WorldFish-Philippines rolls out its participatory action research program for aquatic agricultural systems (AAS) for 2013 to benefit coastal communities in the country.
This research program aims to improve the lives of poor and vulnerable users of AAS by 2016.
Developed by the Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research (CGIAR), the program will work with communities to develop innovative approaches and technologies that build on their strengths.
In this work, program activities will revolve around the core commodities of fish, rice, livestock, and vegetables.
“We will build on strong collaboration with PCAARRD and the Bureau of Agriculture Research”, Regional Director for Asia and Country Program Manager for the Philippines Maripaz L. Perez said.
Having common interest in fostering AAS R&D activities, WorldFish and PCAARRD forged a memorandum of understanding (MOU) to cooperate in research, training, and information sharing using their joint expertise.
Perez also identified several local partners like the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources, National Fisheries Research and Development Institute, and state universities like the Mindanao State University, among others.
“We are ramping up the various roll out activities this year to make sure that we can start implementation by 2014”, Perez added.
In a related development, WorldFish-Philippines’ local Diagnosis and Design Team met recently to develop the AAS Philippines Theory of Change.
The AAS Philippines Theory of Change is a roadmap for change that will guide project implementation by identifying the distinct challenges of the local project sites and matching these to specific interventions.
The Team also discussed the processes to engage in during the program implementation and the “belief system” that governs such processes.
The Team then identified the development challenges that the AAS Philippines VisMin (Visayas & Mindanao) Hub might face.
With interventions identified and possible problems anticipated, WorldFish-Philippines is taking steps to gain the buy-in of all partners and stakeholders, even as it continues to scope the identified project sites.
Incidentally, WorldFish is a member of CGIAR with its Philippine office based in Los Baños, Laguna.