ICTs benefits fishing communities

A new policy brief from the Sustainable Fisheries Livelihoods Programme (with a West Africa focus) reviews the uses and potential impact of existing and emerging information and communications technologies in fisheries and fishing communities.

It argues that there is an urgent need to focus strategically on ensuring that:

• the exploitation and spread of the new technologies in fisheries is oriented explicitly towards meeting the needs of the poor; and,
  
• the use of new technologies in fisheries is integrated into participative, people-centred communications for development and knowledge sharing approaches.

The brief introduces various existing ICT uses in West Africa - with local cases as illustrations and it gives an overview of the different technologies - radio, phones, internet, etc that are being used.

It also sets out a detailed agenda of actions to be taken by "Governments, agencies and NGOs working with fishers:"

1. Audit their current information programme communications activities;
2. Develop a strategic approach to the integration of information, communication and ICTs;
3. Integrate ICT into fisheries projects and programmes using people-centred and pro-poor approaches;
4. Work collaboratively to support needs-based services and content relevant to fisheries
5. enterprises and fishing communities accessible in terms of language and cultural context;
6. Promote the adoption of modern fisheries specific technologies, ensuring their potential is realized by all communities; and
7. Build multistakeholder partnerships.
   

Read the Policy Brief

Tags: agricultural information africa fisheries