Women empowerment in the fisheries sector ofKarimnagar district, Telangana state

Introduction

Fisheries and aquaculture are vital to rural livelihoods, food security, and economic growth in India. Despite contributing significantly, women's roles remain underrepresented in official data and policy frameworks. Globally, women comprise 19% of the total fishers and fish farmers (FAO, 2022) [1] . In India, the fisheries sector contributes over 1.24% to the GDP, positioning it as a sunrise sector. Women are central to this progress, engaging across the entire fisheries value chain-from aquaculture and processing to marketing and value addition (Sathiadhas et al., 2003) [2] . Empowering women through equitable access to training, resources, and market participation enhances the sustainability of this sector. Telangana has emerged as a leading inland fisheries state with a vast water spread area of 7.12 lakh hectares and 6,212 Fishermen Cooperative Societies covering 4.25 lakh inland fishers. Karimnagar district, with 20,069 ha of water bodies and 1,016 tanks, is a major hub of inland fisheries activity. Despite this potential, women's participation is often constrained by socio-economic, cultural and institutional barriers.

Objectives

1.

To assess the roles and contributions of women in the fisheries sector of Karimnagar district.

2.

To identify socio-economic challenges faced by women fish workers.

3.

To evaluate existing Government and NGO interventions for women empowerment.

4.

To recommend strategies for enhancing women's participation and benefits in fisheries.

Materials and methods

A mixed-method approach was employed. Primary data were collected from 527 fisherwomen across 16 mandals of Karimnagar district through structured questionnaires. Information included sociodemographic details, occupation, marketing practices and socio-economic status. Focus group discussions and key informant interviews were conducted with SHG members, Fisheries Department officials, and NGO representatives. Secondary data were obtained from government reports, FAO publications, and relevant literature.

Results

Out of 527 fisherwomen surveyed, 235 were engaged in selling fresh and dry fish and 235 in cutting and dressing activities. An estimated 2.8 tons of fish are marketed daily in Karimnagar district, sourced locally during harvest and from Andhra Pradesh during lean periods. On average, fisherwomen earn Rs. 800-1000 per day from marketing and Rs. 500-800 from processing activities. Educationally, 74% have primary education, 16% secondary, 4% intermediate, 2% graduation and 2% are illiterate.

Most women belong to economically weaker sections and depend primarily on fisheries for income. Challenges identified include limited access to credit, poor market linkages, inadequate infrastructure and low literacy (Ganesh et al., 2024; Hossain et al., 2009) [3,4] . The majority of fisherwomen fall in the 50-60 years age group (57%), indicating an aging workforce with fewer young entrants.

Age distribution of Fisherwomen engaged in Fish marketing &Processing

Age group Percentage

Socio-economic profile

Most surveyed fisherwomen were aged 25-60 years, with 76% having only primary education, 16% secondary, 4% intermediate, 2% graduation and 2% illiterate. All belonged to economically weaker sections, relying mainly on fisheries income, supplemented by agriculture or labour during the off-season. Socio-economic indicators highlight obstacles to womens full participation and potential in fisheries (Ganesh et al., 2024) [3] .

Major challenges

1. Education & Training: Low literacy and male dominated extension systems limit access to new skills.

Health:

Poor nutrition causes malnutrition and reduced life expectancy.

3. Mobility: Social and cultural barriers restrict womens work opportunities.

4. Credit Access: Lack of assets and awareness hinders loan access.

5. Marketing: Poor storage, weak strategies and lack of linkages affect sales.

6. Entrepreneurship: Limited results from government programs due to resource and marketing issues.

7. Technology: Some advances have displaced women's traditional roles.

Key government interventions

1. SHGs: Facilitate microcredit, collective marketing and training.

2. PMMSY: Infrastructure, value chain, and capacity building support.

Skill Development:

Training in seed production, hygienic handling and entrepreneurship.

4. NGOs: Promote women-led fish vending and processing units.

5. Indira Mahila Shakthi Scheme: Loans of Rs.2-20 lakh for individual and group fish retail enterprises.

Self-help groups (SHGs) and empowerment

SHGs voluntary, small groups of rural women promote saving, lending and collective growth. Among fisherwomen, SHGs have emerged as a major empowerment tool, improving access to finance, decisionmaking ability and social standing. They are not merely microcredit units but platforms for social and economic transformation.

Impact assessment

Income increased by 15 -30% post-SHG participation or scheme benefits.

