4WSFC LAC | 4th World Small-Scale Fisheries Congress

4WSFC Africa

November 20-23, 2022

Cape Town, South Africa

Plenary Sessions

Plenary 1: Leaders in ACTION RESEARCH

November 21, 2022

There are no other sectors needing “action research” more than small-scale fisheries, given their marginalization from policy and decision-making process, how they are disadvantaged in discussion about economic development, and how their contributions are often dismissed because of the lack of data about them. But it is also within small-scale fisheries that great examples of action research can be found, revealing the strength, capacity and potential of small-scale fisheries and the core values they bring to the communities and the society as a whole. This session highlights some of these examples, but the main aim is to learn more about other good examples of action research that take place in the continent from the participants. Through stories and experience sharing, we hope to learn about key elements for successful action research initiatives and identify areas where more attention is needed.

Chairs

Moenieba Isaacs

PLAAS/U. of Western Cape
South Africa

Dr. Moenieba Isaacs is a Professor at the Institute for Poverty, Land and Agrarian Studies, at the University of Western Cape, South Africa. Her research is on understanding the social and political processes of fisheries reform in South Africa and southern Africa, mainly through the lens of SSF policy processes and implementation. She has worked extensively with communities to find policy solutions to their problems, highlighting the need to deal with social differentiation, poverty inequalities and gender dynamics in fishing communities. Isaacs is a “Blue Justice” activist for SSF and works on finding creative and appropriate ways to engage in social processes, decision-making and policymaking in the context of diverse civil society interests.

Shehu Latunji Akintola

Lagos State University
Nigeria

Dr Akintola Shehu Latunji is a Professor of Fisheries at the Department of Fisheries, Lagos State University and Dean Faculty of Science, Lagos State University and a former of Head of Department. He a recipient of the Australia Award and a Consultant to international bodies such as Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO), WorldFish, and Fisheries Committee for West Central Gulf of Guinea (FCWC) among others. He has received several travel and research grants. He has served in editorial boards and guess editor of academic journals. He is a Country Coordinator for Too Big To Ignore (TBTI), Vulnerability to Viability (V2V) and Fisheries to Sustainability Projects in Nigeria. He is actively involved in the implementation of the Small-Scale Fisheries Guidelines in Nigeria.

Philile Mbatha

University of Cape Town

South Africa

Speakers

Philile Mbatha is a Senior Lecturer in the Environmental and Geographical Science Department at the University of Cape Town, as well as a Co-Director of the One Ocean Hub in South Africa. She is interested in the broader themes of environmental governance, sustainable livelihoods and coastal/marine resource politics. Her research focuses on bridging the gap between coastal and marine resource governance and livelihoods of marginalized people living on the coast in the global South. She is involved in policy processes that facilitate dialogue between policy makers and communities that are usually overlooked in decision-making about resource governance and sustainability. She is also involved in various transdisciplinary projects focusing on small-scale fisheries governance, UNESCO World Heritage Site governance, legal pluralism, coastal conflicts, climate change and the critique of blue economy activities from a social and environmental justice perspective.

Aliou Sall

CREDETIP
Senegal

Aliou Sall is a fisheries socio-anthropologist, researcher. Since 1988, after his three-cycle university degree at the University of Geneva as a researcher in development studies, he has been involved in SSF. He is founding member and director of the NGO "CREDETIP. He has been contributing since earlier 90’s as an intervener, to the process of awareness of fisher’s organizations and social movements of the need to organize themselves independently for their basic rights, in Senegal at the sub-regional level. Also as fisheries expert, he conducted various missions for regional fisheries bodies as well for other agencies involved in fisheries such as the European Commission (DG Mare) as regional project coordinator, the FAO as a consultant, the World Bank as a project evaluator, the Sub-Regional Fisheries Commission, the International Federation of Ban d'Arguin and IUCN for studies. Regarding of his currents assignments as researcher , he is the co-coordinator on behalf CREDETIP of V2V project in Senegal.

Carmen Mannarino

Masifundise
South Africa

Carmen Mannarino is a food sovereignty activist in the context of small-scale fisheries. She is the Programme Manager at Masifundise, where she coordinates the Food Sovereignty in Small-scale Fisheries Programme, encompassing organizing and advocacy activities across inland and coastal small-scale fisheries in South Africa. As a practitioner, she focuses on the use of Participatory Action Research as a tool for organization building and knowledge empowerment for small-scale fishers and their communities. She holds an MA in Global Studies from University of Freiburg and FLACSO-Argertina.

Amadou Tall

PESCAO /ECOWAS
Nigeria

Dr. Amadou TALL, veterinarian specialist in fish and fishery products, bilingual both in French and
English; with 38 years of experience in the field of post harvest fisheries. Former FAO staff (1990-
1995); first Director of the Intergovernmental Organization on Fish Advisory and Cooperation
Services for Fish Trade in Africa (INFOPÊCHE) from 1995-2008; which serviced 30 coastal African
Countries (from Morocco to Mozambique); and from 2008-2018 freelance consultant; and from 2018
to 2022 Team Leader of European union funded program PESCAO for the 15 member countries of
ECOWAS and Mauritania. Areas of expertise: Project preparation, implementation, monitoring and evaluation and project completion report; feasibility and marketing studies; trade facilitation; e-commerce; Blue economy, value chain & RD in value addition and preparation of business plan. Technical assistance to countries and the Fish industry (industrial and artisanal) fisheries in the field of training on climate change resilience of small fishfolks (UNIDO program) handling, processing, quality, traceability, labeling, ecolabelling, tenure and user rights climate change-adaptation and resilience, WTO agreements and trade. Worked as consultant for: Multilateral: World Bank; FAO; UNIDO; AU (African Union); the EU; IFAD, The ACP Secretariat; the Commonwealth secretariat; CFC (Common Fund for Commodities); and European Union; AfDB (African Development Bank); CDE (Center for the Development of the Enterprises); ATLAFCO (Intergovernmental Organization of the Ministerial Conference for Cooperation among countries bordering the Atlantic Ocean), Bilateral: NORAD; SIPPO (Swiss Export Promotion Council); DANIDA, US-CADMUS/ USAID, Consuling firms/consortium GIZ, UK Lymington, , GOPA, UK Mac Allister &Elliott, (MAEP), Agrotec, Cofrepeche, Lymingron).

Friday Njaya

Malawi Fisheries Department

Malawi

Discussants

Friday Njaya is Director in the Department of Fisheries in the Ministry of Natural Resources and Climate Change in Malawi He has practical experience in fisheries co-management having actively participated in the development and implementation of participatory fisheries management programmes since the 1990s. He has been a research partner for various regional and global research projects mainly in fisheries governance; fish value chain, fish trade; livelihoods; child labour; and fishing safety. He has been engaged in teaching and co-supervising PhD students as an adjunct lecturer at some Malawian universities since 2017. His current research work focuses on decentralization and devolution.

Prateep Nayak

University of Cape Town

South Africa

Prateep Kumar Nayak is currently an Associate Professor in the School of Environment, Enterprise and Development and Associate Dean, Equity, Diversity, Inclusion and Justice in the Faculty of Environment at the University of Waterloo. Prateep is also the Project Director of the Vulnerability to Viability (V2V) Global Partnership for building strong small-scale fisheries communities. Prateep’s academic background is in political science, environmental studies, and international development. He does transdisciplinary work with an active interest in combining social and ecological perspectives. Prateep’s research focuses on the understanding of complex human-environment connections (or disconnections) with particular attention to change, its drivers, their influence, and possible ways to deal with them. His main areas of expertise and interest include commons, governance, social-ecological system resilience, wellbeing, environmental justice, and political ecology. His most recent book is titled Making Commons Dynamic: Understanding Change through Commonisation and Decommonisation (Routledge). Currently, he teaches international development and the environment. In the past, Prateep worked as a development professional in India on issues around community-based governance of land, water, and forests, focusing specifically on the interface of research, implementation, and public policy. Prateep is a past Trudeau Scholar, a Harvard Giorgio Ruffolo Fellow in Sustainability Science, a recipient of Canada’s Governor General Academic Gold Medal, and SSHRC Banting Fellow.

