The Liberia Artisanal Fishermen Association (LAFA) has embraced the principles of the African Confederation of Artisanal Fisheries Professional Organizations (CAOPA) which focus on sustainable fishery activities, oceans and inland water security, gender equity, creation of expanded markets for Africa’s artisanal fishery communities.
LAFA’s Women’s Wing Secretary, Theresa Buyon, said that topics discussed are in the interest of African artisanal fishery communities, and her organization would be pleased to work to implement those issues in the Liberian artisanal fishery community.
In an interview at the just ended World Fisheries Day celebrated by African artisanal fishery communities in Providance, Mahe, Seychelles, Buyon said that the inclusion of women in the decision making processes of local fishery communities would bring a sense of involvement to women in the sector.
She also stated that the drive by CAOPA to build women’s capacities and its fight to create accessible and better markets will also strengthen the Liberian artisanal fishery communities.
Buyon added that poor landing sites, limited funds, lack of mobility to rural fishery communities and capacity building training in rural fishery communities are some constraints facing the organization. She however indicated that LAFA would emulate other African artisanal communities to solve some of these constraints.
“We have common challenges like access to markets, funds, gender equity, women capacity building issues. But despite these challenges, other African fishery communities are taking a leap forward and I think we can do the same by following how they are coping,” she said.
