Understanding changes in patterns in fermented fish paste (Prahok) production and consumption among Cambodian prahok makers in Tonle Sap Lake | |
| Author | Udon Sokmoly |
| Call Number | AIT Thesis no.GD-23-03 |
| Subject(s) | Fermented fish--Cambodia--Tonle Sap Fishery products--Cambodia--Tonle Sap Fisheries--Social aspects--Cambodia Women fish trade workers--Cambodia |
| Note | A thesis submitted in patial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Science in Gender and Development Studies |
| Publisher | Asian Institute of Technology |
| Abstract | This study aims to understand how the changes in prahok production and consumption among prahok makers are affected by and led to different perceptions of women for these changes. The qualitative method (phenomenology) was applied in this study. There were 20 female and 11 male respondents selected for in-depth interviews. This study was conducted in two different categories of areas: seasonally flooded village (Preaek Sramaoch and Mok Wat villages) and displaced village (Chhnok Tru village). This study found that there were some factors that affected prahok production and consumption patterns among prahok makers in Tonle Sap Lake including livelihood strategies; increasing price of inputs; changes in consumers’ preference; decrease in the amount of fish caught; changes in market trend; time-saving and the easiest of selling fresh fish or semi-processed prahok; lack of capital; time-consuming of producing prahok; and change in living patterns. The effects of these factors made prahok makers into different groups of prahok production and changed their prahok production and consumption patterns in different ways. Due to these effects, the study revealed that there were four groups of prahok production: Home consumption Prahok makers (group 1); Professional Prahok makers (group 2); Fresh fish/Semi-processed Prahok sellers (group 3); and Quitting Prahok makers (group 4). In prahok production patterns, there were some key different changes among these four groups including types of prahok for producing, purposes of producing, sources of fish for processing, production scale, labor use, gender roles, income getting from prahok, amount of producing, and significant roles of prahok production. In prahok consumption patterns, there also had some key different changes among these four groups such as types of prahok for consumption, where to get prahok, amount of using, and ways of using prahok. This study also figured out why women from different groups of prahok production changed their prahok production and consumption. Women from different groups had different reasons for these changes including lack of time, change in food preference, decrease in revenue from selling prahok, gender stereotypes, household’s economic matters, household work burden, change in food culture, business competition, the decrease amount of producing prahok, health issues, job alternatives, changes in gender roles in the family, decrease in household members, and limited food expenses. Based on these reasons, this study indicates that women who had abilities for working with other jobs might less engage in prahok production. Conversely, those women who mainly relied on prahok production as their primary career or family income might like to continue processing prahok though there were some changes in prahok production. Remarkably, women who were no longer relying on prahok production as their primary career or family income might like to switch career as prahok makers to do other jobs to adapt to their livelihoods. It’s also realised women who were no longer in good health and had assistance from their family members or those who could find other better jobs than processing prahok might like to quit prahok production. |
| Year | 2023 |
| Type | Thesis |
| School | School of Environment, Resources, and Development |
| Department | Department of Development and Sustainability (DDS) |
| Academic Program/FoS | Gender and Development Studies (GD) |
| Chairperson(s) | Kusakabe, Kyoko; |
| Examination Committee(s) | Doneys, Philippe;Thi Phuoc Lai Nguyen; |
| Scholarship Donor(s) | The Dried Fish Matters (DFM) Project;Asian Institute of Technology Fellowship; |
| Degree | Thesis (M. Sc.) - Asian Institute of Technology, 2023 |