Women working across the aquaculture value chain in the Mediterranean and Black Sea have completed an advanced training programme aimed at strengthening leadership skills and improving investment readiness, as the sector faces growing pressure to scale sustainably.
The 2026 edition of the Women in Aquaculture training series was held in Izmir, Turkey, from 19-21 January 2026, bringing together women professionals from eight countries across the region. The programme focused on equipping participants with the tools needed to evaluate investment opportunities, improve financial viability, and navigate increasingly complex production and regulatory environments.
Participants included aquaculture entrepreneurs, farm and hatchery managers, production and operations managers, processors, researchers, and public sector professionals, reflecting the breadth of women’s roles across regional aquatic food systems.
The training combined expert-led sessions with peer exchange and technical site visits, allowing participants to examine different operational and business models and better understand how sustainability, innovation, and investment decisions intersect in practice. Organisers said the hands-on visits were a key element of the programme, helping translate theory into real-world experience and showcasing women-led enterprises across production and processing.
By the end of the programme, participants reported increased confidence in assessing investment readiness and a clearer understanding of how operational choices affect long-term business performance. Several also identified concrete next steps for scaling operations and strengthening collaboration across borders.
“Seeing different companies and women-led businesses first-hand made the training especially meaningful,” one participant said. Another described the programme as “a truly valuable and inspiring experience, both professionally and personally.”
Building regional networks
Beyond individual skills development, the initiative aimed to strengthen peer networks among women professionals in the Mediterranean and Black Sea. Organisers said these connections are intended to support continued collaboration and knowledge exchange beyond the training itself.
The workshop was organised by the General Fisheries Commission for the Mediterranean (GFCM) of the UN Food and Agriculture Organization, in partnership with the Federation of European Aquaculture Producers (FEAP), with the involvement of FEAP member Aegean Exporters’ Associations and support from the European Union. Previous editions of the training series have been held in Tunisia, Greece, and Spain.
“This training goes beyond technical skills,” said Houssam Hamza, Aquaculture Officer at GFCM. “It reflects the commitment of GFCM Members and partners – particularly FEAP – not only to recognise the role of women in aquaculture, but to turn this commitment into concrete actions that strengthen their contribution to the blue economy.”
The programme also contributes to the development of the Network of Women in Aquaculture, a global initiative aimed at promoting gender equality and inclusivity across the sector.
Growing importance for future food systems
Aquatic food systems in the Mediterranean and Black Sea currently produce more than 2 million tonnes of food annually, generating US$ 21.5 billion and supporting around 1.17 million jobs along the value chain. Aquaculture accounts for more than 45% of total aquatic food production in the region and relies on more than 35,000 enterprises, most of them small- and medium-sized.
Women represent around 29 percent of employment across fisheries and aquaculture value chains. At the same time, aquaculture production in the region is expected to grow by 14-29% by 2050 to meet rising food demand.
Against this backdrop, organisers said strengthening women’s leadership and investment readiness will be critical to improving sector resilience, supporting sustainable growth, and helping businesses adapt to challenges linked to climate change, disease, evolving technologies, and regulatory complexity.
