Poverty and Post Harvest Fisheries - Ghana

The purpose of the Post-Harvest Fisheries Research Programme (PHFRP) was to produce benefits for poor producers, processors, traders and consumers through the application of new knowledge to the improved utilisation of fish from fisheries in South Asia and East and West Africa. The programme, which was managed by NR International Ltd of the UK, implemented research into post-harvest loss assessment and loss reduction, improved utilisation, fish marketing and socioeconomic needs of stakeholders

In global terms, the extent of poverty and vulnerability amongst different stakeholders in the post harvest fishery sector is not well understood. This makes it difficult for policy makers to formulate appropriate strategies that provide sustainable solutions to the problems faced by the poor. Whilst it is widely believed that the livelihoods of the poor in the sector are becoming more difficult, of the numerous studies of poverty that have been implemented in Ghana, none specifically addresses poverty in the post-harvest sector.

IMM undertook a research project in Ghana which aimed to gain a better understanding of poverty in the fisheries post-harvest sector.

The purpose of the project was:

To develop relevant new knowledge (strategies, management systems, methodologies and tools), which will improve the post-harvest utilisation of fish and which is appropriate to poor producers, processors, traders and consumers.

The outputs of the research were:

• Overview of the post harvest sector in Ghana produced using FishPost Harvest Overview Manual.
• Post-Harvest Livelihoods Analysis Tool, and methods for its application, developed.
• Post-Harvest Livelihoods Analysis Tool tested and used to develop an understanding of the poor and poverty in the post-harvest sector.

The research was completed in 2004.