Livelihood Development Research Articles

Quantifying farmers' Livelihood Efficiency, Regional Indicators and Its Influencing Factors: Implementing an Improved Sustainable Livelihood Framework

ABSTRACTResearch on sustainable livelihoods tend to emphasis on objective and macroregional aspects. However, there is space to expand research on the farmers' livelihoods in the context of poverty alleviation and rural revitalization development. This paper uses a field survey on farmers' livelihood efficiency, influencing factors and mechanisms of farmers' livelihood efficiency in the Qinba mountainous areas of southern Shaanxi China. Based on DEA and Tobit approaches, the authors investigate farmer livelihood efficiency and analyze the disparities according to the farm households' socio‐demographics descriptions. Findings of this study show that, livelihood efficiency is a new entry point of sustainable livelihoods for farmers, and currently, the overall livelihood efficiency of farmers in the study area is low, which needs to be further improved. The results also show that the willingness of environmental protection activities, village busses and government financial expenditure have a significant positive impact on the livelihood efficiency, while the abandonment has a significant negative impact on the livelihood efficiency of farmers. These factors have significant differences in the impact of farmers' technical efficiency and scale efficiency. The results further indicate that, utilization and conversion rate of the existing livelihood capital of farmers is low. Livelihood diversification should be stimulated to enhance “livelihood export” and its operation ability of livelihood capital accumulation. The study findings also propose that, there is a need of reform of dual paths to improve the efficiency of farmers' livelihood, and promote farmers' livelihood development with “wide path” and “wide choice.”

Exploring the Potential of Agritourism: A Gateway to Sustainable Development in Kumaun Region of Indian Central Himalayas

Agritourism, a fusion of agriculture and tourism, is a new ray of hope for the sustainable development of rural regions livelihoods, economies, and other related sectors. This concept combines both aspects, with the potential to provide economic benefits to rural livelihoods and enrich the experience for tourists who visit the place. Agritourism has potential as a catalyst for sustainable development in the Kumaun region of Uttarakhand state, which is the eastern part of the state, boasts rich scenic natural beauties, cultural heritage, diverse landscapes, and all above organic and traditional agricultural practices. The paper explores existing agritourism initiatives in the Kumaun region, ranging from farm stays to culinary experiences. and analyzes the economic benefits, challenges, and prospects of agritourism. This abstract underscore the transformative power of agritourism in encouraging sustainable development in rural areas of the Kumaun region while preserving cultural heritage, promoting environmental conservation, and enhancing socio- economic well-being. Keywords: agritourism, agriculture, Kumaun, economic development.

Potential Conflict Diagnosis, Simulation Optimization and Coordination of Production-Living-Ecological Space in Gully Areas of the Loess Plateau, China

The gully areas on the Loess Plateau have always been ecologically fragile agricultural areas. These areas often face the common problem of intensified conflicts in production-living-ecological space during economic development, and there is an urgent need for systematic spatial governance. This study innovatively developed a full process technical framework of "identification diagnosis - simulation optimization - coordinated governance" for potential conflicts in the production-living-ecological space, and used Huachi County in the gully area of the Loess Plateau as an example for empirical research. Under this framework, we analyzed the transfer patterns of production, living, and ecological space in the research area; Improved the spatial suitability evaluation index system of "multi-dimensional + multi-objective"; The conflict determination matrix was used to identify the scope, scale, type, and intensity of potential spatial conflicts; We conducted spatial optimization simulations under two scenarios: prioritizing ecological protection and prioritizing social and livelihood development, and designed an overall spatial optimization plan; Propose spatial collaborative governance strategies based on the theory of public space governance. Research shows that this framework has good applicability for the research area and is more direct for guiding subsequent spatial planning and policy practice. The potential conflict between production space and ecological space in Huachi County is the most common, the potential conflict intensity between living space and production space is the largest, and the potential conflict risk between living space and ecological space is rising. To coordinate potential conflicts in space, it is necessary to establish a vertical allocation type of spatial function coordination chain of “goal + collaboration + adjustment”, as well as a horizontal negotiation type of spatial configuration coordination chain of “allocation + cooperation + balance”, forming a “double vertical and double horizontal” spatial coordination framework.

