Case 3-21 Enhancing sustainability by introducing alternative income sources (2): case study of measures to diversify income sources for fishermen through the introduction of poultry farming

Nianing, poultry farming technology, poultry farming business, women’s empowerment, JICA development study, PRAO

In 2003–2006, poultry farming was introduced in the village of Nianing on Petite-Côte as an incentive to implement resource management activities and generate alternative sources of income. Did the activity contribute to strengthening the sustainability of resource management activities? What lessons were learned?

To improve the sustainability of the fisheries resource management activities implemented as a pilot activity, the JICA development study introduced poultry farming as a means of capacity building for women. The activities went well, and for two years even after the end of the study the village women generated income from the sale of the chicken meat they produced. However, the subsequent global outbreak of bird flu, which did not infect the Nianing chickens, made it difficult to sell the products because of the damage caused by rumours, and poultry farming was abandoned. The village women used the skills they had acquired in poultry farming and, with the help of a French woman living in the village, switched from the highly competitive sale of poultry meat to the sale of eggs and continued their activities. In addition, with the support of the Regional Fisheries Programme for West Africa (PRAO), the egg selling activity was promoted and has since continued.

Although this activity was not intended to directly compensate fishers’ families for the disadvantages caused by fisheries resource management, it was introduced as a way of diversifying livelihoods to reduce the negative impact of resource management on fishers’ families.

Two years after the completion of the JICA fisheries resource assessment and management planning study, the poultry farming activity for selling chicken meat was abandoned due to the damage caused by rumours of bird flu, but the women of Nianing village used the poultry farming techniques they had acquired to start a poultry farming activity for egg production and practiced diversification of their livelihood activities. This case of the successful deployment of another activity, even after the initial activity was abandoned due to environmental changes, illustrates the importance of acquiring new techniques to strengthen fishers’ income.

Chapter 3 Implementation of resource management measures

3.2 Measures to strengthen the sustainability of resource management

If fisheries-related activities are selected as an alternative source of income, resource persons can often be found within the fishing village. When incorporating activities outside the fisheries sector, it is possible to create an income source that does not depend on fisheries resources, although it is necessary to secure technical personnel and guidance that cannot be provided in the fishing village.

This case is an effective reference when trying to introduce alternative income sources other than fisheries-related ones, with the aim of reducing the negative impact of fisheries resource management activities on fishing household management and encouraging voluntary participation of fishermen.