IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/eee/jfpoli/v34y2009i1p108-118.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Fish as the "bank in the water" - Evidence from chronic-poor communities in Congo

Author

Listed:
  • Béné, Christophe
  • Steel, Elisabeth
  • Luadia, Billy Kambala
  • Gordon, Ann

Abstract

Small-scale fisheries in developing countries are often perceived as being a low-productivity and backward informal sector. As a result they are rarely considered in poverty reduction programmes and rural development planning. In this paper, we investigate the dual role of fish as a food and cash crop through data collected in river fisheries in Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). Fishing in this very remote rural region of DRC is operated both by men and women, as part of a household multiple activity livelihood strategy. The data shows that poor households rely heavily on fishing for their supply of protein-rich food, in particular through women's subsistence catches. Fishing also appears to be the main source of cash-income for the majority of households, including local farmers. Based on these findings and a review of the literature, the paper argues that small-scale fisheries can play a fundamental role in local economies, especially in remote rural areas where they strengthen significantly the livelihoods of people through their role in both food security and cash-income generation.

Suggested Citation

  • Béné, Christophe & Steel, Elisabeth & Luadia, Billy Kambala & Gordon, Ann, 2009. "Fish as the "bank in the water" - Evidence from chronic-poor communities in Congo," Food Policy, Elsevier, vol. 34(1), pages 108-118, February.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:jfpoli:v:34:y:2009:i:1:p:108-118
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0306-9192(08)00059-6
    Download Restriction: Full text for ScienceDirect subscribers only
    ---><---

    As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to search for a different version of it.

