Global learning exchange held in Tanzania strengthens collaboration on small-scale fisheries

A Global Learning Exchange held in Mwanza from 18 to 20 March 2026 brought together key stakeholders from Africa, Asia, and Latin America to strengthen collaboration, share experiences, and advance the implementation of the Voluntary Guidelines for Securing Sustainable Small-Scale Fisheries (SSF Guidelines).

The event was organized under the FAO project Implementing the Small-Scale Fisheries Guidelines for gender-equitable and climate-resilient food systems and livelihoods – Phase 2, funded through the FAO Flexible Voluntary Contributions (FVC) mechanism, in collaboration with the Sida-funded FAO project Enhancing equitable, climate-resilient and sustainable small-scale fisheries through SSF Guidelines implementation.

The learning exchange convened some 50 participants, including representatives from project countries, regional organizations, partner institutions, and FAO teams. It aimed to facilitate intercountry learning through field visits, technical presentations, and group discussions, enabling participants to exchange knowledge, reflect on implementation progress, and identify opportunities for collaboration.

Opening the event, Ms. Agnes Kisaka Meena, Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Livestock and Fisheries of the United Republic of Tanzania, underscored the country’s commitment to gender-responsive and community-led development. She noted Tanzania’s progress in strengthening women’s participation across the fisheries value chain, including support to organizations such as the Tanzania Women Fish Workers Association (TAWFA).

Field visits brought the discussions to life. At the Kayenze dagaa (small fish similar to sardines) landing site, women processors and traders demonstrated how improved practices and community savings groups such as VICOBA enhance product quality, reduce losses, and support household incomes. Visits to Nile perch processing plants further illustrated the daily challenges facing small-scale actors, including inadequate gear, post-harvest losses, reduced fish stocks, and limited market power.

The programme also included presentations and discussions on the achievements and lessons learnt in the different project countries. Participants shared experiences from their respective contexts and explored solutions related to women’s economic empowerment, fish processing technologies, and market access. The workshop also reflected on the progress of the countries’ National Plans of Action for Small-Scale Fisheries (NPOAs-SSF), reinforcing priorities in co-management, value chain development, and community engagement.

The exchange further provided a platform to review progress under the FVC project and to identify priorities for follow-up actions under the ongoing Sida-funded project. Discussions emphasized the importance of strengthening partnerships, enhancing technical knowledge, and promoting inclusive governance approaches grounded in the principles of the SSF Guidelines, including human rights-based approaches.

As Mr. Charles Tulahi, Assistant FAO representative Tanzania, emphasized, meaningful transformation requires coordinated partnerships and, above all, listening to fisherfolk who are at the forefront of value chains, like the women drying dagaa by Lake Victoria, the young innovators testing improved technologies, and the fishers whose knowledge of the lake shapes daily survival.

By combining field-based learning with peer exchange and technical dialogue, the Mwanza global learning exchange contributed to building capacity, fostering networks, and identifying scalable good practices that can be adapted across countries.

The event reaffirmed the critical role of small-scale fisheries in food security, livelihoods, and local economies, and underscored the need for continued investment and coordinated action to support the sector. The message from Mwanza is clear: Investing in small-scale fisheries is investing in people, resilience, and sustainable food systems.