Developing non-fishing livelihoods for small scale coastal fisher communities

Lessons and experiences from the work in Sri Lanka and India

Erwin Rathnaweera & Chopadithya Edirisinghe

01.11.2011

Background

• Findings of this presentation are from the work; action researches done by Practical Action- South Asia

• 2005-2011

• Coastal sites, southern, eastern, northern ,western - Sri Lanka

• Studies in states in Orissa, Kerala, Tamil Nadu- India

Core problem

Development Planners are struggling…

However, attempts are made to conduct more training for communities to start alternative livelihoods

Blame mobilizers

Specialization is a characteristic of the developed world

Everyone's job is no one's job

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Empirical evidences show that

many of such initiatives “alternative

livelihood development” in coastal fisher

communities have not been successful.

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Why ?

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A few factors • Lack of understanding about well-established patterns of livelihood enhancement

and diversification mechanisms in fishing communities.

• How do fishers make livelihood choices? What factors and processes encourage or constraint such choices? These questions have not been taken for granted.

• Most importantly, knowledge and expertise of fishers in these areas have been simply overlooked.

• The concept of enhancement and diversification has been presented as a brand new concept “invented” by the development experts.

• Most alternative income generation programs have been driven by the interests and speculations of donors and implementers; fishers have been set aside to be mere “recipients”.

• Fisher participation has been confined to choose an item or two from a pre-determined list of items presented by the development community.

• In the end, such externally driven initiatives have helped neither fishers nor the implementing agencies, leading to further confusion among fisher communities

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Causes

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• Not looking at the market map/chain - of sub-sector (boarder market map and opportunities)

• Enhancement and diversification - misinterpreted

• Confusion - “Introducing non - fishing livelihoods” ; gives a sense of idea “ moving out of fishery”

• Ends up with newly introduced list of livelihoods 11

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Social aspects;

• Lack of understanding of the well-being objectives of fishers/incentives behind getting into other livelihoods

• Fishers and ecosystem relationship - Anthropological aspects – motivational behaviors

• Their way of life, customs/beliefs traditions

• Caste system

• Conflicts - power structures 15

Bottom-up or community led mechanisms were not Bottom-up or community led mechanisms were not observed (Self governance systems)observed (Self governance systems)

What happens ?

In the end !

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Aquaculture

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Investment power

Fishers

Businessmen

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Market forces (small scale producers )

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Aquaculture and conflicts

• Murder for export. People have been killed in violence linked to he shrimp industry in at least eleven countries: Mexico, Guatemala, Honduras, Ecuador, Brazil, India, Bangladesh, Thailand, Vietnam, Indonesia and the Philippines (Smash & Grab, 2003, EJF)

What is livelihood diversification and enhancement ?

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Two components of the diversification process:Two components of the diversification process:

1.1.Vertical diversificationVertical diversification: Initiatives that seek to : Initiatives that seek to improve the quality of improve the quality of existingexisting livelihoods livelihoods through optimizing their performance at different through optimizing their performance at different levels in the market chains; called ‘levels in the market chains; called ‘Livelihood Livelihood Enhancement StrategiesEnhancement Strategies’ ’

2.2.Horizontal diversificationHorizontal diversification: Initiatives that seek : Initiatives that seek alternative/ supplementary sources of income alternative/ supplementary sources of income outside the current activity seasonally or round outside the current activity seasonally or round the year within or outside fisheries; called the year within or outside fisheries; called ‘‘Livelihood Diversification StrategiesLivelihood Diversification Strategies’ ’

The two are NOT mutually exclusive and can and The two are NOT mutually exclusive and can and do co-exist at the individual/household level.do co-exist at the individual/household level.

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Our learnings !

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What sort of options ?1. Dry fish processors

2. Processing plant owners

3. Processing plant workers

4. Peeling workers

5. Cycle traders/moped traders

6. Dry fish traders

7. Auctioneers

8. Fish graders

9. Net menders

10. Electricians

11. Engine mechanics

12. Battery repairers

13. Wooden boat makers –carpenters

14. Fiberglass boat makers

15. Welders/Tinkers

16. Barefoot accountants 22

1. Ice plant owners

2. Ice plant workers

3. Ice sellers

4. Fuel sellers

5. Ice box sellers

6. Basket weavers and sellers

7. Salt sellers

8. Ice crushers

9. Rickshaw pullers

10. Fish packers/collectors

11. Water suppliers

12. Grocery shops

13. Restaurant owners

14. GPS repairers/trainers

15. Navigational skill trainers

16. Fishing gear sellers

Usual options – Compare General needs assessment show;-

• Beauty culture

• Sawing-garment manufacturing

• Handy-crafts making

• Goat rearing

• Poultry

• Food processing (Bites, sweets, etc.)

• Value added spices

• Yoghurt producers

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Why this works ?

• Within their social & economic environment

• Building on their traditional knowledge

• Known power structures

• Social security

• Within their fisheries governance systems (community based, cooperative etc.)

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Advantages • This looks at the whole fishery as an “industry”

(sub-sector)

• Livelihood improve with – sub-sector growth

• Growth provides more opportunities

• Facilitate the growth of sub-sector as an industry

• Strengthen village/divisional level development/leadership

• A mechanism to curb on over- exploitation of fishing resources

• Facilitate fisheries management/governance systems 25

Thanks

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