72 SEPTEMBER • WORLD AQUACULTURE • WWW.WAS.ORG IF GIVEN OPPORTUNITIES, WOMEN CAN FARM FISH. THERE ARE MANY EXAMPLES. Across Asia, this tension between qualification and opportunity is not unique to India. In Vietnam, for example, professionals like Ms. Quế Hoàng are quietly challenging the status quo. A research assistant at the Vietnam National University of Agriculture in Hanoi, Quế works on premium oyster farming, microalgae cultivation, and sustainable aquaculture systems. Her work speaks for itself—but so does her conviction. When asked about women in aquaculture, she offered a perspective that resonates deeply: “As a woman in aquaculture, I take pride in contributing to a field that has long been viewed as a male domain. Despite cultural barriers and persistent stereotypes, I believe women are fully capable of managing farms, making technical decisions, and leading innovation — and we are already doing so across the country. What we need is to be empowered, trusted, and recognized as equals.” — Quế Hoàng In Norway, often seen as a global leader in aquaculture, the industry has historically been male-dominated. Yet women like Ms.Valerie Chidakwa, a research technician at Nofima, Sunndalsøra, Norway’s first aquaculture research center, are steadily reshaping that narrative. Originally from Zimbabwe, Valerie brings a global perspective to her work and a grounded voice to the conversation around gender equity in the field: “Although aquaculture in Norway has traditionally been male-dominated, I entered the field and found other like-minded women without facing major hurdles. That said, breaking barriers and ensuring our ideas to be heard as women remains a challenge. But through continuous teamwork and research, more and more involvement/engagement is being done” — Valerie Chidakwa Ms. Chetana began her career as an Assistant Manager, overseeing 25 hectares of intensive shrimp ponds and 65 hectares of earthen ponds, an uncommon role for a woman in the production sector especially in Asian countries. Working as a single woman alongside 70 men, she proved herself through her resilience. Later, in marketing, she was always accompanied by a driver who doubled as a bodyguard. “As a woman, I have to prove myself everywhere, every time,” she says. Now in a leadership role, her message to other women in aquaculture is simple and clear: “Don’t think of yourself as weak. If you work with passion, you will succeed. The work doesn’t care if you’re a man or a woman—if you do it well, you will win.” — Chetana
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