Strengthening regional capacity in research and training in fisheries and aquaculture for improved food security and livelihoods in Eastern Africa
Abstract
Ethiopia, Kenya and Uganda share common problems regarding sustainable management of sensitive and dynamic aquatic ecosystems, as well as facing deficits in high protein food supply and an on-going battle to alleviate rural poverty as well as improve food and nutrition security. The fisheries sector in these countries contributes immensely to socioeconomic development in terms of livelihood, income and employment, and calls for strategies to develop aquaculture and fisheries. Capture fisheries, currently the major source of food fish in the three countries is either stagnating or declining due to over-fishing associated with rapid human population growth and environmental changes caused by climate variability. Although, aquaculture is still a small component in Eastern Africa, the sector is considered the best option to supplement capture fisheries. As such, aquaculture is growing rapidly with considerable interest by investors as well as strong support from the government authorities and international development partners. However, the Eastern Africa region has limited human and technical capacities which are required to bolster adoption and up-scaling of aquaculture technologies and to develop/implement evidence-based sector policies and strategies. Within the preparatory APPEAR project, researchers from Ethiopia, Kenya, Uganda and Austria will convene to nurture the new partnership, plan, develop, write and submit a project proposal to strengthen the capacity of Eastern African institutions’ to deliver high-quality training programmes in Fisheries and Aquaculture, to enhance community-based extension services and to coordinate engagements of government stakeholders and civil society. In the preparatory phase, project activities include; in-depth situation analysis, identification of priority issues; formation of working-groups for project implementation and final proposal writing and submission. The proposed project will conduct an empirical research through Community Participatory Action approach to understand social economic, cultural, gender and policy problems facing the sector and utilise the information generated and lessons-learnt to realign curricula, to enhance research & extension services and evidence-based policy development in the Aquaculture and Fisheries sector.
aquaculture fisheries management eastern Africa
Publikationen
Project staff
Gerold Winkler
Mag.rer.nat. Gerold Winkler
gerold.winkler@boku.ac.at
Tel: +43 1 47654-81230
Project Leader
01.04.2014 - 30.07.2014
Herwig Waidbacher
Ao.Univ.Prof.i.R. Dr.phil. Herwig Waidbacher
herwig.waidbacher@boku.ac.at
Tel: +43 1 47654-81222
Project Staff
01.04.2014 - 30.07.2014
BOKU partners
External partners
Makerere University
Peter Akoll PhD
coordinator
University of Eldoret
Boaz ARARA PhD
partner
Ethiopian Institute of Agricultural Research, NFLARR
Adamneh DAGNE PhD
partner