FAO held a dialogue on the inclusion of women in the digital transformation of the blue economy
in Bangladesh 13 March 2023 yesterday. The event, which had an all-female panel, was part of
FAO’s celebration of International Women’s Day, which this year has the theme ‘DigitALL:
Innovation and technology for gender equality’.
In order to achieve the goals of enhancing food and nutrition security and sustaining livelihoods,
aquatic value chains require innovations to make them more efficient, transparent, responsive, and
inclusive. Digital technologies are at the forefront of innovation and will be necessary to transform
fisheries and aquaculture, as well as agriculture. Since women form around a third of the fisheries
sector in Bangladesh, they have great potential to drive transformation if they are given equitable
access to digital technology.
Robert D. Simpson, FAO Representative in Bangladesh, said: “Not everyone, especially women,
have the opportunity to explore and tap into the vast opportunities that the digital space offers.
Widening access for the country’s many female fishers as well as smallholder farmers will provide
many benefits and open up many opportunities for them, which in turn will help accelerate the
transformation of the country’s aquaculture and agriculture sectors. Bringing women into
technology results in more creative solutions and has greater potential for innovations that meet
women’s needs and promote gender equality.”
The dialogue, held at the Sheraton Hotel in Dhaka, was organized through FAO’s “Community-
based Climate Resilient Fisheries and Aquaculture Development in Bangladesh” project. The
project, which is implemented jointly with the Department of Fisheries (DoF) and funded by the
Global Environment Facility (GEF), has been working with fishers and fish farmers in six districts.
By providing technology, information, and skill development training, it is leading the way in
promoting the digitalization of the fisheries and aquaculture sectors.
The event was chaired by Kh. Mahbubul Haque, Director-General, Department of Fisheries, and
moderated by Sadeka Halim, Professor, Department of Sociology, University of Dhaka. Panelists
included Mukta Biswas, President, Rudaghora Bagda Chashi Samittee, Khulna; Kamrun Nahar,
Senior Gender and Nutrition Specialist, WorldFish Bangladesh; Medina Ali, Founder and CEO,
Dr.Chashi & Medina Tech Limited; Ferdousi Begum, Joint Secretary, Ministry of Women and
Children’s Affairs; and Shamim Ara Begum, Director (Inland Fisheries), Department of Fisheries.