Women and youth entrepreneurs in the fisheries sector are now able to follow training sessions that will give them the opportunity to work in the certified laboratories at the Seychelles Fishing Authorities (SFA).
This has been made possible through an agreement between the SFA and the COMESA Federation of Women in Business (COMFWB) signed on Thursday. The agreement will allow for such cooperation at the SFA headquarters at Ile Port, a man-made island on Mahe, the main island.
The COMFWB chapter in Seychelles, which was launched in September 2021, aims at empowering women in the trading business in the island nation in the western Indian Ocean.
The COMFWB chairperson, Claudette Albert, signed the agreement with SFA’s interim chief executive, Phillippe Michaud.
According to Albert, “the new agreement will provide more visibility to the other business women in the fisheries sector who at the moment are more seen in governance aspects of the industry.”
“We are going to run a capacity building programme to train them in the value addition of fish products and also how to make use of fish products in the circular economy so that there is zero waste,” Albert told reporters.
The training programme will start in the first week of November in partnership with the SFA to teach the women how to handle fish, fish biology, on quality and how to process fish among others.
“SFA has the qualified personnel and they will be supporting us with the training,” Albert said, detailing the benefits of this new agreement.
Around 20 -25 women and youths are expected to take part in the first training session also aimed at encouraging more people from that group to join the sector.
Michaud said that this move will not only allow for the development of new products but will also sustainably manage fisheries as it ensures products have maximal value.
Through the agreement, the businesswomen will be working with the product development and quality department at the SFA, as the authority has internationally certified laboratories available for the development of quality products”.
The head of Citizens Engagement Platform Seychelles (CEPS), Alvin Laurence, explained that civil society has developed an interest and is working extensively in the agricultural and fisheries sectors as “a lesson learned from COVID-19 and the country only depending on one source of income for the economy.”
CEPS told reporters that its approach, especially where fisheries is concerned, is one of a circular economy.
The circular economy which is being promoted by the Seychelles’ Blue Economy Department involves transforming, reusing, repairing, refurbishing and recycling waste materials.
Source: Seychelles News Agency
