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Increasing the contribution of small-scale fisheries to poverty alleviation and food security.

Year of publication 2007

Pages 125

Author Béné, C.; Macfadyen, G.; Allison, E.H.;Fishery and Aquaculture Economics and Policy Division

Product type Book (series)

ISBN 9789251056646

Series title FAO Fisheries Technical Paper

Series number 0429-9345 - T481

Edition 1

Synopsis (short abstract) The objectives of this Technical Paper are to highlight the contribution that inland and coastal small-scale fisheries can make to poverty alleviation and food security and to make practical suggestions on ways that this contribution can be maximized. This paper is organized into three main sections. The first section discusses the concepts of poverty, vulnerability and food security, and briefly outlines how these concepts have evolved in recent years within the field of fisheries (in line with the rest of the development literature). The second section reviews the actual and potential contribution of small-scale fisheries to poverty alleviation and food security. It illustrates, through use of examples, the role that small-scale fisheries can play in economic growth at the national level and poverty alleviation and rural development at the local level. The third and main section of the document discusses ways of increasing the contribution of small-scale fisheri es to poverty alleviation and food security through nine main entry points. First, the paper revisits conventional fisheries policies and legislation and makes suggestions on how those can be made more pro-poor. Next, the paper emphasizes the importance of capacity building and highlights how cross-sectoral interventions can greatly improve the livelihoods of fish-dependent communities. The paper then proposes a series of broad pro-poor or pro-small-scale fisheries principles, before discussing in greater detail three of the main management instruments adopted in fisheries: (i) property right approaches; (ii) co-management; and (iii) protected areas. The next two sub-sections discuss markets and how to make them work for the poor, and the important issue of pro-poor financing systems and subsidies. The paper highlights the complexity of the issues and reflects the current debate on the ambiguous impacts of markets and trade on poverty alleviation. The last sub-sec tion examines the information, research agenda and communication strategies that are needed to complement or support other interventions and to ensure the contribution of small-scale fisheries to poverty alleviation and food security.

Cite this content as:

Béné, C.; Macfadyen, G.; Allison, E.H.Increasing the contribution of small-scale fisheries to poverty alleviation and food security. FAO Fisheries Technical Paper. No. 481. Rome, FAO. 2007. 125p.

Language English

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    Increasing the contribution of small-scale fisheries to poverty alleviation and food security. 2005
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    These guidelines focus on small-scale fisheries and their current and potential role in contributing to poverty alleviation and food security. They are complementary to existing Technical Guidelines for Responsible Fisheries. Most small-scale fishers are in developing countries and many live in poor and food insecure communities. The guidelines explore ways through which the contribution of small-scale fisheries to poverty alleviation and food security could be enhanced. A vision for t he future of small-scale fisheries is presented as a goal towards which the subsector should develop. Ensuring greater participation by small-scale fishers and their communities in the formulation of policies, the development of related legislation and regulations, and in management decision-making and implementation processes, is vital to the realization of this vision. The central role of effective fisheries management, the importance of considering cross-sectoral uses of fisheries and related resources, the special role of women in fish marketing, processing and value addition, the significant scope for trade, the critical role that adequate financing can have in enabling transitions for effective fisheries management and the role of knowledge in making informed decisions are all discussed in these guidelines.
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    Report of the Expert Consultation on the Role of Small-scale Fisheries in Poverty Alleviation and Food Security. Rome, 5–8 July 2004. 2004
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    The Expert Consultation was convened by FAO in order to elaborate guidelines on the policies and actions needed to increase the contribution of small-scale fisheries to poverty alleviation and food security. The twenty-fifth session of the FAO Committee on Fisheries, held in Rome from 24 to 28 February 2003, requested FAO to develop such guidelines as part of its series of technical guidelines on the implementation of the Code of Conduct for Responsible Fisheries. The Expert Consultati on had before it a comprehensive background document on the subject matter and recommended that two products be published by FAO: (i) a FAO Fisheries Technical Paper on small-scale fisheries in poverty alleviation and food security that would include a full review of relevant background information; and (ii) FAO Technical Guidelines for Responsible Fisheries on enhancing the contribution of small-scale fisheries to poverty alleviation and food security that would be a much more concise document highlighting the actions needed to increase the contribution of small-scale fisheries. The Expert Consultation provided specific guidance for the finalization of the technical paper based on a revision and elaboration of the background document and produced a detailed outline for the preparation of the technical guidelines. It also provided recommendations on the dissemination of both documents and on methods to assess the use and evaluate the impacts of the technical guide lines. The Expert Consultation noted that there is little reference to poverty alleviation and insufficient coverage of small-scale fisheries in the Code of Conduct for Responsible Fisheries. It therefore recommended the development of a new Article on “Small-scale Fisheries and Poverty Alleviation”.
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