Through these national and regional SCT reports, we hope to reach a wide audience that includes C... more Through these national and regional SCT reports, we hope to reach a wide audience that includes CT6 and those outside the Coral Triangle that benefit from the region's resources, whether through fisheries, shipping, or tourism, or as consumers of the great volume of fisheries products that originate from within the Coral Triangle, but are exported worldwide.
Livelihood diversification has been the heartbeat of rural development projects over the past two... more Livelihood diversification has been the heartbeat of rural development projects over the past two decades. Many livelihood diversification programs are based on the often implicit assumption that introducing livelihood activities will translate into improved livelihood outcomes. In this study we analyze survey data from 235 households in Langalanga Lagoon, Solomon Islands. We explore relationships between household livelihoods and food security to guide the types of activities that may be appropriate for rural development planning. Results show high rates of food insecurity, where half of the surveyed households were moderately food insecure and a quarter of households severely food insecure. Importantly, we do not find any links between household livelihoods activities and food security; households valued livelihoods very differently. We discuss the implications of these findings for rural development planning.
Foods and diets of communities involved in inland aquaculture in Malaita Province, Solomon Island... more Foods and diets of communities involved in inland aquaculture in Malaita Province, Solomon Islands 2FOODS AND DIETS OF COMMUNITIES INVOLVED
Fish is crucial to food and nutrition security in Solomon Islands, and demand is expected to incr... more Fish is crucial to food and nutrition security in Solomon Islands, and demand is expected to increase due to a growing population. However, it is projected that current capture fisheries production will not meet this growing demand. Aquaculture has the potential to mitigate the capture fishery shortfall, and the Government of Solomon Islands is prioritizing aquaculture as a solution to meet future food and income needs. Aquaculture in Solomon Islands is still in early development. Mozambique tilapia (Oreochromis mossambicus) is farmed for household consumption, but its prolific reproductive rate and resulting slow growth limit its potential as a commercial aquaculture species. More productive fish species that are not indigenous to Solomon Islands but are successfully farmed overseas could be introduced; however, such a decision needs to take into account the potential ecological or social impacts. For land-based pond aquaculture, the only indigenous species that has been farmed ext...
The coral reefs along the shores of the double archipelagic chain of steep, mountainous and commo... more The coral reefs along the shores of the double archipelagic chain of steep, mountainous and commonly volcanic islands comprising Solomon Islands (5l 2°S, l 52l 70°E; 28,370 km2) are mainly narrow, fringing and intermittently distributed. Their collective biomass is, however, large because of the coastline length of the 1000 islands. Long barrier reefs and expansive intertidal reef flats are uncommon; and Ontong Java, a northern outlier, is the only large atoll (70 by 11-36 km). The largest coral reefs usually occur where large lagoons are protected by raised or semi-submerged barrier reefs or by raised limestone islands, e.g. Marovo and Roviana Lagoons and Marau Sound.
A major challenge for international agricultural research is to find ways to improve the nutritio... more A major challenge for international agricultural research is to find ways to improve the nutrition and incomes of people left behind by the Green Revolution. To better address the needs of the most marginal and vulnerable people, the CGIAR Research Program on Aquatic Agricultural Systems (AAS) developed the research-in-development (RinD) approach. In 2012, WorldFish started to implement RinD in Solomon Islands. By building people’s capacity to analyze and address development problems, actively engaging relevant stakeholders, and linking research to these processes, RinD aims to develop an alternative approach to addressing hunger and poverty. This report describes the key principles and implementation process, and assesses the emergent outcomes of this participatory, systems-oriented and transformative research approach in Solomon Islands.
In a recently published article by us (Barclay et al. 2018), we considered gender in the context ... more In a recently published article by us (Barclay et al. 2018), we considered gender in the context of broader social trends around livelihoods using a case study of shell money production and trade in Solomon Islands. We pooled data from several research projects conducted by the authors between 2010 and 2017 to explore the shell money value chain in Langalanga Lagoon in Malaita Province. Our methods included qualitative interviews (n = 12, eight women, two men, two family groups), focus group discussions with women (n = 5) and men (n = 9) and quantitative questionnaires with 316 households. We complemented this research material with a literature review of published papers providing historical and anthropological accounts of gender norms and roles associated with livelihoods.
