State-level workshops: Investigating improved policy on aquaculture service provision to poor people

The three State-level Workshops were held at the Akash Hotel in Purulia, West Bengal (3 October 2002; the Social Development Centre in Ranchi, Jharkhand (4-5 October 2002) and the Crown Hotel in Bhubaneswar, Orissa (7 October 2002). Participants (Appendix 1) represented GVT and other NGOs, state- and district-level Departments of Fisheries, Indian Council of Agricultural Research (CIFA), a university, Panchayats and recipients. Depending on location, discussions, reportbacks and documentation took place in Bangla, Hindi, Oriya and English.

The aim and objectives of the workshops were to contribute to:

• Contribute to “giving people a voice” in policy-making processes that have an impact on their livelihoods.
• Understanding a process for transacting institutional and policy change.
• Providing feedback on Case Studies which document experiences of rural aquaculture services provision from the perspectives of representative recipient groups.
• Reviewing and refining emerging “indicators of change” Providing input into the subsequent Stakeholders Workshop.

The State-level Workshops followed an Inception Visit in March 2002, the “Rural Aquaculture Service Recipients and Implementers Workshop” held from 9-10 May 2002 in Ranchi, Jharkhand and an August 2002 Planning Visit. Reports of these activities are available in separate documents.

During the May 2002 workshop, a strong recommendation was made that it would be worthwhile holding these State-level Workshops before the Stakeholders Workshop.

A general agenda (Appendix 2) for the State-level Workshops was adapted for each of the three locations. The contents of this report are structured according to the outcomes of the three workshops, rather than following the three-state workshop sequence.