Plenary 2: Leaders in BLUE JUSTICE

November 21, 2022

Blue Economy and Blue Growth (BE-BG) are becoming increasingly important in national and regional public policies around the world. This is supported by the technical and financial partners of African states in the framework of bilateral and multilateral development cooperation. Private financial institutions are also involved. While they are part of an exclusively business logic, with the sole objective of maximizing profits by monetizing the multiple and diverse services provided by the oceans, Blue Justice is part of a diametrically opposed dynamic by focusing on the issue of human rights and social justice in the context of SSF. To this end, the concept of "Blue Justice" has become a counter-narrative, denouncing the various forms of injustice suffered by fishers, including their marginalization and exclusion from the decision-making process behind the development of public fisheries policies on the continent. The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, in particular Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 14 "Life under water", would only be a declaration of good intentions if these injustices listed in the glossary published by TBTI [http://toobigtoignore.net/blue-justice-glossary/] are not taken into account, in order to put the social dimension including the whole cultural value specific to fishers, back at the heart of public fisheries policies. It is in this perspective that the Regional Congress for Small-scale Fisheries in Africa, in a transdisciplinary approach, offers a space to people involved in small-scale fisheries, across various disciplines to discuss in a concrete way the injustices as experienced in their different socio-cultural contexts, and how this it is detrimental to their rights to livelihoods and wellbeing. In addition to the exchange of experiences, we expect concrete proposals from the participants with the aim of developing an agenda for collective action, and which would be specific to the issue of Blue Justice as a follow-up to the Cape Town Congress. In the implementation of this agenda, whatever the nature of the action carried out, it will be in tandem with working to ensure that the Blue justice dimension is fully taken into account in the narrative of "BE-BG”.

Chairs

Dr. Jemimah Etornam Kassah is a fisheries scientist, aquaculture professional and lecturer at the Department of Biology Education of the University of Education, Winneba in Ghana. She holds a PhD (Fisheries Science) from the University of Cape Coast, Ghana, MSc. (Sustainable Coastal Development) from the Norwegian University of Science and Technology (Trondheim, Norway); and a BSc. (Oceanography and Fisheries) from the University of Ghana. With over 14 years of experience in fisheries and aquaculture, she is actively involved in fisheries research, aquaculture consultancy, public relations (environmental issues) and volunteer work. Her research interests include sustainable fisheries management, sustainable aquaculture, tropical fisheries biology, fisheries oceanography and biodiversity conservation. She reads storybooks, cooks and dances for leisure.

Jemimah Etornam Kassa

University of Education
Ghana

Aliou Sall

CREDETIP

Senegal

Speakers

Jemimah Etornam Kassah
University of Education
Ghana

Almas Mazigo
University of Dar es Salaam

Tanzania

Dr Almas Fortunatus Mazigo is an emerging scholar based at the Dar es Salaam University College of Education (DUCE) of the University of Dar es Salaam in Tanzania and Coordinator of DUCE’s Centre for Social and Political Research (CSPR). He holds a PhD in Applied Ethics from Stellenbosch University in South Africa, a Master of Arts in Development Studies from University of Dar es Salaam in Tanzania, and a Bachelor of Philosophy from the Pontifical Urbaniana University in Italy. He is committed to undertaking social and ethical enquiries to understand socio-cultural and moral resources which can influence positively the practices of individual and collective moral agents to responsibly engage in improving human conditions and addressing sustainability challenges. He has huge interest and expertise in researching issues facing small-scale fishers and coastal communities. He has successfully conducted research on Poverty and Prosperity in the Small-Scale Fisheries of Ukerewe District (2012-2014), Transformative Social Innovations in the Governance of Small-scale Fisheries in the Indian Ocean Region (2020 -2022), Fostering Responsible Climate Change Management in Coastline Communities of Tanzania (2020-2021), and Cultural-Rooted Climate Change Interventions in the Coastal Communities of Tanzania (2022-2023). His research findings are published in Journal of Human Development and Capabilities, Etikk i praksis-Nordic Journal of Applied Ethics, and Utafiti Journal of African Perspectives.

Katrina Hilundwa

Benguela Current Commission
Namibia

Ms. Katrina Hilundwa is the Fisheries & Community-based Resource Person, for the GEF/BCC/FAO Project “Enhancing Climate Change Resilience in the Benguela Current System”. She holds an MSc in Natural Resources (Integrated Land Management) and BSc in Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences from the University of Namibia and Namibian University of Science & Technology respectively. Ms Hilundwa is a highly technical and analytical individual, who enjoys work related to policy and governance, private sector engagement, social innovation and, mobilization of community-and ecosystem-based approaches in fisheries and aquaculture. Through her various roles, she has achieved knowledge and skills that have empowered her to engage effectively within and between different stakeholders at all levels.

Wilmien Wicomb

Legal Resources Centre

South Africa

Wilmien Wicomb is an attorney at the Legal Resources Centre. Her practice has specialised in issues of African customary law and community governance systems, in particular as it relates to community rights to natural resources such as land, fishing and other extractives. She is active in both litigation and policy and law reform to further the democratization of rural communities, ensuring the equality of customary communities and enforcing their rights to determine their own development paths.

Shehu Latunji Akintola

Lagos State University
Nigeria

Discussants

Svein Jentoft
UiT - The Arctic University of Norway

Norway

Svein Jentoft is Professor Emeritus at the Norwegian College of Fishery Science, UiT - The Arctic University of Norway. His long career as a social scientist specializing on fisheries management and fisheries communities has yielded numerous articles and books. He has been involved in and led many international projects in both the Global South and North. Jentoft is a founding member of TBTI, and has been leading a working group on ʻGoverning the Governanceʼ and a research cluster related to the ʻSSF Guidelinesʼ. He has edited and authored several TBTI books including ʻLife Above Waterʼ (published 2019).

Policy Forum

November 21, 2022

The African Development Bank (Blue Economy Flagship) in partnership with SADC Secretariat (ProFishBlue Project), Rome-based agencies, WorldFish, and AU-IBAR aims to celebrate World Fisheries Day during a Policy Forum on the theme: Leading by Excellence - From policy and strategy to action and impact. Given the wicked problems in fisheries and the complex policy process and governance challenges, what could excellence in leadership looks like towards prioritizing aquatic foods as well as supporting fish value chains for its impact on food-livelihoods-trade nexus.

Some policy entry points along the fish chain include: an ecosystem approach, community rights, diets and nutrition, overfishing, IUU, markets, output infrastructure, access to finance, environmental safeguards, labour codes, quality infrastructure and standards, high import bill, post-harvest utilization, cross-border trade and ACTFA, blue justice, social inclusion, viability and livelihood security, regional integration, resilience building, MC&S, to name a few.

The session engages a round table dialogue with policy makers and practitioners at multiple governance scales on how to set triggers towards policy reforms and strategic action for transformative change. Examples will include policy-based operations, investment projects, transboundary regional governance, and community-based planning.

