To manage local supply chains, we set up community banks, bringing communities together in informal cooperatives and providing much needed access to financial services. These community banks are the ‘social glue’ at the heart of Net-Works, enabling members to invest in their sustainable livelihoods, building a Net-Works’ conservation constituency.
The supplemental income earned from net sales is an effective incentive for getting local people involved in Net-Works, along with other non-financial incentives such as cleaner beaches and coastlines and a healthier marine environment. It also enables them to top up declining earnings from fishing, and to build up some savings via the community banks.
It is Important to use a mix of financial and non-financial incentives when trying to engage local communities and encourage long-term behaviour change.