Fish processors in Ghana’s coastal communities do not adhere to hygienic fish handling practices and make use of outmoded smoking ovens which is inefficient, expensive, and also consume a high amount of firewood to smoke fish. This causes them to run into huge losses while putting their health at risk.
To facilitate technology transfer on improved fish smoking technologies, adoption of best fish handling practices, and access to finance (through the establishment of Village Savings and Loans (VSLA), the Power to the Fishers project team has commissioned learning groups for fishmongers in the coastal communities in the Effutu Municipal, Awutu Senya, Gomoa, Ekumfi, and Shama districts.
The konkohemaa (fish queen) and other influential fishmongers in the respective beneficiary communities were tasked to mobilize and organize their colleagues into groups. The konkonhemaa will serve as head of the group to ensure punctuality and discipline of group members. Existing fishmonger groups were identified, engaged, and subsequently adopted for purposes of project implementation.
In total, twenty-four (24) learning groups with an average membership of 30 fishmongers were formed. In addition to this, the project adopted 10 existing fisher groups within the beneficiary communities.