Chairs

Ahmed Khan
African Development Bank
Cote d’Ivoire

Dr. Ahmed Khan is the Chief Fisheries Officer and Blue Economy Flagship Coordinator at the African Development Bank (AfDB) in the Department of Agriculture and Agro-Industry. He covers both lending and non-lending portfolios seeking programs and projects that link, and prioritize agri-business and blue foods, nutritional well-being, competitive fish value chains, and economic development to meet the goals of Feed Africa Strategy and other AfDB High Priority Areas (High 5s). Ahmed has more than 15 years’ experience in fishery resource management, seafood economics and trade, and the governance of fisheries resource systems at national, regional, continental, and global levels. He obtained his PhD from Memorial University of Newfoundland and Labrador in Canada in 2012. Prior to joining the AfDB, he was highly engaged with research for development and policy entrepreneurship with government agencies, policy think tanks, consulting firms and academia. He has published more than 50 scientific contributions with featured journal articles in Bioeconomics, Climate Policy, Fisheries Research, Marine Policy, and Science. Ahmed is a foodie and enjoys seafood medley by the sea and lakeshores.

Motseki Hlatshwayo

Southern African Development Community (SADC) Secretariat

Botswana

Dr. Motseki Hlatshwayo is a South African senior public servant, currently seconded as a Senior Technical Advisor- Fisheries and Aquaculture, and a Project Manager for an African Development Bank-funded “Programme for Improving Fisheries Governance and Blue Economy Trade Corridors in SADC region” (PROFISHBLUE project) at the Southern African Development Community (SADC) Secretariat in Gaborone, Botswana. He holds an MSc (Zoology) from University of Limpopo (ULIM) and a PhD (Zoology) from University of the Free State (UFS). Before his secondmend to SADC Secretariat, Dr. Hlatshwayo served as Chief Director of Aquaculture and Economic Development at the Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment (DFFE). He also served as Subject Head and Senior Lecturer of Zoology (UFS); a Visiting Research Associate at the State University of São Paulo (Jaboticabal) and University of São Paulo (Ribeirão Preto) in Brazil. He has published over 20 peer-reviewed papers and over 20 conference abstracts, and is the recipient of several excellence awards during his times in research as well as from industry in South Africa. He serves in various fisheries and aquaculture international, continental and regional steering committees, think tanks and technical committees.

Speakers

Neeraj Vij
African Development Bank
South Africa

Neeraj Vij joined AfDB in late 2009 and is currently engaged as Regional Sector Manager – Industry, Agriculture & Human Development managing the Southern Africa operations. In this capacity, he coordinates Bank’s investments for both public and private sectors. Earlier, Neeraj worked as Chief Investment Officer in the Industry & Trade Department and was the coordinator for business development for private sector operations for Southern African countries. Neeraj is a mechanical engineer by background in addition to qualifications in business management. He is also a certified Financial Risk Manager. He has been a career banker with 23 years of experience across different streams of wholesale finance markets. He has worked across emerging markets in Asia and Africa.

Blessing Mapfumo

African Chapter of the World Aquaculture Society
South Africa

Mr Blessing Mapfumo, a Zimbabwean national, is a fisheries and aquaculture advisor based in South Africa, with over 20 years professional experience mostly on developments in Sub-saharan Africa. He is also the Executive Officer of the recently established African Chapter of the World Aquaculture Society, which is housed at the Africa Union Development Agency (AUDA-NEPAD), South Africa. Mr Mapfumo has over the years worked with governments, RECs, private sector and developmental organisations on multidisciplinary projects aimed at building capacity in fisheries, aquaculture and fish trade developments in Africa.

Honorable Dr Mahatante Tsimanaoraty Paubert

Minister of Fisheries and Blue Economy for Madagascar

Dr. Mahatante Tsimanaoraty Paubert is currently Minister of Fisheries and Blue Economy for
Madagascar since August 2021. Paubert is a marine Biologist and Oceanographer with 16 years of
experience in fisheries, aquaculture and marine ecosystems. He is Associate Professor at Toliara
University, Madagascar, since 6 years. Paubert Mahatante is also a founding member of many
organizations in Africa such as SWIOTUNA, EARFISH, SANSAFA/SADC and WIOGEN. He is an alumni of the Fisheries and Marine Sciences Institute of TOLIARA University, the University of California Davis, the African Leadership Centre, the Open Society Initiative for the Southern Africa and the Young African Leaders Initiative. Paubert is author of dozens of articles on fisheries, aquaculture and Blue Economy in general. As a public speaker and a Blue Economy Expert, he aims to make fish farming like chicken farming in Madagascar and the whole SADC Region where every household practices it, mainly in rural areas, to contribute to food security, job creation and poverty alleviation. Fighting against the IUU fishing and transforming the fishery sector in sub-Saharan Africa are part of his main priorities. This is in order to strengthen the resilience of the community. He is 41, married and father of 3 children.

Xinhua Yuan

FAO

Italy

Dr Xinhua Yuan is Deputy Director of the Fisheries and Aquaculture Division, FAO. He holds PhD in aquaculture economics and management, MSc and BSc in aquaculture. He provided leadership and coordination of the aquaculture development policy and governance, technology and production, as well as support to country on sustainable aquaculture development, promoting sustainable aquaculture development, capacity-building programme, investment, bilateral and multi-lateral consultation; dedicated to global agro-food system transformation, aquatic food production and supply, improve livelihood of fisherman and rural economy development. He is currently actively promoting the FAO Initiative of Blue Transformation, Global Sustainable Aquaculture Advancement Partnership, Guideline for Sustainable Aquaculture, Rice-Fish Integration, Aquaculture Parks/village, etc.. He has nearly 30 years of professional experience in Good Aquaculture Practices Development and Extension, especially exploring the South-South Cooperation among developing countries and Triangular Cooperation, and Private Public Partnerships (PPP) for aquaculture.

Samantha Petersen

WWF
South Africa

Dr. Samantha Peterson currently holds the position of South West Indian Ocean Regional Seascape Leader for WWF. In this role she leads WWF’s oceans related work across five countries – South Africa, Mozambique, Tanzania, Kenya and Madagascar. She has over 18 years’ of relevant work experience including managing large teams, developing and implementing highly impactful initiatives and strategies to tackle some of society’s most intractable social and ecological challenges. Her roles have ranged from conservation scientist, programme manager, conservation director, strategic advisor and most recently with WWF International’s Oceans Practice. Her work to date has focused on enabling the effective implementation of an ecosystem approach to fisheries management, coastal community led conservation, and sustainable blue economy. Samantha holds a PhD (UCT) in Ecosystem based Fisheries Management and completed a Post-Doctoral Fellowship at the Faculty of Law at UCT on complexity theory, systems transitions and behaviour change. She is has published over 40 papers, reports and book chapters on subjects ranging from seabird ecology, ecosystem effects of fisheries to behaviour change and systems transition. Her work has been recognized by the UN Convention on Migratory Species in 2008. She was awarded ‘Most Promising Young South African’, and was a finalist in ‘South Africa’s most influential women’ and was awarded recognition by Oprah Winfrey for her work in conservation. She is passionate about conservation, cares deeply about humanity and wholeheartedly believes in a future where people and nature prosper.

Mutinta Hambayi
WFP Regional Bureau for East and Central Africa
Nairobi

Mutinta Hambayi a Zambian national is an international development and nutrition expert with over 15 years of leadership and technical experience. During her career, first in Zambia and with the United Nations World Food Programme, Mutinta has served in multiple roles related to food and nutrition in both fragile and development contexts. From working as Nutritionist in (Sudan, South Sudan), as Regional Advisor (Southern Africa) Nutrition &HIV Advisor (Rome HQ), to leading an innovative corporate proof of concept on prevention of child stunting in Malawi (Malawi). Her most recent assignment was Chief in the Nutrition Division (Rome HQ), leading a strong team spearheading a global portfolio to reform the organizational platforms to integrate nutrition, in an effort to improve diets and prevent all forms of malnutrition which became a key feature in the multi-stakeholder, multi-year, multi- donor Resilience in the Sahel. She brings expertise in nutrition governance and policy analysis on integration across systems/approaches such as in education, food, resilience, social protection and health. She holds a Diploma from NRDC (Zambia), Master’s degree from Queensland University (Australia) and a PhD from Maastricht University, School of Governance and Policy analysis (Netherlands).