Exploring Fish Biodiversity and the Socioeconomic Status of Fishers in the Karatoya River, Sadar Upazila, Panchagarh District, Bangladesh

These studies were carried out to study species diversity of fishes and socio-economic conditions of the fishers of Karatoya River at Sadar upazila in Panchagarh district Bangladesh. Pertinent information was collected from 65 fishermen, who were directly engaged in catching fish around the study area for six months from December 2022 to June 2023. The results demonstrated that 41 fish species belonging to 8 orders and 15 families were found in the Karatoya River. Cypriniformes was found as the most dominant order, constituting 50.6% of the total fish population, considering species abundance, and Siluriformes constituting 12.7% and Perciformes constituting 12.0%, which were occupied the second and third position in abundance. The order Channiformes, Clupeiformes, Mastacembeliformes and Tetraodontifomres were constituted 6.6%, 6.0%, 4.8%, and 4.2%, respectively. Beloniformes constituted the lowest number of species (30%). It was observed that many fish species in the Karatoya River were severely impacted by the environmental and human-induced hazards. However, the age of the fishermen was ranged from 22 to 65 years. The Hindus (70%) were featured to be the highest percentage than the Muslims (30%), while no Christians and Buddhists were found. Various levels of education were documented in the study area, where majority of the fishermen were illiterate (69%), up to primary 18%, up to secondary 8% and the small portion (5%) were above secondary. The fishermen’s housing status was predominated by kaccha (66%), followed by semi pacca (23%) and pacca (11%). Majority of the fishers were landless (39%), whereas 15% fishers had 1-10 decimal (dec.) lands, 18% had 11-20 dec., 11% had 21-30 dec., 14% had 31-40 dec. and badly 3% of them had possessed >40 dec. lands. Among the fishermen, 45% of them were found to be involved in fishing activities, 40% in agriculture and 15% in sand business as day-to-day labour. There were 4 types of nets, 3 types of traps, 4 types of spears and 2 types of line fishing operated in this area. The study revealed that the fisheries production was not sufficient according to the demand. The reasons behind this might be due to the fact that the fishers around the Karatoya River were mainly poor, illiterate, lack of proper training and also nonexistence of consciousness of their sanitary and health care facilities. Therefore, it is very important to provide the required Organizational and Institutional help, support and extension facilities for the enhancement of fish biodiversity as well as development of sustainable livelihood of fishers in the Karatoya River as well.

Drifting Away from the Roots: Genderfluidity as Diola’s Mangrove Fishing Strategies in Three Island-Villages of Northern Guinea-Bissau

AbstractBiodiversity loss, habitat degradation, globalization, and societal transformations are challenging rural, and especially coastal communities in Guinea-Bissau where mangrove-dependent livelihoods are exposed to increased vulnerability. The Diola, traditional farmer-fishermen of the northern island-villages, have witnessed swift societal changes following the country’s economic liberalization, climate change, and youth migration from rural areas. Despite historically being a secondary subsistence activity with more predefined gender roles rooted in tradition, mangrove fishing has become a major source of cash income. Yet, women’s mangrove fishing contributions are still overlooked, resulting in general assumptions of static female fishing identities with limited control over their income. We present three case studies of Diola women’s involvement in mangrove fishing through a mixed method approach that combines qualitative techniques and household surveys conducted between 2017 and 2023. Specifically, we explore: (1) diverging societal coping strategies and livelihood developments in three Diola villages; (2) the primary drivers behind village-specific societal transformations; (3) social dynamics and female roles in mangrove fishing-related activities and village decision-making; and (4) the political ecology of interventions. Our findings underscore the complexity of gender-fluid small-scale fishing strategies as female roles beyond fish trade defy cultural generalizations. Contemporary Diola women make autonomous personal and work choices that meet their current needs and add to their household budget to face new welfare demands. Inclusive resource governance needs more gender-specific data for meaningfully implemented interventions adapted to local circumstances, enabling an active participation of all genders in conservation practices and development.

Assessment of land dynamics transformation into tea plantations using support vector machine

Precisely monitoring land use dynamics and spatial distributions is essential for sustainable development and long-term land management. Tea is one of the leading beverage crops cultivated in Bangladesh, expanding rapidly in northern districts and forcing land use change. This study aims to decipher the expansion of tea cultivation and land dynamics transformation to tea land areas in the northern region of Bangladesh by using Landsat 5 TM and Landsat 8 OLI/TIRS surface reflectance images. The supervised support vector machine (SVM) method was used for classification purposes, resulting in three classified maps for the years 2004, 2013 and 2022, having overall accuracies of 91.43 %, 98.67 %, and 98.48 % and kappa coefficients of 89.51, 98.37, and 98.13, respectively. The images were classified into six land use classes: agriculture, tea cultivation area, settlement, waterbody, bare land, and forest. Land transformation results reveal that overall tea land increased by 41.08 % from 2004 to 2022, experiencing a downward trend during 2004–2013, while from 2013 to 2022, a dramatic rise of 70.01 % (equal to 4683.60 ha) tea cultivation area was found in Panchagarh district. The bare land was among the most highly transformed land classes into tea plantations, followed by the forest area. This study provides evidence of transforming underutilized land class into a profitable land use practice, i.e., tea plantation. Thus, cutting-edge technologies would be imperative in land transformation detection for sustainable land management and policy implications for the sustainable development of small landholding livelihoods and the tea industry.

