Inception phase | PANORAMA

Local Site Implementing Teams

Campaign Manager leads a community discussion

Jason Houston/Rare

The community engagement and behavior adoption campaigns were co-developed and implemented by teams based in the communities. They were usually composed of staff from the local government unit and local community leaders, like fisher leaders or organizers. They were the ones that received the training and provided with the tools and resources. They adapted the strategies to suit their own context, came up with execution ideas, and rolled out the activities.

Official designation by the local chief executive (mayor) • Representation from stakeholders other than the local government • Credibility and standing in the community

Best to have a team of at least three, so that the work does not become overwhelming, and so diverse talents and interests are available to the team. The ideal mix has someone who is well-embedded in government, who can secure approvals and budgets, someone who is creative and able to use basic tools for design, and someone who is well-accepted by the community who knows how to engage and facilitate. They should all know how to mobilize volunteers, and have some basic skills in project management.

Inception phase

Implementation

Monitoring

Documentation and dissemination of results

Local

Training on Community Engagement and Behavior Change

Interactive training sessions

Rare

A series of workshops train teams from local government units and other supporting organizations on how to utilize behavioral insights to inspire action. They learn how to use qualitative and quantitative research to generate insights, participatory approaches to get people towards shared goals, and tactics that help move the group through different phases of change, from building collective demand, to coordinating the shift, then strengthening norms. They practice designing and implementing their own activities, develop materials and assess their progress.

Willingness of the local government unit • Availability of funding for materials and activities • Well-coordinated local government unit • Efficient and motivated staff

The training needs to be practical and within the conceptual reach of the intended beneficiaries, implementers, communities and local governments units. Academic concepts need to be communicated in a simple and understandable manner to be appreciated. Practical examples and bright spots are important. Guidance on next steps helps ensure long-term sustainability of efforts. Encouraging creativity and inventiveness will allow the communities to accomplish the objectives with minimal cost and effort. Cross-visits and inter-community sharing of experiences have greater impact than lectures.

Inception phase

Local

Farmer Interest Groups

Aquaculture Farmer

Lisa Steurer/ GIZ

Farmer Intereste Group meeting

GIZ

Neighboring farmers meet regularly to share information and best practices on diversified aquaculture production. They buy seedlings as a group to be more cost-efficient, and grant loans to the farmer most in need. The loan is given on a yearly basis with a fixed interest rate and financed by the group’s membership fee.

Farmers who are willing to participate
Staff time for facilitation

Establishing the first group took extensive time due to farmers’ reluctance to trust facilitated group formation. Presenting proven benefits of Interest Groups and providing incentives for trainings (building block 3) convinced farmers to join. Members of the first Farmer Interest Groups served as example and facilitated the formation of additional groups. Involving farmers who operate mangrove aquaculture ponds outside the buffer zone proved successful for disseminating success stories. This convinced a number of farmers to join Farmer Interest Groups and plant mangroves in their pond, thereby increasing the overall forest cover and pond resilience.

Inception phase

Local

Development of Best Management Practices

Crab from species-mix aquaculture. Copyright GIZ.

Best Management Practices are optimized and adapted at trial farms. Copyright GIZ.

Information on current farm practices are gathered in cooperation with relevant institutions, in particular the province`s aquaculture research station and the private sector. Shortcomings of current techniques as well as areas for improvement are identified. At trial farms, these are addressed through the optimization and adaptation of Best Management Practices. These practices promote income diversification and improved aquaculture farm management through optimized species composition, stock density, water management, nursing and mangrove conservation.

The Best Management Practices are regularly adapted to address arising issues and new challenges as well as respond to market requirements.

Existing Silvo-Aquaculture farms and expertise
Farmers willing to adapt farm management and contribute lessons learned
Aquaculture research station with extensive technical and local knowledge

Involvement of the nearby Aquaculture Research Station proved to be of great advantage due to their experience and technical knowledge. Farmers from the community were involved in model trials, which then led to greater interest by other farmers to become involved. At least one year of trials is necessary to develop successful Best Management Practices which are then tested and thereafter regularly updated. .

Inception phase

Local