In many Pacific Island countries, modernity has weakened the foundation of community-based resour... more In many Pacific Island countries, modernity has weakened the foundation of community-based resource management. In this article we describe a cooperative process among six communities in Langalanga Lagoon in order to explore how collective efforts to improve natural resource management can evolve in situations where natural resources are degraded and contested, and where both traditional and centralised mechanisms to control use have either been weakened or are missing. For over five years, communities in Langalanga Lagoon have gone through several phases of increasing cooperation initiated and driven by community members to reach a level of association that has been formalised as a communitybased organisation. A management plan for a locally managed marine area has been developed, but has not yet been fully implemented. Although community cooperation has been predominantly an internal negotiation, activities by non-governmental organisations have facilitated its development. This c...
This chapter reviews relevant literature on customary marine tenure (CMT); presents a model devel... more This chapter reviews relevant literature on customary marine tenure (CMT); presents a model developed for investigating the thesis aim-to examine the effectiveness of CMT to manage coral reef finfish fisheries; discusses the methodological approach used; and provides a background to the study site. The findings of the literature review are: CMT systems are considered common property regimes; the use of CMT for small-scale fisheries management is a bone of contention, some scholars argue that it has a role to play in fisheries management while others argue that the changes it has undergone due to external factors (colonisation, introduction of new laws, Christianisation, market forces etc.) has diluted its effectiveness for fisheries management; CMT systems are present in Solomon Islands and have been a subject of previous research, although they share similar general principles, the modus operandi and successful use for small-scale fisheries management varies between locations. The Driver, Pressure, State, Impact, Response (DPSIR) model was used in this research to appraise the effectiveness of CMT as a policy response for reef finfish fisheries management. A multidisciplinary approach was adopted and social science methods employed included ethnographic methods (participant observations and interaction), 93 face to face semi-structured fisher interviews, and 20 key informant interviews. Other empirical data was based on recording of fish catch data and collection of otoliths and gonads from 120 Plectropomus leopardus specimens. Empirical data for P. leopardus from Australian locations was obtained from the Western
Solomon Islands has a population of just over half a million people, most of whom are rural-based... more Solomon Islands has a population of just over half a million people, most of whom are rural-based subsistence farmers and fishers who rely heavily on fish as their main animal-source food and for income. The nation is one of the Pacific Island Counties and Territories; future shortfalls in fish production are projected to be serious, and government policy identifies inland aquaculture development as one of the options to meet future demand for fish. In Solomon Islands, inland aquaculture has also been identified as a way to improve ood and nutrition security for people with poor access to marine fish. This report undertaken by a Worldfish study under the CGIAR Research Program on Aquatic Agricultural Systems explores the e potential role of land-based aquaculture of Mozambique tilapia in Solomon Islands as it relates to household food and nutrition security. This nutrition survey aimed to benchmark the foods and diets of households newly involved in small homestead tilapia ponds and...
In 2015-2016, a gear-specific assessment of the Gizo, Solomon Islands, commercial inshore fishery... more In 2015-2016, a gear-specific assessment of the Gizo, Solomon Islands, commercial inshore fishery was conducted to assist management decision making. The survey identified at least 260 species and 25 families among over 14,000 individual catch-and gear-specific fish photos taken using a digital image capture system. Seventy-nine fishers provided 175 catches during surveys and more than 1,600 fisher and vendor interviews were conducted. More than 75% of all individual fish sampled belonged to nine families that included groupers (Epinephelidae) with 29 species and snappers (Lutjanidae) with 28 species. Groupers, snappers and emperors (Lethrinidae) dominated line-caught fish, while speared catch was composed primarily of parrotfish (Scaridae) and surgeonfish and unicornfish (Acanthuridae). Catch-per-unit effort (CPUE) was 3.9 ± 0.1 kg hr −1 fisher −1 overall, with the highest CPUE for line fishing at 4.5 ± 1.6 kg hr −1 and lowest CPUE for nighttime spearfishing (2.1 ± 0.4 kg hr −1). Gearspecific size distributions and species targeted varied widely, with juveniles dominating most catches for speared fish. Between line-caught and speared catch, only two species were common within the top 25 species. At the time of the study there were no enacted national regulations related to finfish in the inshore fishery in Solomon Islands. Community-based management approaches have been endorsed by government and non-government entities in Solomon Islands, however a greater level of community engagement and voluntary fisher compliance is needed in concert with government enforcement to control potential overfishing, particularly nighttime spearfishing. Ongoing support for precautionary, adaptive management is a recommended course of action to limit the potential for overfishing in Gizo and other coastal areas of high human population density that rely heavily on marine resources.
