The Gendered Dynamics of Production Relations in Ghanaian Coastal Fishing

Women’s economic activities, especially outside the formal sphere, in Africa and elsewhere have been the focus of various studies. While their formal sector activities have drawn attention to the manner in which employment patterns challenge or support the status quo, in the informal economy women’s income earning activities are often extensions of their traditional roles. In Ghana, women in all communities are responsible for agricultural processing, either together with men or alone (Duncan, 2004), and marketing agricultural
products becomes an extension of this role. The situation is the same in fishing communities along the coast of Ghana where women are largely responsible for processing and marketing fish hauled from the Atlantic Ocean. This article offers a background for appreciating the interactions amongst women operating the fish-processing and distribution industry in three matrilineal coastal fishing communities of the Central Region in Ghana: Biriwa, Anafo and Elmina.
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