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

FAO Fisheries Technical Paper. No. 481

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


C. Béné
WorldFish Center
Cairo, Egypt

G. Macfadyen
Fisheries Consultant
Divonne-les-Bains, France

and

E.H. Allison
University of East Anglia
Norwich, United Kingdom of
Great Britain and Northern Ireland

FOOD AND AGRICULTURE ORGANIZATION OF THE UNITED NATIONS

Rome, 2007

Table of Contents


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ISBN 978-92-5-105664-6

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© FAO 2007

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.

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 fisheries 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-section 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.


TABLE OF CONTENTS


FAO Fisheries Technical Paper. No. 481 pdf

Preparation of this document
Abstract
Acknowledgements
Acronyms and abbreviations
Executive summary

Introduction

Background
Objectives of the Technical Paper
Target audience for the Technical Paper
Structure of the document

1. Definitions and concepts

1.1 Characterization of small-scale fisheries
1.2 Small-scale fisheries and poverty
1.3 Fisheries and poverty alleviation
1.4 The concept of food security

2. Contribution, role and importance of small-scale fisheries
    in poverty alleviation and food security

2.1 The Code, small-scale fisheries and poverty alleviation
2.2 Small-scale fisheries and poverty alleviation
2.3 Fish and food security
2.4 Small-scale fisheries and food security

3. Enhancing the role of small-scale fisheries in contributing to
    poverty alleviation and food security

3.1 Introduction
3.2 Policy in support of the poor
3.3 Legislation in support of the poor
3.4 Implementation issues
3.5 Cross-sectoral interventions
3.6 Fisheries management issues
3.7 Making markets work for the poor
3.8 Financing poverty alleviation
3.9 Appropriate information, research and communication systems

References

Appendix: Examples of national and international legal instruments
                  supporting small-scale fisheries