Improved saving and credit management.

Greater hygiene and quality awareness in fish handling.

Enhanced self-confidence and community status.

Discussion

India ranks 3 rd in global fish production and 2 nd in aquaculture, where fisheries are emerging as a sunrise sector. Women constitute nearly half of the fisher folk population, contributing extensively to pre-harvest, harvest and post-harvest activities, though their roles often remain undervalued (Sathiadhas et al., 2003; Tanuja et al., 2024) [2, 5] . However, they face barriers such as inadequate training, cultural constraints, and limited institutional support (Reshma et al., 2024) [6] . Self-Help Groups have emerged as critical agents of change by improving womens access to credit, entrepreneurship and collective decision-making. Schemes like PMMSY and Indira Mahila Shakthi have enhanced their financial inclusion and income levels by 15-30%. Across states such as Kerala, Odisha, West Bengal and Tamil Nadu, women actively engage in prawn seed collection, seaweed and bivalve harvesting, and small scale fishing, sustaining both income and nutrition. In aquaculture, they handle pond preparation, stocking, feeding, and marketing but face exclusion from technical roles due to low literacy, limited training and social barriers (Reshma et al., 2024) [6] . Empowerment efforts like Self-Help Groups and Matsya Mitra Groups (MMGs) have promoted entrepreneurship, supported by credit schemes and NABARD initiatives (Shah et al., 2019) [7] . Yet, wage disparities, poor digital access and lack of gender disaggregated data persist. Studies highlight low income, poor working conditions and limited welfare access among women fish workers (Das et al., 2024) [8] . To achieve gender equity, women-friendly technologies, capacity building, equal pay and inclusion in decision-making are essential. Mainstreaming gender in fisheries policy is vital for sustainable and inclusive growth (FAO, 2022; Gopal et al., 2017) [1,9] . Despite these gains, gender disparities persist in access to technology, training and market integration (Gopal et al., 2017) [9] . For sustainable empowerment, policies must ensure equal access to aquaculture inputs, capacity building and formal recognition of womens roles within the fisheries value chain. In the present study, the results show that fisherwomen in Karimnagar district are vital to fish marketing and processing but face multiple challenges. Most belong to older age groups (50-60) and economically weaker sections, earning modest incomes with limited access to credit and infrastructure. Low literacy and lack of young entrants indicate declining interest among youth. Strengthening credit access, training and market facilities is essential for sustaining women's livelihoods in the fisheries sector.

Recommendations

The present study has revealed that certain improvements are needed to be focused on the livelihood and betterment of women in Karimnagar district, Telangana.

1. Strengthen gender-sensitive fisheries policies with measurable inclusion targets.

2. Expand womens involvement in aquaculture, seed production and feed manufacturing.

3. Facilitate direct market linkages and promote e-marketing platforms.

4. Introduce regular training in aquaculture technologies and fish value addition.

5. Encourage young womens leadership in cooperatives and producer organizations.

6. Integrate fisheries extension with women's development programs.

7. Provide educational and entrepreneurship support for fisherwomen.

8. Establish demonstration and ornamental fish rearing units.

Conclusion

Women in Karimnagar district play indispensable roles in the fisheries value chain, from processing and marketing to aquaculture. While government and NGO programs have improved skills and income, systemic barriers persist. Comprehensive gender-inclusive policies, enhanced capacity building, and market integration are essential to ensure sustainable empowerment and socio-economic upliftment of fisherwomen. Such efforts will strengthen both womens livelihoods and the overall resilience of the fisheries sector.

cause they were collected from individual respondents during the field survey and may contain respondent related information. Further information may be made available from the corresponding author upon reasonable request, subject to applicable confidentiality and institutional considerations.

Acknowledgement

AcknowledgmentsThe authors gratefully acknowledge the support and cooperation of the Department of Fisheries, Karimnagar District, Telangana and the fisherwomen who participated in the field survey and provided information for the present study. The authors also acknowledge the cooperation of Self-Help Group members, Fisheries Department officials and other stakeholders who contributed their time and information during the field visits, interviews and discussions.

References

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11. How to cite this article: Bharathi T, Satpathy P, Ashok I, Ganesh G. Women empowerment in the fisheries sector of Karimnagar district, Telangana state. International Journal of Advanced Biochemistry Research. 2026;10(9):462-465. doi: http s://www.doi.org/10.33545/26174693.2026.v10.i9f.10024