Female Founders: Green Tech in the Blue Economy
The women developing solar tech to reduce the environmental impact of fishing in SE Asia.
We follow the female scientists and their start-ups that are developing solar tech to help fisherfolk in South East Asia reduce their impact on the environment, improve their health and put money back in their pockets.
Subsistence fishing employs hundreds of millions of people around the world. It’s an enormous business worth trillions of dollars. It’s also a dirty business. High-cost diesel motors and expensive, inefficient lights consume huge amounts of fossil fuels, leaving a considerable carbon footprint. But these lights are essential. Venturing out onto the high seas in a small boat is always dangerous, but night fishing is absolutely treacherous, so although good lighting saves lives, it also requires a lot of power.
But then how do you keep your catch fresh and cool on the boat overnight and when being transported to market in a blisteringly hot country? And once your fish is purchased, how do you then ensure your traditional way of processing it is healthy and hygienic?
A group of female entrepreneurs across South East Asia are addressing the problem at grassroots and supplying the answers with solar technology. Their work is localised and highly effective. It may sound small, but in an industry of 100’s of millions of people, small starts make a big difference.