Shakuntala Thilsted

WorldFish

Shakuntala Haraksingh Thilsted is the Global Lead for Nutrition and Public Health at WorldFish, a One CGIAR entity. She was awarded the 2021 World Food Prize for her ground-breaking research, critical insights, and landmark innovations in developing holistic, nutrition-sensitive approaches to aquatic food systems, including aquaculture and capture fisheries. She was awarded the 2021 Arrell Global Food Innovation Award for research innovation. She played a key role in the development of the WorldFish 2030 research and innovation strategy: Aquatic Foods for Healthy People and Planet. She is a member of the Steering Committee of the High Level Panel of Experts on Food Security and Nutrition (HLPE) of the United Nations Committee on World Food Security (CFS) and Vice Chair of the UN Food Systems Summit 2021: Action Track 4 - Advance Equitable Livelihoods, and also a Food Systems Champion. She plays a pivotal role in promoting aquatic food systems for nourishing nations and achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Shakuntala holds a PhD from the Royal Veterinary and Agricultural University (presently: Faculty of Life Sciences, University of Copenhagen), Denmark. She holds an Honorary Doctorate from the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences and also from The University of the West Indies.

Rashid Sumaila

UBC
Canada

Rashid Sumaila is a University Killam Professor and Canada Research Chair. His research focuses on bioeconomics, marine ecosystem valuation and the analysis of global issues such as fisheries subsidies, marine protected areas, illegal fishing, climate change, marine plastic pollution, and oil spills. Dr. Sumaila won the 2017 Volvo Environment Prize and was named a Fellow of the Royal Society of Canada in 2019.

Plenary 3: Leaders in CLIMATE-FRIENDLY FOOD SYSTEM

November 22, 2022

Food and climate change are generally treated as separate issues in the global context with food production being one of the largest emitters of GHGs in the world. This encompasses emissions from the production, processing, packaging, transport, storage, consumption, and disposal of food. It is an opportune time to re-think and improve access to and viability of aquatic foods in the aquatic system. This means changing food production and consumption and reducing global greenhouse gas emissions by at least 10.3 billion tonnes a year to prevent catastrophic climate change for future generations. Recommendations include paying attention to the important role small-scale fisheries and small-scale aquaculture food producers play in a climate-friendly food system. It has become a golden opportunity for African countries to play an important role as “LEADERS in CLIMATE-FRIENDLY FOOD SYSTEM”. This a step in the right direction, as many good lessons already exist in the blue system from the continent that aims to promote more sustainable, locally-led blue initiatives such as simpler land-based aquatic farming systems, that are less emission-intensive yet provide diversified livelihood security in the world of changing diets, food-linked deforestation, overfishing, and food waste. This Plenary Session will discuss how Africa is strongly leading through myriad opportunities to use “Climate-Friendly Food System” reforms to contribute to a range of blue growth benefits. Such benefits include improved population health, improved post-harvest management and technologies, sustainable job creation, and wider environmental benefits such as carbon sequestration and restoration of aquatic biodiversity and habitats. The discussion will be based on lessons-learned and practical solutions from the continent on approaches and initiatives that aim to build climate resilience results in a diversity of context-specific friendly and viable solutions in the blue world.

Chairs

Katrina Hilundwa

Benguela Current Commission
Namibia

Esther Fondo

Kenya Marine and Fisheries Research Institute

Kenya

Esther Fondo is a Research Scientist working under the Fisheries Department of the Kenya Marine and Fisheries Research Institute, Mombasa, Kenya. She completed a BSc in Botany and Zoology and MSc in Biology of Conservation from the University of Nairobi, Nairobi, Kenya; and has a PhD in Marine and Estuarine Ecology from the University of Queensland, Brisbane Australia. She undertook catch assessment surveys of small-scale fishers, fishery stock assessment, coordination of observer program in Marine and Coastal areas of Kenya and ecosystem based management; conducted national, regional and international research in multidisciplinary and transdisciplinary approaches. She published in peer reviewed journals, technical reports and contributed to several book chapters on status of marine fisheries in Kenya and reviewed manuscripts and books.

Speakers

Alushe Hitula

FAO
Namibia

Ms Alushe Hitula is a consultant and fisheries, aquaculture and development specialist who has served in the public, private and development sectors for over 21 years. She serves the FAO and has served for the Namibian Government, SADC, the EU and the NPCA. She has completed a Master in Sustainable Development with the University of Pretoria (South Africa) holds an Honours Degree in Ichthyology and Fisheries Science from Rhodes University (South Africa) and a Bachelor of Science Degree from the University of Namibia. Alushe served as the lead consultant for developing Namibia’s National Plan of Action for Small Scale Fisheries (NPOA-SSF), which is the first policy instrument dedicated to small-scale fisheries in Namibia. The NPOA-SSF recognizes the socio-economic role and importance of small-scale fisheries actors and advances policy dialogue on small-scale fisheries across the local, regional, and national levels in the country. The Ministry of Fisheries and Marine Resources officially launched the NPOA-SSF in June 2022.

Morine Mukami Ngarari

Kenya Marine and Fisheries Research Institute
Kenya

Morine Mukami Ngarari is a Research Scientist at Kenya Marine and Fisheries Research Institute. She holds a MSc in Environmental Information Systems and a BSc in Fisheries and aquaculture and is currently pursuing a PhD at Karatina University (Biology, production & utilization of Kenyan Artemia). She has expertise in Mariculture (with smallholder farmers), Artisanal Artemia pond production, GIS and Remote Sensing.

Richard Nyiawung

University of Guelph
Canada

Richard Nyiawung is a Cameroonian and currently a Ph.D. candidate in the Department of Geography, Environment, and Geomatics at the University of Guelph, Canada. His research focuses broadly on small-scale fisheries, governance, sustainability, resilience, and sustainable livelihoods. Richard currently collaborates with researchers and community leaders in West and Central Africa to assess how people in small-scale fishing communities are been impacted by multiple shocks and stresses such as COVID-19, Political crisis, and Climate change. He is also interested in fishers’ and communities’ responses to multiple change, as well as the drivers, enablers, and motivations for such response pathways.

Mafaniso Hara

University of Cape Town
South Africa

Prof Mafaniso Hara (PhD), heads the research area on Natural Resource Governance at the institute for Poverty, Land and Agrarian Studies (PLAAS), University of the Western Cape (UWC). His research interests are in governance, convivial conservation, Nature-base Solutions, livelihoods, and food and nutrition security associated with renewable natural resources and climate change in developing countries – particularly Africa. He has published extensively on above mentioned natural resource areas of interest. Mafaniso is member of the Africa Fisheries and Aquaculture Reform Network, which leads continental work on African Fisheries and Aquaculture Policy Framework and Reform Strategy.