Measurement, spatial differences and driving effects of well-being levels in China.

As the largest developing country, China has accumulated enormous material wealth since its reform and opening-up policy. How to effectively evaluate the level of well-being in China has become a meaningful research endeavor. Using the entropy method, Dagum Gini coefficient and Logarithmic Mean Divisia Index (LMDI) decomposition methods, the study examines the spatial and temporal distribution characteristics, spatial differences and driving effects of provincial well-being levels from 2007 to 2020. The results of this study suggest that the level of well-being as a whole, as well as in the eastern, central and western regions increased significantly over the period, with an "east-to-west decreasing" distribution in China. In terms of the pattern of inter-provincial distribution, although the level of well-being in the central and western regions has improved at a faster rate, most provinces in the eastern region have always been among the leading teams on the path of livelihood development. There is still enormous room for improvement in the level of well-being in the central and western provinces. The overall differences in the development of well-being in China, as well as intra-regional and inter-regional differences among the three major regions, showed a narrowing trend. Intra-regional differences in the development of well-being are greatest in the western region, and inter-regional differences in the development of well-being are greatest in the eastern and western regions. Inter-regional differences are the main reason for the spatial differences in well-being among China's provinces. The combination of economic, social, ecological and technological effects has led to a gradual increase in the level of well-being over the sample period. Among them, economic, social and technological effects have a clear positive driving effect on the increase of well-being levels, while ecological effect have a certain negative driving influence.

Community-led vs. subsidised housing. Lessons from informal settlements in Durban

Rapid urbanization, poverty and socio-economic inequalities are causes of the backlog of informal settlements in South Africa, as dwellers cannot access formal housing schemes. Such unplanned settlements often need more basic services, social facilities and adequate housing. Nevertheless, informal settlements are core parts of the urban form rather than places for eradication. This article examines self-building and community-led upgrading practices in three case studies of partially and non-serviced informal settlements in Durban. It adopts action research participatory methods to coproduce knowledge and map various perspectives around community-led housing upgrading, building materials and construction skills in an effort to enhance community resilience and self-reliance. The findings reveal the key drivers and challenges associated with self-building, informal procurement and overall project management of the housing process. Successful grassroots practices demonstrate community ownership and dweller control beyond the physical upgrading per se. The lessons learned call for inclusive, participatory, and incremental approaches for effective community organization, self-reliance, social capital and livelihood development.

Social Security Program for the Bede Community: Savar Upazila Perspective

Bede, also known as Baidya (feminine: Bedeni) or Manta, are a nomadic Indo-Aryan people of Bangladesh who have been neglected and backward since ages. To bring them into the mainstream of the society and for the overall development of the country, it is very important to preserve the basic rights of these neglected and backward groups by ensuring social justice, developed socio-economic conditions, proper educational system, permanent habitation, proper health services and all the social security programs supported by the government. To improve the quality of life of the Bede community, the government of Bangladesh has introduced a unique program called “Livelihood Development Program for Bede Community”. The main objective of this study is to be informed to what extent this government supported program is effective for the Bede community. Mixed method is used in this exploratory study. Here, Survey method is conducted for quantitative data, Case study and Focus Group Discussion (FGD) is used for qualitative data. Quantitative data has been collected from 100 selected Bede people through purposive sampling from the Bede community who resides in Savar Upazila of Dhaka district where the Department of Social Services is running the government program for them. Among the surveyed population, a maximum of 40% Bede are between 30-40 years of age, and 50% of them are illiterate. But 20% of Bede have educational qualifications at the primary level. Under this program, the Government provides Allowance for them. 40% Bede received their first allowance in the 2015-16 financial year, while 66% Bede people used the allowance money for medical purposes and 40% Bede expressed satisfaction with receiving the allowance. Government also introduced the Education Stipend for Bede students. 40% of Bede students have received educational opportunities through this stipend and they are very satisfied. 33% of the surveyed Bede people received training on beautification and they are satisfied. Government also provides post training grants for their self-establishment.

