Chapter three - Postharvest Practices in Small-Scale Fisheries

Abstract

Whereas the importance and the role of the small-scale fisheries in fish production toward global food and nutrition security have been well ventilated in literature, attention to postharvest practices remains limiting. Challenges with respect to postharvest practices are further complicated by well-known facts that small-scale fisheries suffer from lack of voice, vulnerability, contributions being undervalued or not valued at all, rural driving and being far from markets, and a host of issues. In most context the operators have low financial capabilities and are not able to access sustainable solutions to solving postharvest extant limitations confronting their operations and working technological packages. This chapter appraises the types and forms of postharvest practices and limitations to adopting what works in small-scale fisheries postharvest ways. Our chapter noted that postharvest activities remain critical to eliminating hunger and the midpoints between field harvest and consumption in the fisheries value chain. New recommendations were offered with the hope of influencing policy changes required in achieving sustainable postharvest practices in small-scale fisheries and increasing food and nutritional security. Recommendations were offered, especially the need to implement the SSF Guidelines toward a sustainable postharvest approach. The sustainable postharvest system is pertinent to attaining many of the Sustainable Development Goals, especially SDG 1, 2, and 12.