Restoring Livelihoods in Conflict-Affected Areas in Maguindanao Province of the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao through AQUACULTURE

Ramjie Y. Odin*, Cesar Galvan
 
Mindanao State University - Maguindanao
Datu Odin Sinsuat, Maguindanao, Philippines, 9600
ryo0001@auburn.edu

The Province of Maguindanao in the Philippines with its vast resources for fisheries is home to at least 63, 000 internally displaced persons (IDPs) which comprised 10, 550 farming and fishing households.  These IDPs were the target beneficiaries of a livelihood project which was funded by the Government of New Zealand through its Aid Programme and being implemented by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO-UN) and the Department of Agriculture and Fisheries of the Autonomous Region of Muslim in Mindanao (DAF-ARMM). The fisheries component of this project was carried out with the overall aim of improving the food security of the most vulnerable internally displaced fishing families in the conflict-affected communities of the Maguindanao Province. Specifically, it restored livelihoods of the target IDPs who have already returned to their communities by providing them fishing gears, tilapia cage farming inputs and conduct of trainings.  It also reduced their overall dependency on external food aid.  

Partnership and collaboration of the FAO Project Team with the DAF-ARMM, local NGOs, Provincial and Municipal Local Government Units were formed to ensure successful implementation of this Project.

A total of 330 target IDPs from the seven municipalities of this Province received various inputs distributed under the fisheries component of the Project.  These fisheries inputs include 200 sets of gill nets and ten (10) sets of floating fish cages with grow-out feeds and stocked with 10, 000 tilapia fingerlings per set and ten (10) units of non-motorized boats.  The total budget allocated for the fisheries inputs amounted to USD 14,777.25.

Technical assistance and trainings were also provided to the beneficiaries of the floating fish cages to ensure optimum, productive and sustainable use and operation of their tilapia cage culture. Capacity building for the women beneficiaries through trainings on fish handling and processing with value-added product were also conducted.

The introduction of aquaculture in the form of floating fish cages in marsh and other inland waters of Maguindanao is indeed a productive and alternative source of livelihood for the returned IDPs. This is deemed beneficial not only to the IDPs but also to the enhancement of natural fishery stocks as fishing pressure is reduced because most fishermen were encouraged to shift into aquaculture through tilapia cage farming.  It could also be considered as activity with peace integration because it has promoted the value of team building among the beneficiaries to ensure successful operation of their cage culture. Hence, promoting social transformation among the beneficiaries.