The “Rural Aquaculture Service Recipients and Implementers Workshop” was held from 9-10 May 2002 at the Catholic Charities in Ranchi, Jharkand. It was among the first activities of the DFID NRSP Research Project R8100 entitled “Investigating Improved Policy on Aquaculture Service Provision to Poor People”, and followed an inception visit by the authors to Ranchi and Purulia, West Bengal, in March 2002.

The workshop provided the first opportunity for feedback on the project design from people who live and work in tribal communities in the three states of Jharkhand, Orissa and West Bengal. Three parts of the Inception Report were presented, followed by questions and comments for clarification from participants:

• The project workplan detailing timing, activities and roles and responsibilities (Appendix 3).
• The project flowchart diagramming the process proposed through May 2003 (Appendix 4).
• The final two sections excerpted from the Component Concept Note draft on policy recommendations and development support (Appendix 5). (The full note is included as an appendix in the Inception Report. It was drafted following the March 2002 Inception Visit at the request of the Fisheries Commissioner, Dr Nair, and represents initial ideas for policy change recommendations.)