Sloans Chimatiro

President of the Policy Research Network for Fisheries & Aquaculture / private consultant
Malawi

Discussants

Dr. Sloans Chimatiro is a fisheries policy analyst. He holds a PhD in fisheries science from Rhodes University in South Africa; and MSc and BSc from the University of Malawi. He has more than 30 years’ experience of research in fisheries and aquaculture, as well as fisheries administration and policy reform. Dr. Chimatiro worked as the Director of Fisheries in Malawi up to 2006; and recently, as the first Executive Director of MwAPATA Institute (Malawi). While working as Director of Fisheries, he helped formulate the NEPAD Fisheries and Aquaculture Action Plan in 2005 that was endorsed by African Union Heads of State and Governments during the Abuja Summit in August 2005. Between 2006 and September 2014, he was the Head of Fisheries at NEPAD Agency (now AU-AUDA NEPAD), where he led the development of the African Union Policy Framework & Reform Strategy for Fisheries & Aquaculture (or the Common AU Fisheries Policy); assisted African countries, Regional Economic Communities and Regional Fisheries Bodies to design and implement fisheries policy and governance reform aligned with CAADP. In 2010 he led the first Conference of African Ministers of Fisheries and Aquaculture (CAMFA). Between 2014 and 2019, he worked at the WorldFish (CG Centre). At the global level, Sloans has championed the establishment of the “African Voice on Fisheries”, to assist African countries to use policy research evidence to negotiate various UN Fisheries Agreements. He is currently the President of the Policy Research Network for Fisheries & Aquaculture (an African Union Policy Body); and working as a private consultant.

Milena Arias-Schreiber
University of Gothenburg/ University of Santiago de Compostela, Spain

Sweden/Peru

Environment social scientist at the School of Global Studies at the University of Gothenburg and currently holder of a EU Marie Sklodowska-Curie Fellowship at the Equalsea Lab, University of Santiago de Compostela in Spain. Her research focuses on the governance and socio-cultural contributions of small-scale fisheries and the application of transdisciplinarity in ocean sustainability research.

Plenary 4: Leaders in BUSINESS & SOCIAL INNOVATION

November 22, 2022

Fisheries play significant economic, social and nutritional roles on the African continent. The sector’s positive impact on livelihoods and employment is expected to grow through enhanced productivity and infrastructure development, competitiveness, and increased economic returns across the value chain It is estimated that fisheries and aquaculture directly contribute $24 billion to the African economy, representing approximately 1.3% of the total African GDP. Despite six (6) large marine ecosystems and transboundary lakes and rivers, the continent’s consumption of fish is the lowest in the world, about half the global average of 20 kg per capita and less than the WHO recommendation of 15 kg per capita. Thus, investment and innovation is key to successfully scale out models of best practices in fisheries and aquaculture development.

The African Development Bank (Blue Economy Flagship under Feed Africa) in partnership with WWF and SADC (PROFISHBLUE project) aims to support IYAFA implementation on the theme ‘Catalyzing investment and innovation in fish supply chains through effective financing instruments’. Investing in robust production systems is imperative for the African Union Year of Nutrition (2022) and to ensure multiple goals in the transformation of fish value chains. Thus, investments will continue in this sector facilitated by the low cost of production, low carbon footprint, high economic returns, access to healthy diets, established research support and a development narrative (food-livelihood-trade nexus). The session is organized to better understand the evolution of financing tools, social innovation and synergize efforts toward more effective and efficient investment by showcasing best practice models.

Chairs

Sloans Chimatiro

President of the Policy Research Network for Fisheries & Aquaculture / private consultant
Malawi

Motseki Hlatshwayo

Southern African Development Community (SADC) Secretariat

Botswana

Speakers

Ahmed Khan
African Development Bank
Cote d’Ivoire

Samantha Petersen

WWF
South Africa

Serge Raemakers

ABALOBI

South Africa

Patrick Karani
AU-IBAR

Currently working as Technical Expert-Environment, AU-IBAR and as a Business Development Consultant and Managing Partner at BEA International, providing strategic and advisory services on carbon finance, climate change finance, blue economy, climate change, environment and development of bankable investment projects. He has been a Team Leader for international consulting group developing Rwanda, Community Adaptation Fund under Forenwa to generate climate adaptation benefits, and the Deep Dive and the Green Gicumbi project. He contributed to the preparation and development of the AU Africa Blue Economy Strategy (2020); Blue Economy Implementation Plan; and the Framework for Blue Governance Coordination Mechanism (2021). He previously worked at the World Bank, African Development Bank and Development Bank of Southern Africa. He worked on built environment in collaboration with Wits Business School, RSA to support the Development Bank of Southern Africa green Vulindlela Academy. He worked on GEF project supporting energy audit and promoting clean energy and energy efficiency for Kenyan Association of Manufacturers (KAM) and supporting private sector participation in greening the environment. He provided technical support to the Republic of Mauritius to develop bankable projects for greening the environment under the funding of the Green Climate Fund. He designed training modules for greening the environment by the public and private sector in the Republic of Mauritius. He has published books on Carbon Offset Markets, Building Local Community Assets, Ecological and Economic Democracy, and Several Articles in International accredited Journals and Research and Conference Papers in the field of economic development, climate change, blue economy, economic and environmental policy and management. .

Harrison Charo-Karisa
World Bank Group

Dr. Harrison Charo Karisa is a Senior Fisheries Specialist (Aquaculture) at the World Bank Group. He was formerly WorldFish Country Director for Egypt and Nigeria and the Secretary for the African Chapter of the World Aquaculture Society. He has many years working with partners in offering solutions to technical, environmental, and social challenges affecting the fisheries and aquaculture sector in developing countries. Currently engaged in global efforts of the Aquabusiness Investment Advisory Platform to support governments and private sector to assist aquaculture development, strengthen livelihoods, and enhance food and nutrition security. He has worked previously as Director of Fisheries Resources Development and Marketing at the State Department of Fisheries and the Blue Economy, and Assistant Director Aquaculture, Kenya Marine and Fisheries Research Institute. He Holds a PhD in Animal Sciences (Fish Breeding, Genetics and Aquaculture) from Wageningen University of Life Sciences, in the Netherlands and an MSc in Biodiversity from Swedish Agricultural University, Sweden

Alex Kefi

SADC
Zambia

Alexander Shula Kefi is a Zambian and a holder of Doctorate of Philosophy Degree in Aquaculture and Fisheries Science from the University of Malawi. Alexander specializes in fish nutrition, biotechnology and fish breeding. He has been the Director of the Department of Fisheries of Zambia. He coordinated and managed the Zambia Aquaculture Enterprise Development Project (ZAEDP) financed by the African Development Bank (AfDB) and Government of the Republic of Zambia (GRZ). He was also Project Leader of the project ‘’Improving livelihood security in rural Zambia and Malawi through postharvest fish value chain Innovations’’ which was financed by International Development Research Center (IDRC) and Australian International Food Security Centre of the Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research (ACIAR) between 2014 to 2017. He has participated in other various multinational projects in aquaculture and fisheries. He worked also as Chief Aquaculture Research Officer in the Department of Fisheries (DOF) in the Ministry of Fisheries and Livestock (MFL) of Zambia. He has authored several peer reviewed journal papers and supervised several students at PhD, MSc and BSc levels. Dr. Kefi was a Regional Director for Southern Africa of the African Chapter of the World Aquaculture Society (WAS). He is also Focal Point Person for Technologies for African Agricultural Transformation (TAAT), Zambia Compact funded by AfDB. He is currently supporting the coordination of the Programme for Improving Fisheries Governance and Blue Economy Trade Corridors in SADC Region (PROFISHBLUE) Project which is being executed by the SADC secretariat. He believes that the aquatic food system requires more research and development in order to generate technologies that can enhance food production to feed the ever increasing human population.