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Thilsted, S.H. & Roos, N. & Hassan, N., 1997. "The role of small indigenous fish species in food and nutrition security in Bangladesh," Naga, The WorldFish Center, vol. 20(3/4), pages 82-84;102-1.
    2. Bailey, Conner & Jentoft, Svein, 1990. "Hard choices in fisheries development," Marine Policy, Elsevier, vol. 14(4), pages 333-344, July.
    3. Ellis, Frank & Bahiigwa, Godfrey, 2003. "Livelihoods and Rural Poverty Reduction in Uganda," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 31(6), pages 997-1013, June.
    4. Reddy, S. R. C. & Chakravarty, S. P., 1999. "Forest Dependence and Income Distribution in a Subsistence Economy: Evidence from India," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 27(7), pages 1141-1149, July.
    5. Delgado, Christopher L. & Hopkins, Jane & Kelly , Valerie & Hazell, P. B. R. & McKenna, Anna A. & Gruhn, Peter & Hojjati, Behjat & Sil, Jayashree & Courbois, Claude, 1998. "Agricultural growth linkages in Sub-Saharan Africa:," Research reports 107, International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI).
    6. Jean‐Philippe Platteau, 1989. "The Dynamics of Fisheries Development in Developing Countries: A General Overview," Development and Change, International Institute of Social Studies, vol. 20(4), pages 565-597, October.
    7. Smith, I.R., 1979. "A research framework for traditional fisheries," Monographs, The WorldFish Center, number 12304, April.
    8. Bailey, Conner & Cycon, Dean & Morris, Michael, 1986. "Fisheries development in the Third World: The role of international agencies," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 14(10-11), pages 1269-1275.
    9. Neiland, A. E. & Jaffry, S. & Kudaisi, K., 1997. "Fishing income, poverty and fisheries management in north east Nigeria," Discussion Papers 124., Centre for the Economics and Management of Aquatic Resources.
    10. Thorpe, Andy & Reid, Chris & van Anrooy, Raymon & Brugere, Cecile, 2005. "When fisheries influence national policy-making: an analysis of the national development strategies of major fish-producing nations in the developing world," Marine Policy, Elsevier, vol. 29(3), pages 211-222, May.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Pierre Morand & Amaga Kodio & Neil Andrew & Famory Sinaba & Jacques Lemoalle & Christophe Béné, 2012. "Vulnerability and adaptation of African rural populations to hydro-climate change: experience from fishing communities in the Inner Niger Delta (Mali)," Climatic Change, Springer, vol. 115(3), pages 463-483, December.
    2. Christophe Béné & Derek Headey & Lawrence Haddad & Klaus Grebmer, 2016. "Is resilience a useful concept in the context of food security and nutrition programmes? Some conceptual and practical considerations," Food Security: The Science, Sociology and Economics of Food Production and Access to Food, Springer;The International Society for Plant Pathology, vol. 8(1), pages 123-138, February.
    3. Quddus, Abdul & Jui, Nusrat Zahan & Rahman, K.M.M. & Rahman, Mizanur, 2018. "Gender Role In Pond Fish Culture In Terms Of Decision Making And Nutrition Security," Bangladesh Journal of Agricultural Economics, Bangladesh Agricultural University, vol. 38(1-2), September.
    4. Béné, Christophe & Belal, Emma & Baba, Malloum Ousman & Ovie, Solomon & Raji, Aminu & Malasha, Isaac & Njaya, Friday & Na Andi, Mamane & Russell, Aaron & Neiland, Arthur, 2009. "Power Struggle, Dispute and Alliance Over Local Resources: Analyzing 'Democratic' Decentralization of Natural Resources through the Lenses of Africa Inland Fisheries," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 37(12), pages 1935-1950, December.
    5. Marion Comptour & Sophie Caillon & Leonor Rodrigues & Doyle McKey, 2018. "Wetland Raised-Field Agriculture and Its Contribution to Sustainability: Ethnoecology of a Present-Day African System and Questions about Pre-Columbian Systems in the American Tropics," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 10(9), pages 1-23, August.
    6. Kawarazuka, N., 2010. "The contribution of fish intake, aquaculture, and small-scale fisheries to improving nutrition: A literature review," Monographs, The WorldFish Center, number 38968, April.
    7. Christophe Béné & Richard M. Friend, 2011. "Poverty in small-scale fisheries," Progress in Development Studies, , vol. 11(2), pages 119-144, April.
    8. Zamboni, Nadia Selene & Noleto Filho, Eurico Mesquita & Carvalho, Adriana Rosa, 2021. "Unfolding differences in the distribution of coastal marine ecosystem services values among developed and developing countries," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 189(C).
    9. Dugan, P. & Delaporte, A. & Andrew, N. & O'Keefe, M. & Welcomme,R. & UNEP & The WorldFish Center, 2010. "Blue harvest: inland fisheries as an ecosystem service," Monographs, The WorldFish Center, number 39222, April.
    10. BΘnΘ, C. & Chijere Asafu, D.G. & Allison, E.H. & Snyder, K., 2012. "Design and implementation of fishery modules in integrated household surveys in developing countries," Monographs, The WorldFish Center, number 39853, April.
    11. Dalton Belmudes & Fernanda S. David & Fernando H. Gonçalves & Wagner C. Valenti, 2021. "Sustainability Analysis of the Production of Early Stages of the Atlantic Forest Lambari ( Deuterodon iguape ) in a Public Hatchery at a Rainforest Conservation Area," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(11), pages 1-12, May.
    12. Béné, Christophe & Lawton, Rebecca & Allison, Edward H., 2010. ""Trade Matters in the Fight Against Poverty": Narratives, Perceptions, and (Lack of) Evidence in the Case of Fish Trade in Africa," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 38(7), pages 933-954, July.
    13. Olale, Edward & Henson, Spencer, 2013. "The impact of income diversification among fishing communities in Western Kenya," Food Policy, Elsevier, vol. 43(C), pages 90-99.
    14. Obed Adonteng‐Kissi & Barbara Adonteng‐Kissi, 2018. "Precarious work or sustainable livelihoods? Aligning Prestea's Programme with the development dialogue on artisanal and small‐scale mining," Natural Resources Forum, Blackwell Publishing, vol. 42(2), pages 123-137, May.
    15. Mkuna, Eliaza & Baiyegunhi, Lloyd JS, 2020. "Impact of Nile perch (Lates niloticus) overfishing on fishers’ income: Evidence from Lake Victoria, Tanzania," African Journal of Agricultural and Resource Economics, African Association of Agricultural Economists, vol. 15(3), September.
    16. Barbara Ntombi Ngwenya & Ketlhatlogile Keta Mosepele & Lapologang Magole, 2012. "A case for gender equity in governance of the Okavango Delta fisheries in Botswana," Natural Resources Forum, Blackwell Publishing, vol. 36(2), pages 109-122, May.
    17. Béné, Christophe & Arthur, Robert & Norbury, Hannah & Allison, Edward H. & Beveridge, Malcolm & Bush, Simon & Campling, Liam & Leschen, Will & Little, David & Squires, Dale & Thilsted, Shakuntala H. &, 2016. "Contribution of Fisheries and Aquaculture to Food Security and Poverty Reduction: Assessing the Current Evidence," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 79(C), pages 177-196.
    18. Hartje, Rebecca & Bühler, Dorothee & Grote, Ulrike, 2018. "Eat Your Fish and Sell It, Too – Livelihood Choices of Small-Scale Fishers in Rural Cambodia," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 154(C), pages 88-98.

