FISHERFOLK ENTREPRENEURIAL COMPETENCY FOR FOOD SUSTAINABILITY IN THE PHILIPPINES: A CASE OF CAMARINES SUR

Abstract

Strengthening the entrepreneurial competency of fisherfolk supports the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, particularly those related to food sustainability and inclusive economic development. To advance advocacy for enhancing entrepreneurial capacity among fisherfolk, this study evaluated the level of personal entrepreneurial competencies among fisherfolk. It identified the competencies in which they excel and examined variations according to gender, business experience, educational attainment, and age. The study was conducted in San Jose and Sagnay, Camarines Sur, Philippines. A total of one hundred fisherfolk participated in this descriptive research and completed the Personal Entrepreneurial Competencies (PEC) Questionnaire to assess their entrepreneurial capacity. The findings indicate a moderate level of entrepreneurial competency. Risk-taking ranked highest, while goal setting recorded the lowest mean score. Self-confidence significantly declined with age, whereas gender and business experience showed no statistically significant influence on entrepreneurial competency. Educational attainment demonstrated a significant difference only in persistence. These findings support the development of a competency-based framework to strengthen fisherfolk enterprise capacity.