Gender shapes livelihoods through access to resources and the distribution of benefits from econo... more Gender shapes livelihoods through access to resources and the distribution of benefits from economic activities. To work effectively with local people, resource management and community development initiatives should therefore be sensitive to the influence of gender on livelihoods. This paper considers gender in the context of broader social trends around livelihoods and focuses on a case study of shell money production and trade in the Langalanga Lagoon in Malaita Province, Solomon Islands. We pool data from several recent research projects with historical material from secondary sources. We find that the gender division of labour in the shell money value chain has changed somewhat over time, particularly in that women are now actively involved in trading. However, this shift has created friction due to norms about what kinds of activities are suitable for women, and who should control cash incomes. Whilst shell money remains one of the most important livelihoods in Langalanga lagoon, our findings also illustrate that the shell money value chain and the income earned varies considerably from family to family, with some making a better living than others. We argue that interventions seeking to improve livelihoods in coastal communities should thus be based on an understanding of differentiation within communities, and practitioners should consider whether interventions will result in community development, or may have the impact of increasing inequality between families.
Sustainably feeding the world's growing population represents one of our most significant challen... more Sustainably feeding the world's growing population represents one of our most significant challenges. Aquaculture is well positioned to make contributions towards this challenge. Yet, the translation of aquaculture production innovations into benefits for rural communities is constrained by a limited understanding of the social dynamics that influence the adoption of new agricultural practices. In this paper, we investigate the factors that shape the spread of small-scale tilapia aquaculture through rural Solomon Islands. Based on diffusion of innovation theory, we focus on three potentially influential factors: (i) socioeconomic characteristics of adopters; (ii) the role of opinion leaders; and (iii) characteristics of the innovation. We find that farmers who were wealthier, older, and had more diverse livelihoods were most likely to be adopters. Opinion leaders facilitated the adoption of tilapia aquaculture, but lacked the capacity to provide fundamental knowledge necessary to realize its potential benefits to food security. The paper argues for more explicit attention to the poorest households and makes the case for a deeper engagement with the broader social and institutional contexts that shape the adoption process. Aquaculture interventions that account for these social dynamics are critical for translating production innovations into sustainable benefits to rural communities.
Abstract Land based aquaculture has the potential to mitigate future shortfalls of food fish supp... more Abstract Land based aquaculture has the potential to mitigate future shortfalls of food fish supply in Solomon Islands. However, aquaculture is relatively new in the Pacific and such potential is hampered by a lack of aquaculture knowledge and practice within local cultures. A participatory action research approach was used to conduct on-farm trials with farmers in Solomon Islands to develop relevant and improved ways of farming and maximising productivity of the resident exotic tilapia Oreochromis mossambicus. During the 34 month period when the research was undertaken improvements were evident, through increased farmer participation and improved knowledge of farmers on pond design and fish husbandry techniques. One of the contributing factors to improved farmer understanding was the production of knowledge products which were co-developed with and based on the farmers' local context. Productivity of a typical 20–38 m2 pond ranged from 726 to 1819 kg ha− 1 year− 1. Because 80% of this production was consumed by households, such ponds, producing easily harvestable small tilapia, have a role in supplementing household diets and contributing to improved nutrition at the subsistence level. While pond system productivity reached levels equivalent to low input tilapia ponds in other regions, the resident tilapia in Solomon Islands has limited opportunity for more than low level commercial enterprises. Established ponds are included in the daily livelihood tasks of both men and women and explicitly gender equitable approaches to partnerships with pond farmers provide opportunities to further increase benefits to households. A participatory action research approach, and the principles embodied therein, is recommended for further development of household aquaculture enterprises, regardless of species, in Solomon Islands. Statement of relevance We feel that our paper makes significant and novel advance to the field of aquaculture by: (1) Presenting results of a research that shows the importance and potential role of aquaculture in mitigating food and nutrition security in locations where it is increasingly difficult to access fish based protein sources, even in a South Pacific location perceived to contain an abundance of fish. (2) Participatory Action Research (PAR) has been employed in agriculture and aquaculture in Asia and Africa in the last 20 years. We report in here the use of the PAR method within the Pacific Islands context in conducting research and developing aquaculture in a location where there is very little history of aquaculture within the local culture.
