Assessing the drivers and barriers for gender participation and roles in rod and line angling along the shores of Sanyati Basin in Lake Kariba, Zimbabwe

Small-scale fisheries support numerous livelihoods in Zimbabwe. However, men are the key actors in the fishing sector relegating women to peripheral roles, often, diminishing women's contribution to household economy and food security. This study investigated the(i) gendered nature of rod and line angling fisheries, (ii) drivers and barriers for gender roles and participation in rod and line angling fisheries, and (iii) household contribution of rod and line angling fisheries in Lake Kariba. The level of participation in fishing, and postharvest roles such as gutting, gleaning, drying, and smoking significantly differs (p < 0.05) among men and women fishers. The main drivers for engaging in rod and line angling for both men and women were a need for food security, extra income, employment, and mental health benefits. The main barriers discouraging rod and line angling were conflict with hippos, crocodiles, expensive fishing permits, park enforcement of strict fishing zones and proper gear, prohibitive costs of fishing equipment, and decline in market demand for fish. Gender does not significantly (p > 0.05) influence the opinions of the fishers towards the drivers and barriers for engaging in rod angling. Women dominate men in numbers and the roles they play, though they have inadequate decision-making powers and hardly get the recognition they deserve in the rod and line angling value chain in Lake Kariba. Developing a pro-women National Fisheries and Aquaculture Policy in Zimbabwe will uplift and empower women fishers in contributing to household food security and poverty alleviation in small-scale artisanal fisheries.