Lisa Tamaryn Mazealini

Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment

South Africa

Lisa Mazaleni is responsible for Investment Promotions within the Aquaculture and Economic Development unit at the Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment. Her role is to drive investment promotions for the Aquaculture sector and to maintain good public relations. The portfolio includes, (i) facilitation of projects marketing and promotion for the aquaculture sector; (ii) driving public relations for the Ocean’s Economy Aquaculture programmes; and facilitate large investment opportunities from strategic partners. Lisa holds two B degrees in Public Relations Management and Language and Communication Studies from the Cape Peninsula University of Technology and the University of the Western Cape respectively. With 13 years’ combined experience from the public and private sector, Lisa has worked at all levels of government. She has expertise in strategic corporate communications for a JSE listed company.

Ana Menezes

Aquaculture Officer

FAO Fisheries and Aquaculture Division

Ana Menezes is a national from Mozambique with an academic background in agriculture (BSHonors), aquaculture (MS) and environmental sciences (PhD). She has more than 30 years of experience and works extensively in the Sub-Saharan Africa region assisting FAO Member Countries to develop sound policies, strategies and capacity building programmes as well as strong institutions for sustainable aquaculture development and environmental management. She has developed the Blue Growth Eastern Africa Fisheries and Aquaculture Strategy, among other policy instruments. She also assists the FAO Member Countries to develop tailored capacity building programmes and training manuals in good practices for a global sustainable aquaculture development. Menezes is a strong advocate of the integration of an Ecosystem Approach to Aquaculture (EAA) to the small-medium scale commercial aquaculture and improvement of the interactions between different sectors of the agricultural sector.

Daniel Segura
ProAzul

Mozambique

Daniel Segura is a private sector specialist working for a sustainable coastal development. He is the Head of the Private Sector and Innovation Unit at ProAzul – The Blue Economy Development Fund of Mozambique, where he coordinates the Matching Grant Program focusing on Small-scale Fisheries, aquaculture, tourism and circular economy. As a practitioner, he works closely with individual associations and the Government of Mozambique to promote private sector-led economic growth through policy dialogue, regulatory reforms, and improvement of the business environment. He holds an MA in Economics and International Studies from University of ICADE - Spain and Kennedy School – USA.

Future Leaders Forum:

November 22, 2022

There are many reasons why we need leaders. They provide vision for the future and help people reach their goals, utilizing their full potential. Leaders inspire, motivate transformation, and encourage cooperation. Small-scale fisheries never lack good leaders, and through their leadership, small-scale fisheries have persisted and, in many cases, thrived, serving as the bedrock for the community. Yet, with emerging challenges and uncertainty facing small-scale fisheries, it is best to be prepared. The Future Leaders Forum is the space to discuss about what needs to be considered and prioritized in moving forward. The session begins with perspectives from early career researchers about the future of small-scale fisheries and what they see as their role in supporting sustainable and viable small-scale fisheries. The floor will then be opened for more perspectives, comments and discussion.

Chairs

Ratana Chuenpagdee

Memorial University

Canada

Ratana Chuenpagdee is a university researcher professor at Memorial University in St. John’s. She leads the global partnership for small-scale fisheries, Too Big To Ignore (TBTI), which aims at elevating the profile of small-scale fisheries and rectifying their marginalization in national and international policies. Some of the current activities are ‘Blue Justice’ for small-scale fisheries, transdisciplinary capacity training to support the implementation of the SSF Guidelines, and innovative fisheries governance. Ratana also co-leads a research module on informing governance responses in a changing ocean for the Ocean Frontier Institute, another major collaborative research between universities, governments, private sectors and communities.

Ruyel M. Miah

University of Waterloo
Canada

Ruyel is a Ph.D. student at the University of Waterloo, Canada. His research aims to examine the governance of small-scale fisheries and their interconnection to vulnerability and viability. He completed his Master of Arts in Geography from the Memorial University of Newfoundland, Canada. His research interests include small-scale fisheries governance, market access and value chain in fisheries, vulnerability and viability of small-scale fisheries, and conservation and sustainability of marine fisheries resources.

Speakers

Tracy Lee Dennis

University of the Western Cape
South Africa

I am Tracey Lee Dennis, a registered PhD student at the Institute for Poverty Land and Agrarian Studies at the University of the Western Cape, South Africa. My work is on the oral history of four coastal communities in the Western Cape and the pre-and post-apartheid influences on livelihoods. I am currently doing part-time research at PLAAS UWC, with a research focus on small scale fishing, their vulnerabilities, the gendered impacts and the impact of commodification. Through this I have become involved with the V2V global network. I live in a small-scale fishing community and is involved with community development and capacity building work with women and youth.

Neville Suh

Ege University, Turkey

Alliance for Sustainable Development (ASDEV), Cameroon

Neville Suh is a Cameroonian and currently a Ph.D. candidate in the Department of Agricultural Economics, at Ege University, Turkey. He holds a BSc. and an MSc. in Agricultural Economics from the University of Buea, Cameroon. His research focuses on the use of econometric modeling techniques to analyze complex socio-economic and policy dimensions in agriculture, fisheries and environment. He is the Founder and Team Lead of Alliance for Sustainable Development (ASDEV), NGO, a local NGO championing research in marginalized and underrepresented communities in Cameroon. Through ASDEV, Neville has engaged with researchers and fisherfolk in The Gambia, Liberia and Cameroon with keen interest on youth succession and future sustainability of the fisheries system in these countries.

Vannessa Warren

Malawi University of Business and Applied Sciences

Malawi

Student at the Malawi University of Business and Applied Sciences pursing a Master of Philosophy degree in Environmental Protection and Management. Holds a Bachelor of Social Sciences degree and a Master of Arts in. Interests lie in understanding gender disparities in different areas and how they can be addressed without disturbing longstanding cultural values. Current research focuses on the livelihood vulnerabilities women face in the small-scale fisheries in the Lake Chilwa Basin and how these vulnerabilities can be addressed to ensure viability in this sector. I am also passionate about environmental and metal health issues. In the near future I hope to conduct studies on the need to evaluate Labor laws and how they address unfair dismissal due to non-debilitating mental illness; how ‘white saviorism’ robs natives of invaluable opportunities; and why owning a purebred German Shepard became a status symbol in Malawi. Unrelated to academics; I love animals and my hobbies are painting, bike riding and gardening.

Isaac Nyameke

University of Alaska

USA

Isaac Nyameke is a PhD Fisheries and Blue Economy student and Teaching Assistant at the University of Alaska, Fairbank (USA) and a scholar at Tamamta (All of Us-Indigenous student empowerment) Program. His research interest focuses on why African marine fisheries production differ per country and what fishing mechanism can be adopted to ensure sustainable fisheries in Africa for food security and poverty alleviation. Isaac is working under the supervision of Professor Courtney Carothers and Professors Peter Westley. His educational background spans from Ghana, Netherlands, USA, South Korea and Canada with a wide range of fisheries working experience in Africa, Europe, Asia and Northern America as a consultant for African Union, UNDP, ECOWAS, World Bank, FARA and others.

Sisir Pradhan

University of Waterloo

Canada

I am a PhD scholar in sustainability management (SUSM) at University of Waterloo, Canada. I am honing my skills on contemporary challenges on sustainability management through transdisciplinary perspectives with 24 years of professional experience of working with NGOs, international agencies, government UN agencies. My research aims at challenging the present value chain concepts from a social-ecological system perspective for wellbeing of resource communities. Constant search for innovations guided by whole system approach has helped to sharpen my skills on strategic engagement on development issues imbedded in the complex human and environment systems. The academic engagement with long professional experience in national and international development space including south Asia and Africa offered me opportunities to shape development initiatives in the area of natural resource management, livelihoods, sustainable agriculture, Social protection, environmental health, Climate change and disaster management. I have 11 publications to my credit that include four journal articles, two edited books, two technical papers, two book chapters and one newsletter posting. I have also received SSHRC and IDRC research grant, as well as the Waterloo award for excellent academic performance.