Participatory diagnosis is an approach to identify, prioritize and mobilise around factors that c... more Participatory diagnosis is an approach to identify, prioritize and mobilise around factors that constrain or enable effective governance and management in small-scale fisheries. Diagnostic frameworks are mostly designed and used for systematic scientific analysis or impact evaluation. Through participation they also have potential to guide contextually informed improvements to management in practice, including transitions to contemporary forms of governance like the ecosystem approach to fisheries (EAF)-the focus of our study. We document and critically reflect on participatory diagnosis processes and outcomes at sites in Indonesia, Philippines, Solomon Islands and Tanzania. These sites were part of an international project on the implementation of the EAF and differed widely in institutional and operational contexts. The Participatory Diagnosis and Adaptive Management framework and the "issue radar" diagnosis map were used to identify, evaluate and address factors associated with navigating management transitions towards the EAF. We found that many challenges and priority actions identified by participants were similar across the four study countries. Participants emphasized habitat restoration, particularly mangrove rehabilitation, and livelihood enhancement. The importance of strengthening governance entities, networks and processes (e.g., harmonization of policies, education and awareness of policies) was also a prominent outcome of the diagnosis. Site-specific factors were also explored together with the differing views among stakeholders. We conclude that diagnosis frameworks are indeed useful tools for guiding management transitions in fisheries, particularly where they enable flexibility in approaches to diagnosing problems and applying solutions to local contexts.
Inshore marine resources play an important role in the livelihoods of Pacific Island coastal comm... more Inshore marine resources play an important role in the livelihoods of Pacific Island coastal communities. However, such reliance can be detrimental to inshore marine ecosystems. Understanding the livelihoods of coastal communities is important for devising relevant and effective fisheries management strategies. Semi-structured household interviews were conducted with householders in Langalanga Lagoon, Solomon Islands, to understand household livelihoods and resource governance in fishing-dependent communities. Households were engaged in a diverse range of livelihoods. Fishing, shell money production and gardening were the most important livelihoods. Proximity to an urban centre influenced how households accessed some livelihoods. Perceptions of management rules varied and different reasons were cited for why rules were broken, the most common reason being to meet livelihood needs. Current models of inshore small-scale fisheries management that are based on the notion of community-ba...
Through these national and regional SCT reports, we hope to reach a wide audience that includes C... more Through these national and regional SCT reports, we hope to reach a wide audience that includes CT6 and those outside the Coral Triangle that benefit from the region's resources, whether through fisheries, shipping, or tourism, or as consumers of the great volume of fisheries products that originate from within the Coral Triangle, but are exported worldwide.
Livelihood diversification has been the heartbeat of rural development projects over the past two... more Livelihood diversification has been the heartbeat of rural development projects over the past two decades. Many livelihood diversification programs are based on the often implicit assumption that introducing livelihood activities will translate into improved livelihood outcomes. In this study we analyze survey data from 235 households in Langalanga Lagoon, Solomon Islands. We explore relationships between household livelihoods and food security to guide the types of activities that may be appropriate for rural development planning. Results show high rates of food insecurity, where half of the surveyed households were moderately food insecure and a quarter of households severely food insecure. Importantly, we do not find any links between household livelihoods activities and food security; households valued livelihoods very differently. We discuss the implications of these findings for rural development planning.
Foods and diets of communities involved in inland aquaculture in Malaita Province, Solomon Island... more Foods and diets of communities involved in inland aquaculture in Malaita Province, Solomon Islands 2FOODS AND DIETS OF COMMUNITIES INVOLVED
Fish is crucial to food and nutrition security in Solomon Islands, and demand is expected to incr... more Fish is crucial to food and nutrition security in Solomon Islands, and demand is expected to increase due to a growing population. However, it is projected that current capture fisheries production will not meet this growing demand. Aquaculture has the potential to mitigate the capture fishery shortfall, and the Government of Solomon Islands is prioritizing aquaculture as a solution to meet future food and income needs. Aquaculture in Solomon Islands is still in early development. Mozambique tilapia (Oreochromis mossambicus) is farmed for household consumption, but its prolific reproductive rate and resulting slow growth limit its potential as a commercial aquaculture species. More productive fish species that are not indigenous to Solomon Islands but are successfully farmed overseas could be introduced; however, such a decision needs to take into account the potential ecological or social impacts. For land-based pond aquaculture, the only indigenous species that has been farmed ext...