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. BΘnΘ, C. & Chijere Asafu, D.G. & Allison, E.H. & Snyder, K., 2012. "Design and implementation of fishery modules in integrated household surveys in developing countries," Monographs, The WorldFish Center, number 39853, April.
    2. BΘnΘ, C. & Russell, A.J.M., 2007. "Diagnostic study of the Volta Basin fisheries: Part 2 Livelihoods and poverty analysis, current trends and projections," Monographs, The WorldFish Center, number 38823, April.
    3. Christophe Béné & Richard M. Friend, 2011. "Poverty in small-scale fisheries," Progress in Development Studies, , vol. 11(2), pages 119-144, April.
    4. Bene, Christophe, 2003. "When Fishery Rhymes with Poverty: A First Step Beyond the Old Paradigm on Poverty in Small-Scale Fisheries," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 31(6), pages 949-975, June.
    5. Md. Nur Mozahid & Jasim Uddin Ahmed & Maksuda Mannaf & Sharmin Akter, 2018. "Role of Small Scale Fishing on the Livelihood Improvement of Haor Fishermen: An Empirical Evidence from Bangladesh," American Journal of Economics and Business Administration, Science Publications, vol. 10(1), pages 1-10, August.
    6. Béné, Christophe & Belal, Emma & Baba, Malloum Ousman & Ovie, Solomon & Raji, Aminu & Malasha, Isaac & Njaya, Friday & Na Andi, Mamane & Russell, Aaron & Neiland, Arthur, 2009. "Power Struggle, Dispute and Alliance Over Local Resources: Analyzing 'Democratic' Decentralization of Natural Resources through the Lenses of Africa Inland Fisheries," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 37(12), pages 1935-1950, December.
    7. Squires, Dale & Grafton, R. Quentin, 1998. "Where the Land Meets The Sea: Integrated Sustainable Fisheries Development and Artisanal Fishing," University of California at San Diego, Economics Working Paper Series qt93d6156d, Department of Economics, UC San Diego.
    8. Conner Bailey, 1988. "The political economy of fisheries development in the third world," Agriculture and Human Values, Springer;The Agriculture, Food, & Human Values Society (AFHVS), vol. 5(1), pages 35-48, December.
    9. Jean‐Philippe Platteau, 1989. "The Dynamics of Fisheries Development in Developing Countries: A General Overview," Development and Change, International Institute of Social Studies, vol. 20(4), pages 565-597, October.
    10. Allison, E.H., 2011. "Aquaculture, fisheries, poverty and food security," Monographs, The WorldFish Center, number 39575, April.
    11. Guerrero, Daniel & Franco-Jaramillo, Marcela & Rosell, Jordi, 2018. "The lack of alternative income sources: The case of ornamental fishing in the Inirida fluvial confluence, Colombian Amazon," Economia Agraria y Recursos Naturales, Spanish Association of Agricultural Economists, vol. 17(02), January.
    12. Langyintuo, Augustine S. & Mungoma, Catherine, 2008. "The effect of household wealth on the adoption of improved maize varieties in Zambia," Food Policy, Elsevier, vol. 33(6), pages 550-559, December.
    13. Buys, Piet & Chomitz, Ken & Dasgupta, Susmita & Deichmann, Uwe & Larsen, Bjorn & Meisner, Craig & Nygard, Jostein & Pandey, Kiran & Pinnoi, Nat & Wheeler, David, 2006. "The economics of decentralized poverty-environment programs: An application for Lao PDR," Journal of Policy Modeling, Elsevier, vol. 28(7), pages 811-824, October.
    14. Ministry of Agriculture (Liberia), 2007. "Comprehensive Assessment of the Agriculture Sector in Liberia : Volume 1, Synthesis Report," World Bank Publications - Reports 7677, The World Bank Group.
    15. Mackenzie, Catrina A. & Ahabyona, Peter, 2012. "Elephants in the garden: Financial and social costs of crop raiding," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 75(C), pages 72-82.
    16. Pervin, R. & Wahab, M.A. & Fatema, K. & Khan, M.S.R., 2012. "Effects of addition of mola at different densities on production of giant freshwater prawn," Journal of the Bangladesh Agricultural University, Bangladesh Agricultural University Research System (BAURES), vol. 10.
    17. Vincent-Paul Sanon & Raymond Ouedraogo & Patrice Toé & Hamid El Bilali & Erwin Lautsch & Stefan Vogel & Andreas H. Melcher, 2021. "Socio-Economic Perspectives of Transition in Inland Fisheries and Fish Farming in a Least Developed Country," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(5), pages 1-34, March.
    18. Pinstrup-Andersen, Per, 2000. "Food policy research for developing countries: emerging issues and unfinished business," Food Policy, Elsevier, vol. 25(2), pages 125-141, April.
    19. Charles Augustine Abuka & Michael Atingi-Ego & Jacob Opolot & Marian Mraz, 2007. "The impact of OECD Agricultural trade liberalization on poverty in Uganda," The Institute for International Integration Studies Discussion Paper Series iiisdp208, IIIS.
    20. Santotomas Licimaco Aguilar-Pinto & Julio Cesar Quispe-Mamani & Dominga Asunción Calcina-Álvarez & Nelly Jacqueline Ulloa-Gallardo & Roxana Madueño-Portilla & Mindi Fabiola Lizárraga-Álvarez & Adderly, 2023. "Public Services in the Household and Their Effect on Poverty, Analysis for the Peruvian Case, 2021," Social Sciences, MDPI, vol. 12(6), pages 1-23, June.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:eee:jfpoli:v:34:y:2009:i:1:p:108-118. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Catherine Liu (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.elsevier.com/locate/foodpol .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.