Kasazi Nyendwa

University of Waterloo

Zambia

Kasazi is from Kafue Town in Zambia. She is a fish processor leading a small-scale women fisheries network in Zambia the Kafue Women's fish processors Association. She is also the youth representative of the African Women fish traders and processors Network.

Plenary 5: Leaders in COMMUNITY-BASED CONSERVATION

November 23, 2022

A new form of conservation was developed called community-based natural resource management (CBNRM), which took place outside protected areas. The approach sought to promote multiple livelihood strategies; maintenance of the natural resource base for sustainability; and local, accountable and representative governance and commitment so that local people could derive real benefits. There was an active community of African scholars pushing this approach in the early 2000s. Community based conservation integrates biodiversity and people and on the continent there are many examples of the leadership in how this approach sought to promote multiple livelihood strategies; maintenance of the natural resource base for sustainability; and local, accountable and representative governance and commitment so that local people could derive real benefits. However, the community-based model for conservation was increasingly critiqued on the basis that neither of the dual functions of supporting community livelihoods or protecting biodiversity were being met that often. In part the failure of CBNRM was attributed to how the model became caught up in neoliberal restructuring and over centralised bureaucracy. The conservation debate often fails to address the obvious power differences between the various communities and actors involved. With the increase in protected areas through 30x30, how do we reclaim as practitioners, researchers and government officials on how to reclaim the leadership and rich scholarship on the continent in community based conservation and management.

Chairs

Friday Njaya

Malawi Fisheries Department

Malawi

Moenieba Isaacs

PLAAS/U. of Western Cape
South Africa

Speakers

Lily Daly

WWF

Kenya

Lily Dali Mwasi is a Marine Coordinator at WWF Kenya where she leads the implementation of Small Scale Fisheries (SSF) suite of interventions in coastal Kenya. She has vast experience spanning several disciplines with a bias on coastal and marine resources. These include but are not limited to community marine species conservation, sustainable fisheries, policy engagement, reduction of fisheries post harvest losses and small scale value addition. She is a peer reviewed author of several publications on community based sea turtle conservation. She has a degree in environmental sciences. Lily is passionate about women empowerment and improvement of community livelihoods through conservation initiatives.

Haddad Naoufel

Tunisian society for sustainable fisheries

Tunisia

Naoufel Haddad has been a civil society activist since a young age as a volunteer member in scout, youth and environmental protection associations. Trained as an engineer in fisheries science and a former intern at the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA ) in the management of fisheries resources and the supervision of artisanal fishing professionals. He is convinced that the professional organizations of artisanal fishermen have a key role in transforming our production systems to make them more sustainable and equitable. Thus he invested in organizing professionals by first founding the first Tunisian association for the development of fishing (ATDEPA / TAFDA), of which he is founding president (2011-2012). Since then, several associations have emerged, which has united them in the Tunisian network of sustainable artisanal fishing (2014) and holds the position of vice-president. Currently, he holds the position of secretary general of the Tunisian society for sustainable fisheries and leads in this association actions of COMMUNITY-BASED CONSERVATION including the protection and rehabilitation of fishing areas by artificial reefs and the conservation of selective fishing gear and non-destructive of the marine ecosystem.

Naoufel Haddad est un activiste de la société civile depuis son jeune âge comme membre bénévole dans les associations de scout, la jeunesse et la protection de l’environnement.. De formation ingénieur en sciences halieutiques et ancien stagiaire de la Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) en gestion des ressources halieutiques et l’encadrement des professionnels de la pêche artisanale. Il est convaincu que les organisations professionnelles des pêcheurs artisans ont un rôle primordial dans la transformation de nos systèmes de production pour les rendre plus durables et équitables. Ainsi il s’est investi pour organiser les professionnels en fondant d’abord la première association tunisienne de développement de la pêche (ATDEPA/TAFDA), dont il est président fondateur (2011-2012). Depuis, plusieurs associations ont vu le jour, ce qui a permis de les unir dans le réseau tunisien de la pêche artisanale durable (2014) et occupe le poste de vice-président. Actuellement, il occupe le poste de secrétaire général de Tunisian society for sustainable fisheries et mène dans cette association des actions de COMMUNITY-BASED CONSERVATION dont la protection et la réhabilitation des zones de pêche par les récifs artificiels et la conservation des engins de pêche sélectif et non destructeurs de l’écosystème marin.

Britta Hackenberg

Britta Hackenberg is the teamleader of the Fisheries and Freshwater Program of the Namibia Nature Foundation, based in Windhoek. She has on M.Sc and 18 years of experience in land and natural resource management, especially in Namibia’s Community-Based Natural Resource Management (CBNRM) program due to her specific focus on participatory methods. Britta played an integral role in developing the Standard Operating Procures for Community Co-managed Fisheries Reserves and the Tackle Box, a field guide for the establishment of fisheries reserves. She supported the extension of the CBNRM program from conservancies and community forests to community fisheries, rolling out the concept to the current number of 20 reserves in Namibia, and expanding it to other countries, including Zambia and Angola. Britta and her team developed a training program on Community Fisheries and engage in building capacity and coaching of partners and support organizations. She is a trained facilitator, a trainer of the MARISCO (Adaptive management of vulnerability and risks of conservation sites) method and an alumnus of the Transforming Change Program of the Stockholm Center for Resilience.

Evans Kwasi Arizia

University of Cape Coast

Ghana

Dr. Evans Kwasi Arizi is a Fisheries Scientist with specialization in fish stock assessment, fish population dynamics and fisheries oceanography. He is a lecturer at the Department of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences, University of Cape Coast (UCC), Ghana. He graduated at UCC in 2009 with a Bachelor of Science (BSc) in Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences. He furthered his education at UCC and graduated in 2013 with a Master of Philosophy (MPhil) in Aquaculture. In 2019, he had his Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) degree in Biological and Environmental Sciences from the University of Rhode Island (URI), USA. He also has certificates in Fish Stock Assessment and Leadership for Fisheries Management from URI. Presently, he is a member of the Scientific and Technical Committee (STC) of the Fisheries Commission of Ghana. His research interest lies in using biological characteristics of aquatic organisms to determine the viable management actions or measures for conserving and restoring aquatic ecosystems towards achievement of the UN Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 14.

Renier Dawid Burger

Ministry of Fisheries and Marine Resources
Namibia

Dr. Renier Burger, Animal Scientist/advisor for farm feeds, cattle, and game ranching on extensive savanna in Namibia. Also, plant/animal/environmental biosecurity practitioner/expert and community based natural resource management with more than 26 years’ experience. Most recent CBNRM experience is the establishment of community run Inland fisheries protected areas with 20 fishing areas of more than 2500 hectares gazetted as Community fisheries reserves. Currently employed as Deputy Director for Aquaculture and Inland Fisheries at the Ministry of Fisheries and Marine Resources, Namibia responsible for freshwater fish production, sustainable management of inland fisheries, biodiversity and aquatic Bio-security.

Discussants

Moenieba Isaacs

PLAAS/U. of Western Cape
South Africa

Tetsu Sato

Ehime University
Japan

Tetsu Sato studied ecology of cichlid fishes of African lakes for 20 years, and then expanded his research into adaptive governance of complex social-ecological systems. Through-out his career as
Conservation Director of WWF Japan and professor of Research Institute for Humanity and Nature, Kyoto, and Ehime University, Ehime, Japan, he focused on transdisciplinary co-creation of knowledge supporting stakeholder-driven management of natural resources. As the project leader of the ILEK and TD-VULS projects, he has been exploring transdisciplinary approach to co-produce integrated knowledge bases for decision making and collective actions of diverse stakeholders for societal transformations toward sustain-able futures.