The coral reefs along the shores of the double archipelagic chain of steep, mountainous and commo... more The coral reefs along the shores of the double archipelagic chain of steep, mountainous and commonly volcanic islands comprising Solomon Islands (5l 2°S, l 52l 70°E; 28,370 km2) are mainly narrow, fringing and intermittently distributed. Their collective biomass is, however, large because of the coastline length of the 1000 islands. Long barrier reefs and expansive intertidal reef flats are uncommon; and Ontong Java, a northern outlier, is the only large atoll (70 by 11-36 km). The largest coral reefs usually occur where large lagoons are protected by raised or semi-submerged barrier reefs or by raised limestone islands, e.g. Marovo and Roviana Lagoons and Marau Sound.
A major challenge for international agricultural research is to find ways to improve the nutritio... more A major challenge for international agricultural research is to find ways to improve the nutrition and incomes of people left behind by the Green Revolution. To better address the needs of the most marginal and vulnerable people, the CGIAR Research Program on Aquatic Agricultural Systems (AAS) developed the research-in-development (RinD) approach. In 2012, WorldFish started to implement RinD in Solomon Islands. By building people’s capacity to analyze and address development problems, actively engaging relevant stakeholders, and linking research to these processes, RinD aims to develop an alternative approach to addressing hunger and poverty. This report describes the key principles and implementation process, and assesses the emergent outcomes of this participatory, systems-oriented and transformative research approach in Solomon Islands.
In a recently published article by us (Barclay et al. 2018), we considered gender in the context ... more In a recently published article by us (Barclay et al. 2018), we considered gender in the context of broader social trends around livelihoods using a case study of shell money production and trade in Solomon Islands. We pooled data from several research projects conducted by the authors between 2010 and 2017 to explore the shell money value chain in Langalanga Lagoon in Malaita Province. Our methods included qualitative interviews (n = 12, eight women, two men, two family groups), focus group discussions with women (n = 5) and men (n = 9) and quantitative questionnaires with 316 households. We complemented this research material with a literature review of published papers providing historical and anthropological accounts of gender norms and roles associated with livelihoods.
In many Pacific Island countries, modernity has weakened the foundation of community-based resour... more In many Pacific Island countries, modernity has weakened the foundation of community-based resource management. In this article we describe a cooperative process among six communities in Langalanga Lagoon in order to explore how collective efforts to improve natural resource management can evolve in situations where natural resources are degraded and contested, and where both traditional and centralised mechanisms to control use have either been weakened or are missing. For over five years, communities in Langalanga Lagoon have gone through several phases of increasing cooperation initiated and driven by community members to reach a level of association that has been formalised as a communitybased organisation. A management plan for a locally managed marine area has been developed, but has not yet been fully implemented. Although community cooperation has been predominantly an internal negotiation, activities by non-governmental organisations have facilitated its development. This c...
This chapter reviews relevant literature on customary marine tenure (CMT); presents a model devel... more This chapter reviews relevant literature on customary marine tenure (CMT); presents a model developed for investigating the thesis aim-to examine the effectiveness of CMT to manage coral reef finfish fisheries; discusses the methodological approach used; and provides a background to the study site. The findings of the literature review are: CMT systems are considered common property regimes; the use of CMT for small-scale fisheries management is a bone of contention, some scholars argue that it has a role to play in fisheries management while others argue that the changes it has undergone due to external factors (colonisation, introduction of new laws, Christianisation, market forces etc.) has diluted its effectiveness for fisheries management; CMT systems are present in Solomon Islands and have been a subject of previous research, although they share similar general principles, the modus operandi and successful use for small-scale fisheries management varies between locations. The Driver, Pressure, State, Impact, Response (DPSIR) model was used in this research to appraise the effectiveness of CMT as a policy response for reef finfish fisheries management. A multidisciplinary approach was adopted and social science methods employed included ethnographic methods (participant observations and interaction), 93 face to face semi-structured fisher interviews, and 20 key informant interviews. Other empirical data was based on recording of fish catch data and collection of otoliths and gonads from 120 Plectropomus leopardus specimens. Empirical data for P. leopardus from Australian locations was obtained from the Western
Solomon Islands has a population of just over half a million people, most of whom are rural-based... more Solomon Islands has a population of just over half a million people, most of whom are rural-based subsistence farmers and fishers who rely heavily on fish as their main animal-source food and for income. The nation is one of the Pacific Island Counties and Territories; future shortfalls in fish production are projected to be serious, and government policy identifies inland aquaculture development as one of the options to meet future demand for fish. In Solomon Islands, inland aquaculture has also been identified as a way to improve ood and nutrition security for people with poor access to marine fish. This report undertaken by a Worldfish study under the CGIAR Research Program on Aquatic Agricultural Systems explores the e potential role of land-based aquaculture of Mozambique tilapia in Solomon Islands as it relates to household food and nutrition security. This nutrition survey aimed to benchmark the foods and diets of households newly involved in small homestead tilapia ponds and...