An Empirical Assessment of Diversity in Fish Species: Case Study of Madhubani District, India

Sarisab Pahi Chaur is a wetland sites in the Madhubani district, Bihar has rich fish diversity. The present investigation was undertaken the status of fish diversity and seasonal impacts on them in Sarisab Pahi Chaur of Madhubani, Bihar. A total number of 29 species representing 17 families of 9 orders of class Actinopterygii were identified from Sarisab Pahi Chaur wetland, the various species of order Cypriniformes 49% and Clupeiformes 16% dominated in the wetland followed by order Siluriformes 15%, Perciformes 12%, Channiformes 6%, Symbrachiformes, Beloniformes, Anguilliformes and Mugiliformes respectively. In present investigation species diversity of fishes of Sarisab Pahi Chaur, ranged between the lowest 0.943 June, 2021 and the highest 1.346 May, 2022. Species evenness (J) of fishes of Sarisab Pahi Chaur, varied from the lowest 0.787 July, 2021 and the highest 0.933 March, 2022 during the investigation period. Species richness (d) of fishes of Sarisab Pahi Chaur, varied from the lowest 6.603 June, 2021 and the highest 12.411 May, 2022. The value of Shannon-Wiener diversity, Species richness and the Evenness in different months are the different value which is depends upon the fish density and physico-chemical parameters of water of wetland. The paper takes into account to explore the importance of wild variety in fish seed production and its support in sustainable livelihood development.

Contribution of non-timber forest products to the livelihoods of households residing adjacent to Loita Forest, Kenya

The use and commercialization of non-timber forest products (NTFPs) for livelihood development and their adverse impact on forest ecosystems have received significant academic attention recently. To conserve forests and ensure continued livelihood support, it is essential to harvest NTFPs in a sustainable manner. Thus, efforts to conserve such resources must be preceded by understanding how communities interact with them. This study aimed to clarify the relationship between participation in forest conservation and income earned from forests. The primary data were collected via a socio-economic survey of 151 households residing adjacent to Loita Forest in Kenya. The population in the study area extracts NTFPs, such as firewood, natural medicine, building poles, and honey. There is a positive relationship between participation in forest conservation efforts and income earned from the sale of NTFPs. Thus, the Loita Community Forest is a crucial source of essential NTFPs for adjacent households’ subsistence. Therefore, these households should be encouraged to participate more in forest conservation efforts. Such endeavors would facilitate livelihood development of local communities and sustainable management of forests in Kenya.

Research on the Construction Mechanism of Rural Grass-roots Cadres under the Leadership of Party Construction

As China enters a new stage of building Chinese-style modernization in an all-round way, rural grass-roots cadres, as an important force in rural grass-roots governance, bear the important responsibility of promoting rural economic development, social stability, and improvement of people's livelihood. This paper takes the construction mechanism of rural grass-roots cadres under the leadership of Party building as the core and discusses its significance to rural governance and rural development. Combining with case analysis, this paper proves that the combination mechanism of cadre selection and appointment, cadre training and education, cadre assessment, Party organization guidance and supervision, and cadre incentive and guarantee provides strong support and assurance for the construction of rural grass-roots cadres. It is of great significance to promote the effective implementation of the strategy of rural revitalization.

Sustainable development of local livelihoods in Vietnam: A demand‐driven approach through “One Commune, One Product”

Sustainable development of local livelihoods in <scp>Vietnam</scp>: A demand‐driven approach through “<scp>One Commune, One Product</scp>”

Spatiotemporal dynamics of land use and land cover change around Volcanoes National Park and their implications for biodiversity conservation

ABSTRACT This study comprehensively analyses spatiotemporal land use/land cover (LULC) dynamics within a 10-km buffer zone surrounding Volcanoes National Park (VNP), Rwanda, from 2000 to 2019, integrating biophysical and socio-economic drivers. It aims to quantify LULC change extent, rate, and type around VNP and inside the park; identify socio-economic, demographic, and policy drivers of LULC change; and evaluate the impact of LULC changes on VNP’s biodiversity via habitat fragmentation, connectivity, and species diversity. Employing remote sensing, spatial modelling, and field data, we reveal profound transformations within the park’s periphery. Forests and woodlots have significantly declined, replaced by agriculture, grasslands, and built-up areas, particularly in the 5.1–10 km belt (92.29% forest loss). While reforestation efforts exist, they are outpaced by deforestation, creating a stark deforestation-to-reforestation ratio of 12:1 in the 5.1 10 km belt and 6:1 in the 0–5 km belt. This alarming trend threatens VNP’s biodiversity as resource dependent communities continue to extract firewood, construction materials, and beanpoles from the park. To mitigate these impacts, we propose integrated strategies encompassing strengthened law enforcement, sustainable land management practices, community-based conservation initiatives, and alternative livelihood development.

