WorldFish Center

• A member of the Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research (CGIAR)

• Provides expertise on Fisheries and Aquaculture• Mission: Reduce hunger and Poverty while

protecting natural ecosystems.• Understanding Fisheries within a broader context;

social, economic and ecological• Established in 1977 with HQ in Penang, Malaysia• Zambian office opened in 2006 (Country office,

Nepad, COMESA, SADC)

WorldFish Center and HIV/AIDS

Held an International workshop in February 2006 To address the elevated HIV prevalence and high

morbidity and mortality among fishers Integrated Agriculture-Aquaculture for HIV/AIDS

hh’s in Zomba area of Malawi Profits increase six-fold 1500 kg’s of fish per hectare per year Water from ponds used to irrigate other crops

2

HIV among fisherfolk and other vulnerable groups

na

(26.8%)

(36.5%)

(78%)na

(7.5%)

(25.4%)

(12.0%)

na

(26.5%)

(0.7%)

(0.3%)

(17.9%)

(15%)

(2.3%)

(1.3%)(1.4%)

(6.9%)

(24.0%)

(HIV prevalence 30.5%)

0 10,000 20,000 30,000 40,000 50,000 60,000 70,000 80,000

(0.1) Indonesia

(1.5) Thailand

(4.1) Uganda

(6.7) Kenya

Number likely to be infected(plus HIV prevalence rate among group)

Fisherfolk

Truck drivers

Military

Prisoners

IDUs

Source: Kissling, Allison, Seeley et al 2005, AIDS vol 19.

Background 1: Factors of vulnerability

– Mobility and migration– Demographics (youth,

male dominated)– Pronounced gender

inequality – Social marginalisation of

fisherfolk– Physical isolation – Cash-rich, opportunity-

poor economy 7

Women in fishing communities:

- De facto household heads, due to absence of men at sea

- Often involved in fishing-related businesses (fish trading, processing) or provision of services to fishermen (food, lodging, drink, sex, credit)

- May occupy lower-margin economic opportunities

- Sometimes young, unmarried women in search of independent livelihoods

- ‘Transactional sex’ used to overcome economic and institutional barriers to building a livelihood

Background 2: Factors of resilience

• 200 million people in Africa depend on fish - these benefits need to be safeguarded and where possible increased

• vulnerable populations earn income from Fisheries and aquaculture when other opportunities close down – these benefits can be significantly increased

Investing in Sustainable Solutions

SIDA-funded project in Southern and West Africa To strengthen the contribution of the fisheries sector to

overcoming HIV/AIDS Collation of available data (medical and socio-economic) Case studies to identify key risk factors Targeted research to compliment existing knowledge Action Research projects in pilot learning sites to identify

entry points Policy Advisory Group Development of guidelines and policy recommendations

Pilot Learning Sites

Nacala Corridor (Lower Shire; Nacala-Lake Malawi route

Kafue Flats (Zambia)Lubumbashi (DRC)Lake Victoria Corridor (The area linking

Kenya, Uganda and TanzaniaAbidjan- Lagos Corridor (Benin, Lagos

State and Cross river StateLake Chad Basin

THANK YOU