In 2015-2016, a gear-specific assessment of the Gizo, Solomon Islands, commercial inshore fishery... more In 2015-2016, a gear-specific assessment of the Gizo, Solomon Islands, commercial inshore fishery was conducted to assist management decision making. The survey identified at least 260 species and 25 families among over 14,000 individual catch-and gear-specific fish photos taken using a digital image capture system. Seventy-nine fishers provided 175 catches during surveys and more than 1,600 fisher and vendor interviews were conducted. More than 75% of all individual fish sampled belonged to nine families that included groupers (Epinephelidae) with 29 species and snappers (Lutjanidae) with 28 species. Groupers, snappers and emperors (Lethrinidae) dominated line-caught fish, while speared catch was composed primarily of parrotfish (Scaridae) and surgeonfish and unicornfish (Acanthuridae). Catch-per-unit effort (CPUE) was 3.9 ± 0.1 kg hr −1 fisher −1 overall, with the highest CPUE for line fishing at 4.5 ± 1.6 kg hr −1 and lowest CPUE for nighttime spearfishing (2.1 ± 0.4 kg hr −1). Gearspecific size distributions and species targeted varied widely, with juveniles dominating most catches for speared fish. Between line-caught and speared catch, only two species were common within the top 25 species. At the time of the study there were no enacted national regulations related to finfish in the inshore fishery in Solomon Islands. Community-based management approaches have been endorsed by government and non-government entities in Solomon Islands, however a greater level of community engagement and voluntary fisher compliance is needed in concert with government enforcement to control potential overfishing, particularly nighttime spearfishing. Ongoing support for precautionary, adaptive management is a recommended course of action to limit the potential for overfishing in Gizo and other coastal areas of high human population density that rely heavily on marine resources.
Gender shapes livelihoods through access to resources and the distribution of benefits from econo... more Gender shapes livelihoods through access to resources and the distribution of benefits from economic activities. To work effectively with local people, resource management and community development initiatives should therefore be sensitive to the influence of gender on livelihoods. This paper considers gender in the context of broader social trends around livelihoods and focuses on a case study of shell money production and trade in the Langalanga Lagoon in Malaita Province, Solomon Islands. We pool data from several recent research projects with historical material from secondary sources. We find that the gender division of labour in the shell money value chain has changed somewhat over time, particularly in that women are now actively involved in trading. However, this shift has created friction due to norms about what kinds of activities are suitable for women, and who should control cash incomes. Whilst shell money remains one of the most important livelihoods in Langalanga lagoon, our findings also illustrate that the shell money value chain and the income earned varies considerably from family to family, with some making a better living than others. We argue that interventions seeking to improve livelihoods in coastal communities should thus be based on an understanding of differentiation within communities, and practitioners should consider whether interventions will result in community development, or may have the impact of increasing inequality between families.
Sustainably feeding the world's growing population represents one of our most significant challen... more Sustainably feeding the world's growing population represents one of our most significant challenges. Aquaculture is well positioned to make contributions towards this challenge. Yet, the translation of aquaculture production innovations into benefits for rural communities is constrained by a limited understanding of the social dynamics that influence the adoption of new agricultural practices. In this paper, we investigate the factors that shape the spread of small-scale tilapia aquaculture through rural Solomon Islands. Based on diffusion of innovation theory, we focus on three potentially influential factors: (i) socioeconomic characteristics of adopters; (ii) the role of opinion leaders; and (iii) characteristics of the innovation. We find that farmers who were wealthier, older, and had more diverse livelihoods were most likely to be adopters. Opinion leaders facilitated the adoption of tilapia aquaculture, but lacked the capacity to provide fundamental knowledge necessary to realize its potential benefits to food security. The paper argues for more explicit attention to the poorest households and makes the case for a deeper engagement with the broader social and institutional contexts that shape the adoption process. Aquaculture interventions that account for these social dynamics are critical for translating production innovations into sustainable benefits to rural communities.