Impact of horticulture on the sustainable livelihood development of smallholders: a SPAR-4-SLR &amp; future research agenda

Purpose. The perishable nature of the horticulture (fruits, vegetables, and flowers) industry makes it more complex to study. The higher return and nutritional benefits compared to traditional agricultural products expand the research scope for the stakeholders’ sustainable benefit. Nevertheless, despite limited research, this study explicitly examines additional facets of smallholder development beyond the traditional economic, social, and environmental dimensions. Methodology / approach. To fill this knowledge gap, we comprehensively reviewed 73 articles published between 2013 and 2022 in international scientific journals with an SJR (Scimago Journal &amp; Country Rank) Q1 ranking. We followed the “Scientific Procedures and Rationales for Systematic Literature Reviews” (SPAR-4-SLR) protocol to identify different aspects of smallholders’ development. Literature from Web of Science and Scopus databases was analysed and organised using the TCCM (Theory, Context, Characteristics, and Methodology) framework. Results. The study identified important factors like infrastructure, commercialisation, market access, marketing, credit, policies, information, intervention, training, technology, and collaboration that could uncover crucial economic, political, social, psychological, ecological, cultural, physical and nutritional aspects of development in general. The study also suggests that implementation Agriculture 4.0 through advanced technologies like IoT, AI, and vertical and bio-fortification practices can help in sustainable livelihood development in horticulture. Originality / scientific novelty. The limited or lack of comprehensive studies on smallholders’ sustainable livelihood development with different dimensions makes this research a bridge to identify other dimensions instead of only focusing on the horticultural sector’s economic, social, and ecological aspects. It uses the Agricultural Innovation System and Farmer First theories, stating that the farmer is the first priority and must collaborate and interact to implement technology and innovations for smallholder livelihood development. Practical value / implications. This research will help in decision-making regarding smallholders’ livelihoods in all eight dimensions at all levels of government, private and other stakeholders, suggesting a triple-helix model.

A Global Call for Two‐Generation Approaches to Child Development and Caregivers' Livelihoods

AbstractInterest in two‐generation approaches to improve the developmental outcomes of children and their caregivers and the economic well‐being of families has increased amid persistent child and family poverty worldwide. Grounded in a dual developmental science perspective and the theory of linked lives, these approaches maximize developmental potential by addressing the interrelated educational, economic, and developmental needs of children and their caregivers. They offer coordinated, aligned, and simultaneous services for at least two generations in the same family. In this article, we propose that from a global perspective, two‐generation approaches that harness synergies among children and their caregivers are likely to be more effective than single‐generation approaches in alleviating poverty and improving human development. We identify five models in different geographic regions of the world that promote the development of young children (0–6 years), the education and livelihood of their caregivers, and the well‐being of both, which we group by type of program: quality child care, early childhood development + nonformal education for parents, and cash transfers + parenting. We close with a call for more research on two‐generation programs and policies globally.

A Study on the Impact of Income Gap on Consumer Demand: An Empirical Test Based on the Spatial Panel Durbin Model

The study utilizes China Household Panel Survey (CFPS) data from 2010 to 2020 to create a spatial panel Durbin model and examines the spatial spillover effect of the income gap on consumer demand using spatial econometric techniques. Studies have shown that the income gap has a notable inverted U-shaped influence on consumer demand, and there is a strong inverted U-shaped spatial spillover effect between surrounding locations. Expanding the income difference within a specific range boosts consumer demand in both local and surrounding areas. Further increasing the income difference impedes the growth of consumer demand in both local and surrounding regions. Regional variations significantly impact how the income gap affects consumer demand through spatial spillover. From the perspective of consumption quantity, the “inverted U-shaped” inflection point in economically developed regions and eastern regions is on the left side of economically underdeveloped regions and western regions; from the perspective of consumer quality, this result is exactly the opposite. China should persist in enhancing efforts to advance income distribution system reform and improvement, bolster the development of inclusive, fundamental, and grassroots livelihoods, manage residents’ income gap amid evolving income levels, and stimulate consumer demand in local and neighboring regions.

