Date:
25-27
March 2013
Venue: Bangkok, Thailand
Objective:
1. Lesson-learned
the alternative livelihood business creation through autonomous community-based
resource management systems;
2. To
find out the key factor and the successful way of the effectiveness of
financial and economic business operation in fishing community.
Background of the Regional Workshop
Establishment of the system of Autonomous
Community-based Resource Management (ACBRM) is also useful to improve local
livelihoods and alleviate poverty in fishing communities through finding the
way of alternative livelihoods business, financial and economic activities such
as micro-finance system, bulk purchase and auction system. Therefore, the Regional Workshop was
organized to improve the knowledge of ASEAN fisheries officers for the concepts,
principles and practice of promotion of alternative livelihoods business and
financial and economic activities for alleviation poverty, and its additional
function in autonomous community-based resource management.
The SEAFDEC Member Countries
presented their activities concerned alternative livelihoods business through
fisheries community-based resource management. Besides, the role and future
plan for promoting alternative livelihoods business, financial and economic
activities also was clarified in the meeting. Moreover, the resource persons
presented on the lesson-learned and experiences related to alternative
livelihoods and promoting micro-finance services and activities. The lesson-learns
were emphasized in various projects such as Integrated Coastal Resources
Management in Pathew District project, Thailand (ICRM-PD) and Sihanoukville,
Cambodia (ICRM-SV), as well as the Regional Fisheries Livelihoods Programme for
South and Southeast Asia (RFLP). Furthermore, the Regional Workshop found out
the key factors of success of alternative livelihoods business including the
way forward for promoting of alternative livelihoods and the financial and
economic creation. The key factors that lead to successful alternative
livelihood initiatives are divided into 11 factors;
1) Cohesiveness at work,
· Motivating the spirit of community solidarity.
2) Sustainability,
· Ensuring that business or alternative livelihood initiatives can be handled by communities.
3) planning,
· Participatory planning with communities must be observed.
4) Selection of target business or livelihood alternatives,
· Considering the unique characteristic of communities in planning livelihood alternatives.
· Evaluating market demand for alternative livelihood products.
· Considering the risks of undertaking new business options comprising technically unknown factors.
5) Accounting and bookkeeping,
· Improving financial management capacity of concerned stakeholders.
· Maintaining accurate records of raw materials, production, sales, etc.
6) Initial funds,
· Obtaining government or donors support which is necessary to create initial fund.
7) Revolving funds and micro-credit scheme,
· Maintaining revolving funds.
8) Government support,
9) Institutional support,
10) Leadership,
· Having smart officers and smart fishers (experienced and knowledgeable, skillful, good attitude, practicing good governance, strongly committed) is necessary.
11) Fisheries management organizations.
Moreover,
the recommendations was clarified from the participants such as 1) Conducting
local training programs to start livelihood alternatives, 2) Dissemination of
the livelihood programs to village levels, 3) Development of small and medium
enterprises (SMEs) for fisheries products.
