Established in early 2002, STREAM Vietnam has so far attained a number of good experiences and lessons in using participatory approaches for its work. The Country Office has been able to link to a wide range of stakeholders, and is working hard to build close relationships amongst them, so that institutional entities can better support the livelihoods of poor aquatic resources users, and support disadvantaged groups of people to improve their living standards by themselves.

This paper advocates strategies, processes and practices that enable: livelihoods approaches rather than resource-based approaches, ‘direct’ institutional and policy development, rather than ‘project demonstrations’, and support for regional, national and local communications. It was presented at the Symposium on Participatory approaches in reservoir fisheries management: Issues, challenges and policy, October 4-6th 2004 at the Culture Club Resort, Dambulla, Sri Lanka hosted by the National Aquaculture Development Authority in collaboration with FAO..

In this issue: What do we need to learn about to understand how people live? Taking steps to making livelihoods work. Reflections on the India-Nepal workshop. Reflections on the role of livelihoods approaches and analysis in Lao PDR. After the workshop on livelihood approaches and analysis. The relevance of livelihoods approaches in Yunnan, China. About the STREAM Journal. About STREAM. This edition is also available in Ilonggo, Khmer and Urdu.

The purpose of the workshop was to develop and document mechanisms for training in livelihoods approaches and analysis, and to build national capacity to conduct livelihoods studies. The workshop in Yangon was the fourth in a series, the first of which was held in Iloilo City, Philippines, in November 2003, the second in Ranchi, India, in February 2004, and the third in Vientiane, Lao PDR in March 2004. A subsequent workshop will take place in Yunnan, China.

In 2002, the Philippines Government signed a Partnership Agreement with the NACA-STREAM Initiative. The initial focal point for STREAM work is Western Visayas, including the Sapian Bay and Banate Bay areas where BFAR Region 6, the STREAM country host, has on-going engagements, and also areas within Regions 6 and 7 where marine ornamentals collection and trading occur. The key disadvantaged groups for whom aquatic resources are a source of livelihood are the primary stakeholders for the initiative.