Decision-Making Mechanism of Farmers in Land Transfer Processes Based on Sustainable Livelihood Analysis Framework: A Study in Rural China

The act of land transfer in rural areas is an important decision-making mechanism for farmers, to enhance resource allocation efficiency and promote capital mobility, and this act is of strategic importance in promoting the level of agricultural scale and mechanization, land system change, and, thus, the sustainable development of livelihoods and production in China. This study aims to explore farmers’ decision-making mechanisms in the process of land transfer in rural areas, by constructing a theoretical framework. Structural equation modeling was used, based on data from a survey of rural families in the Liaoning Province area of Northeastern China. The main findings are as follows: (1) The seven types of exogenous latent variables, including environmental vulnerability, policy, and five main livelihood assets (natural capital, physical capital, financial capital, human capital, and social capital), are intermediary in farmers’ land transfer behavior, which then positively affect farmers’ livelihood outcomes. (2) Among the exogenous latent variables affecting farmers’ land transfer, human assets have the most significant positive effect, followed by social assets and physical assets, family labor force share, frequency of work information exchange, and number of production tools, greatly affect the corresponding variable. (3) Natural assets play the most important role and have a negative effect on farmers’ land transfer decision; contracted area of land per family is the greatest impacted measurable variable of this. The results of the study suggest that the government should strengthen skills training for farmers, improve the land transfer policy system, and provide appropriate subsidies in a regionally targeted manner. Thus, it can promote the transformation of Chinese-style agricultural modernization and achieve rural revitalization.

Has the poverty alleviation resettlement projects achieved just transition in Nujiang Prefecture of Southwest China?: A way to achieve SDGs

From 2016 to 2020, China successfully assisted 9.6 million people below poverty line, making a making a substantial contribution to both the UN-defined Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the global effort to reduce poverty. The literature reveals a focus on resettlement justice concerning livelihood transformation, re-siting, and public participation. However, a dearth of scholarly perspectives exists regarding migrants' comprehensive satisfaction indicators of just transition, particularly on sustainable assessment. Therefore, the study regards migrants as “customers” of PAR projects and assesses the degree of realization of a just transition of resettlement through their satisfaction. A multilayered comprehensive evaluation model is being formulated using the survey data of 515 migrants residing in three county-level cities in Nujiang Prefecture of southwest China. The results show that there is an increase in satisfaction with the impact of PAR on the migrant households' income, material assets, housing conditions, infrastructure, natural environment, children's educational level and ethnic cultures. Moreover, satisfaction with migrants' employment stability, social networking level, and the succession of local customs decreased. The results help to show that the PAR project does affect various aspects of migrants' lives, as well as contributing to the SDGs of social, economic, and environmentally sustainable development. The construction of a sustainable assessment system oriented to the combination of different dimensions of migrants' satisfaction and importance can help reduce the inequalities that may arise from the project. Boosting migrants' overall satisfaction is the most significant factor to consider when developing robust policies to increase poverty alleviation achievements and promote sustainable livelihood development.

Women’s participation, challenges and problems encountered in major fish markets during the COVID-19 pandemic in Davao, Philippines

Women fish vendors actively participate in the fishery sector but they face various challenges regarding their financial capital and opportunities. There is a power imbalance within the market as men seem to dominate and women hold no power or voice to protect their rights. This study provides valuable insights regarding the perceptions and experiences of these women in the Davao region, by not only focusing on the role of women in fisheries and major fish markets in Mindanao, Philippines, but also on their contribution and the challenges they meet. We have conducted semi-structured field interviews with women fish vendors (n = 99) and in-depth follow-up interviews to validate the results (n = 80). Among respondents, 90% in Tagum, 80% in Panabo, and 75% in Davao City were vendors who did not own their stalls. Despite women’s active involvement in fish trading activities such as fish vending, fish brokering, and financing in the market, many of them do not have stalls on their own. It was found that women participate in the fish marketing sector because they received previous training from family members involved in the business (29%), or they wanted a well-paying job (19%), or it was their only economic opportunity (14%). Another reason was profitability (9%) to support their families (9%) and children (8%). Common problems encountered by women in the fish market included a decline in customers (40%), work exhaustion due to the combination of their market and domestic duties (14%), and rude customers and employers (10%). In addition, women also reported challenges regarding mobile vendors (9%), low fish prices (8%), and not having access to financial credit (8%). Many of the women support their husbands by providing additional income for their families. Overall, women fish vendors play a critical role in the local economy of their villages and families. This implies that greater support is needed for women to have financial access to fishing businesses and become beneficiaries of training and livelihood development programs while helping their families overcome food insecurity and poverty.