ice chest, and other assorted items. The items are intended to promote clean and easy smoking of the fish.

Women participate in all segments of the seafood industry, including fishing, farming, trading and selling, monitoring, and administration. In Ghana alone, women constitute about 50 percent of active labour in the agricultural sector. The Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) estimates that women constitute about 70% of the global aquaculture workforce.

Although women play a vital role in aquaculture, their efforts have been recognised on very few occasions. However, awards presented in recognition of women’s role in aquaculture may encourage them to fully and equitably participate in the industry.

REFERENCE

Information from https://gna.org.gh/2022/12/ama-rewards-agricultural-stakeholders-on-farmers-day/ and https://www.graphic.com.gh/news/general-news/women-miss-out-on-top-farmers-award.html was used in this story