The lack of sensitization of policy-makers to the role and opportunities of aquatic resource management and aquaculture is not necessarily a result of inadequate information but rather inadequate channelling of the information to the right decision-makers, in a form that is useful to them. There are currently few opportunities for dialogue and mutual learning and sometimes poorly coordinated efforts to inform policy- makers of the important role of aquaculture and aquatic resource management. As a result, awareness among policy-makers is low and this is reflected in the lack of donor intervention in the sub-sector. Therefore, a Regional Donor Consultation was convened on the Role of aquaculture and living aquatic resources: priorities for support and networking to discuss with donors the role that aquaculture and aquatic resources management play in rural and coastal livelihoods and the regional development requirements for this sub-sector.

Each of the organizations promoting aquaculture and aquatic resources management presented an overview of its aims, perceived role in the development process and main activities. Four major themes emerged from these presentations. Donor agencies outlined their guiding policies, main approaches and services. All the donors presenting are supporting the fisheries sector through initiatives such as knowledge dissemination, community-based coastal resources management or marine fisheries. Donors agreed that small-scale fisheries and aquaculture are valuable tools for poverty alleviation and rural development and are prepared to fund these activities provided that proposals can be shown to meet the donors’ policy goals.

A pressing need was identified for aquatic resource management and aquaculture to become part of the global discourse on poverty alleviation and to demonstrate that aquaculture and aquatic resources management play a significant role. A number of practical and immediate actions can be taken to make aquaculture and aquatic resources management a larger part of the discourse on rural development and poverty alleviation. Donors are constrained by their own national polic ies and the policies and priorities of the countries with which they wish to engage. It was also stated that donors often talk to national planners and staff at the various Ministries of Agriculture, which may not always be aware of the importance of the fisheries sector. To assist, regional institutions offered to analyze the range of sectoral strategy papers the various donors are using (trends on development support, inclusion of current issues) and draw up a common document that would be provided to donors. This would include recommendations regarding adaptation and/or revision to current regional and national needs. Additionally, the regional institutions could assess project impact against selected poverty indicators; possibly in a manner of an overall review.

The meeting agreed that follow-up consultations between the regional institutions and donors would be fruitful if held at least once every two years. 

FAO/RAP, 2003. Report of the regional donor consultation on the role of aquaculture and living aquatic resources: priorities for support and networking. FAO Regional Office Asia and the Pacific, Bangkok Thailand. RAP Publication No. 2003/04, 90 p.