Banner of FAO-Rare 'Fishing for Climate Resilience' project kick-off event.

FAO, in collaboration with Philippine partners, launched the Rare-FAO’s project entitled 'Fishing for Climate Resilience' at a virtual kick-off event held on 16 February 2022.

The project is supported by Germany's International Climate International Climate Initiative (IKI). FAO is Rare’s implementing partner for the Philippines.

The initiative will assist the country's small-scale fishery sector to align with sustainable natural resource management through the Fishery Management Areas (FMA) governance approach, and local climate change plans to protect ecosystem integrity, fisheries livelihoods, and food security. It will leverage Rare’s marine science work and behavior adoption strategies and complementing it with FAO’s expertise on climate change adaptation and “Voluntary Guidelines for Securing Sustainable Small-scale Fisheries in the Context of Food Security and Poverty Eradication” (VGSSF).

BFAR, DILG, and NAPC expressed their support to the initiative, especially as the world is celebrating the International Year of Artisanal Fisheries and Aquaculture (IYAFA) this 2022.The project partners expressed their optimism that the project will improve the capacities of not only the national agencies but also local governments to champion the rights of small-scale fishers and fish workers to achieve food security and help end poverty.

With FAO and Rare at the virtual event were representatives from partners' Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR), the Department of Interior and Local Government's  Bureau of Local Government Supervision (DILG-BLGS), and the National Anti-Poverty Commission (NAPC).

Heading the Philippine agency partners were BFAR Assistant Secretary Drusila Esther Bayate, Assistant Director for Research, Regulations and International Engagement, DILG-BLGS Project Development Officer Mr. Adrian Paul Santos, Project Development Officer, and NAPC Vice Chairperson for the Basic Sectors Mr. Ruperto Aleroza.