SOCIO­ECONOMIC ASPECT OF FISHERWOMEN ENGAGED IN RETAILING IN AND AROUND KOLKATA FISH MARKETS

Sustainable Management of Aquatic Resources,Pages 657-687
Edited by: B.K.Mahapatra,A.K.Roy and N.C.Pramanik
copyright@2018,Narendra Publishing House,Delhi,India

Chapter:52: SOCIO­ECONOMIC ASPECT OF  FISHERWOMEN ENGAGED IN RETAILING IN  AND AROUND KOLKATA FISH MARKETS

                                Ambalika Ghosh, A. K. Roy and B. K. Mahapatra 

Inland fisheries in India comprises of production of fish from inland water bodies like streams,  rivers, ponds, reservoirs and lakes and related activities like packaging, transportation and marketing.  It provides livelihood options to large proportion poor families in India. Many women are engaged  in these activities. Traditionally, most of these women families belonging to fishermen caste are  associated with catching of fish from these water bodies and selling in local markets. Although  women are involved in this total process but participation is negligible in comparison to men in  culture and capture activities. Their presence has been noticed in vending of fresh water fishes  in local markets.A study has been undertaken to assess the women’s participation in marketing.  The study is based on primary data collected from fisherwomen retailing in various markets on  various socio­economic aspects covering markets of three districts viz., Kolkata, South & North  24 Parganas. The survey was aimed at assessing the socio­economic condition of fisherwomen  engaged in fish retailing in markets of selected districts covering demographic information, primary  and secondary occupation, asset, income, expenditure, marketing practices, species of fishes sold,  and assistance received has been developed.Household assets, sources of income and livelihoods,  diversification of income and livelihoods, expenditure and expenditure ratios provide information  about livelihoods. It also attempts to describe the socioeconomic conditions of fisherwomen with  emphasis on education, employment, income, spending, indebtedness, constraints levels from fish  retailing and non­fishing activities. Available evidence suggests that women fisher folk, in general,  have lower levels of literacy, a lower sex ratio, and poorer conditions of housing, as compared to  State and national averages, indicative of a lower level of well­being in fishing communities. Even  though there appears to have been an overall improvement in socioeconomic conditions, as  compared to past decades, evidence also suggests that communities are faced with a deteriorating  quality of life.Women in fishing communities do not enjoy a status of that of men. Women literacy  rate in fishing communities is relatively low as the girl education does not receive much priority  when compared to other communities. Daily life is very hard for women, with large size of families,  low fishing income, poor housing and inadequate credit. These factors greatly hamper their  progress in life. By and large the fishing community is facing scarcity of economic as well as social  infrastructure. Fisherwomen must be given the opportunity to acquire appropriate knowledge,  develop adequate skills and appropriate technologies enabling them to make the greatest possible  economic and social contribution. Addressing poverty issues in fisherwomen requires a wide and  comprehensive range of coordinated interventions by government.