Following the success of its first activity for young women in aquaculture in the Mediterranean and the Black Sea, held in 2022 in Tunisia, the General Fisheries Commission for the Mediterranean (GFCM) of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) is currently running a second week-long seminar, currently in progress in Greece.
This activity is the direct result of a collaboration between the GFCM, the Federation of European Aquaculture Producers (FEAP) and the Hellenic Aquaculture Producers Organization (HAPO).
Aquaculture plays an essential role in economic development and food security in the Mediterranean and Black Sea region and the success of the sector is greatly supported by women.
They hold crucial roles in all areas of the sector from rearing fish on farms to conducting research in labs. Unfortunately, despite the importance of women to the sector, their contributions can often go unrecognised and they can face limited opportunities for education and advancement.
Through its 2030 Strategy for sustainable fisheries and aquaculture in the Mediterranean and the Black Sea, as well as its Resolution GFCM/45/2022/1 on empowering women in the aquaculture sector, the GFCM envisions a fair and inclusive sector in which women are fully supported. As such, the activity will bring together young women from the region to learn about the latest developments in aquaculture and get hands-on exposure to some of the best aquaculture practices in Greece.
The activity will consist of a series of theoretical sessions held by aquaculture experts from the region to build a foundation of best practices, highlight the importance of the involvement of women in the sector, share success stories, and showcase the GFCM approach for the sustainable development of aquaculture, and field visits in Greece to highlight Mediterranean aquaculture and different environments, species and production systems.
