The FISH Visayas 1 project strengthened community fisheries in the Central Philippines by supporting fishermen, small businesses and institutions in sustainable production, marketing and training, thus promoting the development of resilient coastal communities.
Starting situation
The Philippines is one of the world’s leading fishing nations – the sector secures the livelihoods of over 1.4 million people and provides the population with the majority of its protein needs. In the Central Visayas, community fishing forms the backbone of the rural economy. Nevertheless, more than half of the fishermen live in poverty. Causes include destroyed habitats, overfishing by commercial operations, illegal fishing methods, lack of infrastructure and processing, lack of market accessibility and insufficient political support.
In addition, there is the growing threat of natural disasters such as storm surges and earthquakes, as well as climate change, which further threaten the livelihoods of coastal communities. With this in mind, the project set out to empower local actors – from associations to educational institutions to businesses – to make fisheries more sustainable, marketable and resilient.
Goal
Business associations in the Visayas are qualified to play an active role in providing sustainable training, qualification, and certification, as well as in marketing small, medium, and micro enterprises in fisheries and related food value chains.
RESULTS
- 288 fishermen and women improved their technical and entrepreneurial skills through practical training and developed new, marketable fishery products.
- Four new job profiles for the fishing industry were developed together with partners and transferred to curricula: seafood production specialist, quality assurance and food safety assistant, quality inspector, machine operator for fish canning production
- Four local ordinances to promote sustainable fisheries have been passed, including measures to protect mangroves and the ban on plastic bags.
- Ten small fishing companies and products received national and international sustainability certifications.
- An online platform for the marketing of fishery products and services has been established, institutionally anchored and successfully put into operation.
Project:
2019 – 2022
Project budget:
€1.81 million
Partner organisations:
CCCI, BCCI, NOCCI, DOST, DTI, DA
Country:
Philippines
Funder:
BMZ
OUR PARTNERS
