Women in dry fish processing activities: an in-depth study of a selected coastal region of Bangladesh

ABSTRACT

This research adopted an exploratory mixed methods approach to explore women's participation, its associated determinants, causes, and obstacles to participation in dry fish processing in a selected coastal region of Bangladesh. Data were collected using structured interviews, in-depth interviews, and focus group discussions with women residing in six coastal villages. Extreme poverty, supporting family expenditure, and bearing children's educational expenses drive women's participation in dry fish processing activities. Multiple regression analysis indicates that intra-family empowerment status, self-confidence, personal income, family land ownership, and family size can significantly explain women's participation in dry fish processing. It was also discovered that women worked long hours in dry fish processing and were underpaid compared to men workers. The major obstacles to participation were physical hazards, low salary payment, seasonality of work, and low social status of the job. This study recommends strategies to improve the status of women’s participation in dry fish processing.

KEYWORDS:

• Coastal women
• participation
• dry fish processing
• Bangladesh

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Ethical approval and consent to participate

This research is approved by “The Institutional Ethical Committee” of Patuakhali Science and Technology University (Ref. PSTU/IEC/2022/40). Oral consent of each participant was ensured before each interview and discussion after explaining the research objectives and purposes.

Additional information

Funding

This research is partially funded by Patuakhali Science and Technology University research [grant no RTC-B/01/15/03].

Notes on contributors

Md. Mamun-ur-Rashid

Md. Mamun-ur-Rashid is a professor in the Agricultural Extension and Rural Development Department at Patuakhali Science and Technology University. He did his Ph.D. majoring Rural Development and Management from China Agricultural University. His research interest encompasses rural communication, gender role in agriculture and service quality. Rashid did his post-doctoral study at the Wageningen University of Research under RECSA (OKP-BGD-103561) project. He also completed an International blended short course ‘Managing Risk in The Face of Climate Change’ from the same university under Nuffic scholarship.

Najmus Sadat

Najmus Sadat is a former Agricultural Extension and Rural Development Department student at Patuakhali Science and Technology University. He did his graduation in Agricultural Science. His research interest encompasses agricultural extension and rural communication.

Md Tareq Mahmood

Md Tareq Mahmood is a former Agricultural Extension and Rural Development Department student at Patuakhali Science and Technology University. He did his graduation in Fisheries. At present, he is working as a senior officer at Bangladesh House Building Finance Corporation.

M. H. M. Musaddique

M. H. M. Musaddique did his Masters in Human Resource Management from Moscow State Technological University. He accomplished his graduation in Management from Moscow State Technological University.