Short is beautiful

Posted on 12/12/2013 by Stephen Hall

Annual Report 2012/2013

It is the time of year to reflect on and celebrate the year’s achievements. For WorldFish, it’s been an exceptional year. Increased investment by our donors has allowed us to broaden and deepen our engagement with communities on the ground and our research and development partners. Most importantly, increased investment has increased our impact.

To give you a sense of our achievements and the range of work we do, our Annual Report this year focuses on three stories: the success of aquaculture in Egypt, improved livelihoods in Bangladesh, and conflict and collaboration over natural resources in Zambia, Cambodia and Uganda.

With so much happening at WorldFish, it seems unfair to highlight these few examples, but, in our information-saturated world, brevity is usually welcome. I hope that by keeping it short you are encouraged to read more and be inspired by the potential of fisheries and aquaculture to reduce poverty and increase food.

“What have you done with these women – they have changed!”

Posted on 10/14/2013 by Stephen Hall

Fish sellers in Ghana. Photo by Curtis Lind.

Listen to this podcast
iTunes | Download

Dave Mills, a senior researcher at WorldFish, was describing the outcomes of a project on governance reform with small-scale fishers in Ghana. This project had empowered women in the community by working to build confidence, capacity, and vision among women to engage in decision-making and by helping challenge underlying and oppressive attitudes towards them. Dave recounted how, at a project review meeting, the village chief proudly exclaimed “What have you done with these women – they have changed!” He was delighted they were now active in decision-making and that he now knew what women needed and wanted in his community.

Continue reading →

“Big Salmon” steps up, but don’t forget the little guys – for their sake and ours

Posted on 08/28/2013 by Stephen Hall

The salmon industry’s decision to collectively pursue Aquaculture Stewardship Council certification is an important step, but it’s upgrading small-scale farming where the big pay-offs lie.

Listen to this podcast
iTunes | Download

Fish farmers in rural Bangladesh bring in the harvest. Photo by Felix Clay

Better aquaculture technologies to improve efficiency can greatly increase production. Fish farmers in rural Bangladesh carry home the harvest. Photo by Felix Clay.

Continue reading →

Reflections on Gender Transformative Research

Posted on 11/05/2012 by Stephen Hall

For any organization trying to decide how best to achieve development impact, a good place to start is with a ‘Theory of Change’, or ToC. Formally defined as “a statement of the interconnected causal pathways that describe the types of interventions that bring about desired outcomes” [1], a ToC can be more plainly said to be a description of what you need to do to make a difference.

Listen to this podcast
iTunes | YouTube | Download

I was fortunate to recently attend a workshop here in Penang on Gender Transformative Research (GTR) in Agricultural Development, where ToCs were discussed [2]. This was an important discussion because, as I explained in my last post, not all researchers are agreed about whether GTR should be pursued by agricultural research organizations [3]. Without a compelling rationale that forms part of a clear theory of change that situation is likely to persist.
Continue reading →

Gender Transformative Research: An Imperative

Posted on 10/02/2012 by Stephen Hall

I believe a gender transformative approach is key if WorldFish is to achieve the development impacts it is looking for – but what is it and how will it affect our organizational culture?

The AAS program will address underlying gender norms such as discrimination and inequality down the value chains. Barotse floodplain, Zambia. Photo by Georgina Smith, 2012.

Continue reading →