ABSTRACT

Macfadyen, G.; Corcoran, E.
Literature review of studies on poverty in fishing communities and of lessons learned in using the sustainable livelihoods approaches in poverty alleviation strategies and projects.
FAO Fisheries Circular. No. 979. Rome, FAO. 2002. 93p.

ABSTRACT

This report presents the findings of a literature review conducted on behalf of the DFID/FAO Sustainable Fisheries Livelihoods Programme (SFLP). The authors reviewed nearly 300 published and Internet documents on various aspects of poverty in fisheries and on lessons learned of poverty alleviation measures and approaches including the Sustainable Livelihoods Approach (SLA). The principal findings of this review, undertaken within a short period of time, indicate important research and policy issues. There are very few studies and analyses on the extent, nature, causes and dynamics of poverty in fishing communities. Similarly, the extent to which the fisheries sector and its various linked activities (e.g. fish processing, marketing and distribution) contribute to poverty alleviation and food security has been subject to limited study. On the other hand, the literature abounds with statements, largely unsupported by empirical evidence, that suggest that fishing communities belong to the poor, or poorest, strata of society. There is also limited understanding on the impact on poverty (incidence, depth and dynamics) of technological change, community and fishers' organizations, and alternative fisheries management governance regimes. On the policy side, the review found that while government but especially donor-supported fisheries development and management programmes usually seek, at least implicitly, to reduce poverty in fishing communities, these programmes are rarely targeted on the poor. While empirical evidence is still very limited because of its newness, the SLA is an improvement over conventional sectoral approaches for combating poverty in fishing communities. The main advantages of the SLA lie in its multi-sectoral and integrated nature and its foundation in stakeholder participation. However, application of SLA to guide interventions and policy must be adaptive and flexible, which increases time and costs. Poverty reduction strategy papers (PRSPs), currently in preparation in many of the poorest developing countries, have so far made little explicit reference to livelihoods in small-scale fisheries. While the SLA is thought to offer great potential to contribute to improving the relevance of PRSPs, there is some concern over the extent to which SL principles are currently incorporated in PRSPs.