SUGGESTIONS FOR WFP-ASSISTED PROJECTS AND
APPROACHES RELATED TO FISHERIES DEVELOPMENT
1. WFP is currently investigating with the FAO Fisheries Department: various ways by which food aid might support projects for fisheries development in the developing countries. WFP assistance may be provided for projects entirely designed to stimulate the development of local fisheries or for multipurpose rural development projects which include fisheries activities. Currently operational WFP-assisted projects may have fisheries components added to them, particularly if the component is small in size. New projects may be formulated from inception to include fisheries development. Taking account of WFP's policy to assist the poorest segments of society, special attention should be given to involve disadvantaged groups including women, unemployed youths, landless labourers and physically disabled. By using food aid either directly or indirectly, local employment, income and nutrition levels may be increased through WFP-assisted projects for fisheries development.
2. Some illustrations of project ideas aimed at local fisheries development are presented below:
Food-for-work projects in which WFP assistance is provided as part-payment of wages or as an incentive to form community development activities. These projects aim to improve physical infrastructure facilities necessary for integrating aquaculture into rural development and for inland and marine fisheries development such as the construction and improvement of: village tanks; feeder roads; storage; small habour, jetty and landing facilities, fish farms and hatcheries; etc.
Training projects for fisheries development, including the introduction of new technologies and techniques in such subjects as:
procurement (catching and collecting);
stocking and rearing;
processing and preservation;
transporting;
marketing;
storage;
organization and mangement;
utilization.
Food aid may support the trainee and his/her family during the training period. It may also lead to a release of Government funds previously spent on feeding at training centres which can be invested in the expansion and improvement of the training programme. If a fisheries training component is too small to warrant a separate WFP-assisted project, it may be grafted onto an existing or future WFP-assisted multipurpose project. WFP's Non-Food Items Unit may assist in obtaining relatively low-cost inputs necessary for the training programme, e.g. audio-visual and teaching materials; kitchen and canteen equipment; etc.
In resettlement programmes food aid can sustain fishermen, their families and fishing communities over an initial establishment and readjustment period.
Dam and lake fisheries development can either directly be assisted through food-for-work projects or indirectly through the generation of seed or primer capital (see g) below rearing and releasing of native or exotic species; fish enclosures, lures and traps; etc.
Fish processing projects to support local fish processing industries, including projects involving the integration of women in development.
Pilot projects to demonstrate and test new methods of marine, inland and aquacultural development. WFP non-food items support may be used to obtain low-cost local materials for the construction of small-scale items e.g. solar dryers, water purifiers, de-salters, etc.
Institutional arrangements for fisheries development e.g. direct and indirect support for establishment of fisheries cooperatives and similar institutions.
direct support through food-for-work projects involving cooperative members;
indirect support to generate capital resources through:
sale of small quantities of WFP commodities on the local market;
sale of WFP fish products to help create a market for local fish products (see i below);
sale of WFP commodities to groups largely isolated from the market at subsidized prices to create capital for initial investment and for the establishment of revolving funds.
Projects aimed at integrated rural development activities increasing fisheries development which directly or indirectly contribute towards increased incomes, reduction of unemployment and an improvement in nutritional levels through:
off-season employment during agricultural work cycle, thereby reducing seasonal unemployment and under-employment;
integrating agriculture and fishing activities e.g. fish/rice cultivation; irrigation/fish pond schemes; fish as weed control, etc;
assuring inputs necessary for fish production and processing e.g. use of local timber in forestry and watershed management schemes; salt procurement; etc.
environmental ecology and pollution control activities, including fish monitoring and management;
local manufacture of fishing equipment to augment employment and incomes.
WFP assistance to stimulate local fish production through:
purchases (with WFP cash resources or bilateral donations) of locally caught fish for food aid to provide the local industry with a ready market over an initial period until a self-supporting scale of activities is reached;
introduction of fish products and methods of fish utilization to enhance local acceptability of fish;
assistance in the development of a physical distribution and transportation system for moving fish from areas of over supply to deficit areas in developing countries.
Assistance in the aftermath of emergencies for reconstruction of facilities and reactivation of activities;
Limited of use of WFP assistance in the form of fish feed for target groups, such as women in fish processing cooperatives.
Triangular transactions whereby a developed country or UN agency provides cash for purchase of fish and fish products in an exporting developing country for supply as food aid to another developing country where it is sold (at subsidized prices) and creates funds for investment in the local fish production and processing industry.
Provision of fish and fish products by a donor country, through WFP, to a developing country where they are sold or provided on concessional terms, the funds accruing being invested in the development of the local fish production and processing industry.
