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Poverty Alleviation Through Fisheries Management in Bangladesh: a Retrospective Search

M. A. Rouf*
Fisheries and Marine Resource Technology Discipline, Khulna University, Khulna 9208, Bangladesh

A. G. Rabbani
Fisheries and Marine Resource Technology Discipline, Khulna University, Khulna 9208, Bangladesh

Abstract/ Executive Summary:

Development initiators in Bangladesh often focus on poverty as well as its alleviation strategies. But merely new initiatives recognize the alleviation strategies in retrospect. As a result, progress of poverty alleviation in Bangladesh is questionable. The existing and previous fisheries management strategies were reviewed with special emphasis on poverty issue. In Bangladesh, fisheries rhymes with poverty with the reflection of a complex phenomenon like low income, illness and lack of education, social exclusion, entitlement failure, vulnerability to shocks and political powerlessness. Poverty in the fisheries sector may still exist even in the situation of increase in production of fish. Moreover, disaggregating the poor into economically excluded, politically disempowered and class exploited groups reveals a range of different mechanisms working through an intra-sectoral fisheries dynamics and leading to the impoverishment of a part of the community. Strategically, Government tuned their approach from solely revenue collection with a top down approach to revenue collection with poverty alleviation approach through co-management and community based management practices. But in practice Government rarely ensures the marginal poor fishers’ involvement on the fisheries development activities that ultimately does not influence the poverty eradication level of the poor fishers. In addition to institutional legacy/complexity to disburse allocated fund in time is also an obstacle to achieve success in poverty focused fisheries development initiatives in Bangladesh.

Keywords: Poverty, Management, Socio-institutional mechanisms, Fishermen

Location: In Bangladesh

Start Date:

End Date:

Program Area: Socio-economic and Policy

Commodity: Poverty, Sustainable livelihood, Fish farmers

Objectives:

lack of understanding of poverty in the fishing community resulted in the failure of countless efforts, strategies, policies and projects undertaken by the Government, NGOs, Donors, and funding organizations to eradicate poverty from the fishing communities. Bene (2003) presented two contrasting views regarding poverty in fisheries, which he called the two pillars of old paradigm ‘Poverty rhymes with fisheries’. One pillar is based on the view that ‘They are poor because they are fishermen’. And the other pillar is based on just reversed view that ‘They are fishermen because they are poor’. These two perceptions are in fact the two sides of the same coin and they represent the two complimentary pillars of the poverty in fisheries. Why do the people dependent on the resource so rich and economically rewarding live at the absolute poverty? The objective of this study was to find answer to this question. For this, the paper is articulated to describe and analyze the perception of poverty in fisheries from a review of the available literature.

Methodology:

The issues discussed in this article were gathered through an extensive literature review. For description and analysis of the perception of poverty in fisheries, published articles, discussion papers and reports of international institution (e.g., FAO, World Bank etc) concerning fisheries from all over the world were examined. Later, policy documents and management strategies related to fisheries sector of Bangladesh Government were analyzed.

Source of Information: Khulna University Studies, Special Issue (1st Research Cell Conference): 91-98, 2006

Article Link (Online Journal):

Funding Source:

Budget:

Total Budget (Tk.) :

Achievement/Findings:

In order to alleviate poverty in fisheries through the improvement of socio-institutional mechanisms, there are several steps to be undertaken. Firstly, the Fisheries Development Plan (FDP) needs to be made as an integral component of the Government’s Rural Development Plan (RDP). The development plan should be based on existing local resources and the priority needs of the local people. Moreover, access, right and responsibility of stakeholders should be clearly defined. Secondly, emphasis needs to be placed on capacity building in order to strengthen agencies and organizations which provide assistance to the poor. Policies and plans should be devised to respond to the needs of poor households in the locality, to build their capacity, and to enable them to participate in the planning, implementation, monitoring and evaluating processes. Thirdly, it is necessary to set up a widespread, nationwide network among poor farmers, paying special attention to differences in the levels of education and experience and, at the same time, enhancing equity and harmony among members. The network should also include stakeholders such as service and equipment suppliers, manufacturers, brokers, credit providers, government organizations in farming extension, research, training and education, NGOs and donors.

Knowledge Management: Journal