A bold bid by women in Kandhkelgaon Village, West Bengal, to break out of their poverty trap. This story describes how women who could no longer make a living from weaving turned to aquaculture. Success came, not just through income generation but by reducing the cost of being poor. The story highlights the influences that constrain and enhance development, including the sheer bravery and entrepreneurial spirit of people who are poor. 

A closer look at the benefits of working together, the evolution of a federation of aquaculture self-help groups and a one-stop aqua shop in rural West Bengal. India has the largest concentration of tribal population in the world. For a long time now, voices have been raised in support of disadvantaged social groups that are trying to derive a livelihood from limited resources in remote rural areas in India.

A closer look at the evolution of successful aquaculture self-help groups in rural West Bengal, the discovery of new uses for local resource systems and the energising effect of flexible rural credit.

This report provides insight into the status of the marine ornamental fish trade in Indonesia, including policy environment, collection, chain of custody, distribution channels, markets and constraints. The report also reviews the livelihoods of poor stakeholders in market chains including economic and financial aspects, natural and physical resources, livelihood patterns, social structures. The report provides recommendations for policy makers and stakeholders in improving the livelihoods of poor stakeholders in marine ornamental fish collection and market chains.

This report provides insight into the status of the shrimp trade in Vietnam, including policy environment, export capacity, production chain, distribution channels, markets and constraints. The report also reviews the livelihoods of poor stakeholders, including women, in shrimp market chains from input service supply, seed and broodstock supply, grow out, trade and processing. The report provides recommendations for policy makers and stakeholders in improving the livelihoods of poor stakeholders in shrimp market chains.

The purpose of the project was to investigate international trade in fisheries products and its relationship to poverty alleviation and livelihoods of poor aquatic resource users in developing countries in Asia, and to identify options to improve the effectiveness of poverty reduction through international seafood trade. The project directly addressed the EC-PREP priority area of trade and development, and indirectly provided valuable insight to two other priority areas: food security and sustainable rural development; and institutional capacity building.

In this issue: Seaweed culture and farmer incomes in Bekasi, Indonesia. Significant change for a self-help group. Conflict over fishing in Jharkhand. Critical steps in preparing coastal communities for effective policy changes. New guidelines on data collection and information sharing for co-management. About the STREAM Journal. About STREAM. This edition is also available in Ilonggo.

In this issue:

Small-scale pond culture in Bangladesh. Issues and challenges in community-based aquaculture. Aquaculture as an action programme building confidence and self-worth. Transforming policy recommendations into pro-poor service provision. Grow out of spotted Babylon to marketable size in polyculture with seabass. Influence of economic conditions and global shocks on grouper markets. Status of cobia hatchery technology in Vietnam. Organic shrimp raceway system. Macrobrachium rosenbergii in Vembanad Lake. Management of monogenean parasites.

This presentation provides an overview of Vietnamese experience on the implementation of better management Practices (BMPs) and good aquaculture practices (GAP) in shrimp aquaculture. Practices were implemented collectively by encouraging small-scale farmers to form groups that collaborate on issues such as screening seed for disease and improving water quality management. Improvements to crop outcomes were observed. The results presented include the profitability of BMP adopted ponds.

Presentation on a MPEDIA/NACA intiative to implement better management practices for shrimp farming amongst small-scale farmers in India via formation of farmer groups. The practices are based on the International Principles for Responsible Shrimp Farming. Adoption of improved farming practices reduces the incidence of disease and improves crop outcomes for small-scale farmers. This presentation was made at the World Aquaculture Society Conference in Bali, Indonesia, 2005.