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Brian Crawford, Michael Rice, URI Lina Kelpsaite , US Peace Corps

Action Research In The Gambia: Can Shellfish Aquaculture and Sea Ranching Enhance Food Security, Incomes and Empower Women Harvesters?. Brian Crawford, Michael Rice, URI Lina Kelpsaite , US Peace Corps Ousman Drammeh , Gibril Gabis , WWF / The Gambia Fatou Mboob , TRY Association

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Brian Crawford, Michael Rice, URI Lina Kelpsaite , US Peace Corps

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  1. Action Research In The Gambia: Can Shellfish Aquaculture and Sea Ranching Enhance Food Security, Incomes and Empower Women Harvesters? Brian Crawford, Michael Rice, URI LinaKelpsaite, US Peace Corps OusmanDrammeh, GibrilGabis, WWF / The Gambia FatouMboob, TRY Association The USAID-URI Ba Nafaa Project

  2. Context • Women harvesters – cockles and oysters • Only income from harvesting • Sole providers of $ to the household • TRY Association – 500 members • A RAMSAR site / national park

  3. A Days Harvest

  4. Processing

  5. Lime from Oyster Shells

  6. Declining CatchesIncreased Effort

  7. Resource ManagementEmpowered Decision Makers • “THEREFORE, I HEREBY • Declare the area congruent with the Tanbi National Park as a Special Management Area for the purposes of fisheries management. • Designate The TRY Association as having exclusive use rights to the cockle and oyster fishery in this area. • Delegate authority for the responsible and sustained management and conservation of the cockle and oyster resources in this area to The TRY Association.” • Signed: • Minister of Fisheries, Water Resources and National Assembly Matters Exclusive use zones Seasonal closures Size limits Mangrove protection

  8. Lifting women out of poverty: a whole systems approach • Association strengthening • Literacy training • Savings and micro-credit

  9. Economic empowerment: • a whole systems approach • Value added - improved packaging and hygiene • Diversified income sources

  10. Aquaculture Trials

  11. Oyster Spat Settlement and Growth Studies

  12. Economic Issues • Aquaculture rack and float methods not economically viable • Gambian price of oysters = $2 / whole basket of shucked oysters • Potential for new markets and higher prices w/ safe raw oysters • Gambians recognize need for NSSP for increasing economic value Gambia Cuisine

  13. Water Quality Issues

  14. Sampling Sites Original New

  15. Cockle Ranching and Transplant Experiments

  16. Cockle Ranching and Transplant Experiments

  17. --- Age of Maturity ------

  18. Abundance of Cockles Biomass of Cockles Results of the Transplant Experiment(after 8 months) 3 2710 2140 2 Number of Individuals / m2 Weight (Kg/m2) 1580 1 1010 0 Traditional Harvest Area Transplanted Area Traditional Harvest Area Transplanted Area

  19. A 50 Year Flood !Massive die off of cockles at the transplant site

  20. Conclusions • Aquacultue of oysters is technically viable • Not economical w/o value added price increase • Cockle ranching a promising tool to enhance yields • Bivalves important for income rather than food security • Empowering women and lifting them out of poverty requires integrated activities targeting many factors

  21. The Authors

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