Plenary 6: Leaders in GENDER EQUITY

November 23, 2022

Gender equity is recognized as one of the key goals that countries around the world are asked to achieve, as stated in the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The Voluntary Guidelines for Sustainable Small-Scale Fisheries, endorsed by member states in 2014, also emphasize gender equity, calling attention especially to women involved in the pre-harvest, harvest and post-harvest fisheries chain who are often neglected and marginalized, and are thus highly vulnerable. Many considerations and innovations are required to achieve gender equity in small-scale fisheries. In this plenary session, speakers will share examples of the work and other initiatives that they do to enhance the recognition of women in small-scale fisheries. We invite other examples from the participants during the questions and discussion, and further conversation about what needs to be done, individually and collectively, to elevate the profile and strengthen the voice of women, and to improve gender equity in small-scale fisheries in Africa.

Chairs

Foluke Omotayo Areola
Lagos State University
Nigeria

Foluke Omotayo Areola, a seasoned fishery professional, consultant, administrator, and facilitator, is the first Federal Director of Fisheries Quarantine in Nigeria, as well as first female Acting Federal Director of Fisheries & Aquaculture, and Fisheries. Areola is the President -Elect African Chapter of the World Aquaculture Society (WAS). She is also a distinguished Fellow of the Fisheries Society of Nigeria (FISON) and the First Female National President. For the past 40 years, she has provided technical guidance in fisheries, research, and development. She has participated in high level national, regional, and continental initiatives, including as a facilitator of the Agriculture and Food Security Policy Commission of the Nigerian Economic Summit Group, member of the pioneer steering committee of the NEPAD/ International Partnership for African Fisheries, and Secretary, Board of the Interpol Fisheries Crime Working Group. She is passionate about local and global economic development and growth.

Joseph Luomba
Tanzanian Fisheries Research Institute

Tanzania

Mr. Joseph Luomba has worked with Tanzania Fisheries Research Institute (TAFIRI) at their research center based in Mwanza since 2007. His research interests are on fisheries governance and management, gender, and fisheries wealth for poverty alleviation. He studied Sociology and Anthropology at undergraduate level and Geography at the graduate level. Mr. Luomba has carried out quite a number of research and consultancy work in freshwaters and marine fisheries in East Africa region under various research projects and organizations’ such as Implementation of a Fisheries Management Plan (IFMP); Lake Victoria Environmental Management Project (LVEMP); Association for Strengthening Agricultural Research in Eastern and Central Africa (ASARECA); South West Indian Ocean Fisheries Governance and Shared Growth Program (SWIOFish); African Caribbean and Pacific (ACP FISH II); New Partnership for Africa´s Development (NEPAD); International Collective in Support of Fish workers (ICSF);Worldwide Fund for Nature (WWF); Trade and Agriculture Support Programme Phase II (TASP II); Smart Fish IOC; NATCOOP and MultiTip. He has participated in number of trainings, scientific conferences, national and regional workshops with diverse topics. He has also authored and co-authored research papers and book chapters in peer reviewed journals.

Speakers

Editrudith Lukanga

AWFISHNET
Tanzania

Editrudith Lukanga is a Co-Founder and Executive Director of Environmental Management and Economic Development Organization (EMEDO); an organization addressing environmental, social, economic and natural resources governance challenges in Tanzania. Recognized as a global leader for small scale fishers’ organizations, Editrudith is a Vice chairperson of the International Steering Committee (ISC) for International Year of Artisanal Fisheries and Aquaculture (IYAFA 2022), Co-President of World Forum of Fish Harvesters and Fish Processors (WFF) and a secretary General for African Women Fish processors and Traders Network (AWFISHNET). She also sits at the National Technical and Steering Committees for implementation of the Voluntary Guidelines for Sustainable Small-scale Fisheries (SSF guidelines). With more than 15 years’ experience working in small scale fisheries sector Editrudith has built interest in gender and women empowerment, aquatic food systems and value chain analysis and development. She is passionate about women in fisheries and believes that women’s rights, gender equality and women empowerment through collective action are important pillars for small scale fisheries and natural resources governance that may not be realized without equal and full participation of women. Editrudith holds an MSc in environmental sciences; a BSc in marine and Microbiology, and a Post Postgraduate Diploma in Poverty Analysis for Socioeconomic Security and Development.

Elethu Duna

Benguela Current Convention

South Africa

Elethu Duna is the South African National Project Coordinator for the project “Enhancing Climate Change Resilience in the Benguela Current Fisheries System” at the Benguela Current Convention. She holds an M.Sc in Fisheries Science from Rhodes University. Elethu has worked with a number of fishing communities both inland and coastal. The project she currently works for aims to build resilience to the impacts of climate change by reducing vulnerability and increasing adaptive capacity of coastal fishing communities; as well as ensuring government programmes, plans and policies take into consideration climate change adaptation. Previously, she worked on an experimental fishery project, which has been used for the development of the National Freshwater (Inland) Wild Capture Fisheries Policy for South Africa. For her Masters, she reviewed progress in implementation of the ecosystem approach to fisheries in South Africa in principle and in practice. Through her various roles, Elethu has come to the understanding that in order to effect lasting change, it must be legislated.

Charmaine Daniels

Fisherwoman

South Africa

Malebo Hellen

African Union-Interafrican Bureau for Animal Resources

South Africa

Ms Malebo Hellen Moepi is currently the Fisheries Officer at the African Union-Interafrican Bureau for Animal Resources (AU-IBAR) since October 2020. Her duties mainly entails supporting African Union member states and regional economic communities for improving governance and management of the fisheries and aquaculture development. She is active in promoting inclusive governance in fisheries and aquaculture sector at AU member states and regional levels through enhancing capacity of Non-States actors. In addition, she is supporting implementation of EU-funded Fisheries Governance phase two project (FishGov 2), SIDA-funded project on conserving aquatic biodiversity in Africa Blue economy and lastly Africa Blue Economy Strategy funded by Kingdom of Norway. She has over a decade of experience in aquaculture development and fisheries management with emphasis in project management and community development. Ms Moepi was a Principal Environmental Officer for Aquaculture Support and Development within the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, South Africa. She worked in the Public Understanding of Aquaculture project in South Africa, in partnership with FAO. She is currently finalizing her PhD degree specializing in cross border fish trade from the University of the Western Cape (South Africa). She has a Master’s Degree in Aquaculture Biology from the University of Bergen (Norway) and a BSc. Water and Sanitation and Honours degree in Aquaculture from the University of Limpopo (South Africa).

Discussants

Foluke Omotayo Areola
Lagos State University
Nigeria

Yinji Li

Tokai University
Japan

Yinji Li is a marine social scientist with a PhD in Marine Science from the Tokyo University of Marine Science and Technology, Japan. She is currently an Associate Professor in the School of Marine Science and Technology at Tokai University, Shizuoka, Japan. Her research interests and expertise lie in small-scale fisheries and coastal issues in Northeast Asian regions. She is also the TBTI Japan Research Network coordinator, the Japan country team coordinator of the V2V Global Partnership project, a member of the Human Dimensions Working Group of the IMBeR project, and a member of the Board of Trustees of IPNLF.

4WSFC Africa

Plenary Sessions

Plenary 1: Leaders in ACTION RESEARCH

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Plenary 2: Leaders in BLUE JUSTICE

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Policy Forum

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Plenary 3: Leaders in CLIMATE-FRIENDLY FOOD SYSTEM

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