Abstract Land based aquaculture has the potential to mitigate future shortfalls of food fish supp... more Abstract Land based aquaculture has the potential to mitigate future shortfalls of food fish supply in Solomon Islands. However, aquaculture is relatively new in the Pacific and such potential is hampered by a lack of aquaculture knowledge and practice within local cultures. A participatory action research approach was used to conduct on-farm trials with farmers in Solomon Islands to develop relevant and improved ways of farming and maximising productivity of the resident exotic tilapia Oreochromis mossambicus. During the 34 month period when the research was undertaken improvements were evident, through increased farmer participation and improved knowledge of farmers on pond design and fish husbandry techniques. One of the contributing factors to improved farmer understanding was the production of knowledge products which were co-developed with and based on the farmers' local context. Productivity of a typical 20–38 m2 pond ranged from 726 to 1819 kg ha− 1 year− 1. Because 80% of this production was consumed by households, such ponds, producing easily harvestable small tilapia, have a role in supplementing household diets and contributing to improved nutrition at the subsistence level. While pond system productivity reached levels equivalent to low input tilapia ponds in other regions, the resident tilapia in Solomon Islands has limited opportunity for more than low level commercial enterprises. Established ponds are included in the daily livelihood tasks of both men and women and explicitly gender equitable approaches to partnerships with pond farmers provide opportunities to further increase benefits to households. A participatory action research approach, and the principles embodied therein, is recommended for further development of household aquaculture enterprises, regardless of species, in Solomon Islands. Statement of relevance We feel that our paper makes significant and novel advance to the field of aquaculture by: (1) Presenting results of a research that shows the importance and potential role of aquaculture in mitigating food and nutrition security in locations where it is increasingly difficult to access fish based protein sources, even in a South Pacific location perceived to contain an abundance of fish. (2) Participatory Action Research (PAR) has been employed in agriculture and aquaculture in Asia and Africa in the last 20 years. We report in here the use of the PAR method within the Pacific Islands context in conducting research and developing aquaculture in a location where there is very little history of aquaculture within the local culture.
Participatory diagnosis is an approach to identify, prioritize and mobilise around factors that c... more Participatory diagnosis is an approach to identify, prioritize and mobilise around factors that constrain or enable effective governance and management in small-scale fisheries. Diagnostic frameworks are mostly designed and used for systematic scientific analysis or impact evaluation. Through participation they also have potential to guide contextually informed improvements to management in practice, including transitions to contemporary forms of governance like the ecosystem approach to fisheries (EAF)-the focus of our study. We document and critically reflect on participatory diagnosis processes and outcomes at sites in Indonesia, Philippines, Solomon Islands and Tanzania. These sites were part of an international project on the implementation of the EAF and differed widely in institutional and operational contexts. The Participatory Diagnosis and Adaptive Management framework and the "issue radar" diagnosis map were used to identify, evaluate and address factors associated with navigating management transitions towards the EAF. We found that many challenges and priority actions identified by participants were similar across the four study countries. Participants emphasized habitat restoration, particularly mangrove rehabilitation, and livelihood enhancement. The importance of strengthening governance entities, networks and processes (e.g., harmonization of policies, education and awareness of policies) was also a prominent outcome of the diagnosis. Site-specific factors were also explored together with the differing views among stakeholders. We conclude that diagnosis frameworks are indeed useful tools for guiding management transitions in fisheries, particularly where they enable flexibility in approaches to diagnosing problems and applying solutions to local contexts.
Inshore marine resources play an important role in the livelihoods of Pacific Island coastal comm... more Inshore marine resources play an important role in the livelihoods of Pacific Island coastal communities. However, such reliance can be detrimental to inshore marine ecosystems. Understanding the livelihoods of coastal communities is important for devising relevant and effective fisheries management strategies. Semi-structured household interviews were conducted with householders in Langalanga Lagoon, Solomon Islands, to understand household livelihoods and resource governance in fishing-dependent communities. Households were engaged in a diverse range of livelihoods. Fishing, shell money production and gardening were the most important livelihoods. Proximity to an urban centre influenced how households accessed some livelihoods. Perceptions of management rules varied and different reasons were cited for why rules were broken, the most common reason being to meet livelihood needs. Current models of inshore small-scale fisheries management that are based on the notion of community-ba...
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Papers by Reuben Sulu