WP7 Socio-economics
Work-package leader: Egerton University (contact: njeriwamuhia@yahoo.com )The overall objective of this work package is to assess the economic viability, social acceptance and ethical issues (including ownership, gender and community-related issues) of the BOMOSA scheme in all three countries. These findings will be combined with results of the environmental, productivity and institutional investigations from previous work packages to produce a series of accumulative reports documenting the extent of success and the potential for broad take up of the BOMOSA scheme as a contributor to food security and poverty alleviation in East Africa. The WP will produce a model for sustainable propagation of the BOMOSA scheme within the context of a Technology Implementation Plan. Furthermore, policy recommendations for decision-makers at local, regional and national levels will be produced describing the potential benefits, as well as the necessary obligations associated with widespread implementation the BOMOSA scheme.
Baseline data of economic viability and social acceptance: The first task of this WP will be to analyze the experience gained with the trial BOMOSA sites to establish baseline data in terms of economic viability and social acceptance including identification of any ethical and/or property ownership issues. The economic viability and social acceptance will be assessed through means of community surveys where the existing plots are located. The end result of this task will be a set of targets defined in both economic and social acceptance terms (e.g. complementary integration with the broader community farming system) that new BOMOSA sites are to meet.
Analysis of market conditions for BOMOSA fish products: The demand for the fish produced within the BOMOSA scheme will indeed be a key success factor. This begins at the local (mostly fresh consumption, but also preservation for own consumption) but will also include local, regional and possibly national markets for the fish produced within BOMOSA scheme. This includes information on preferences, prices and quantities for the different products (e.g. fresh, smoked, dried, salted) from the cultured species of fish and for the various markets that could be established around the new BOMOSA plots. This task will be performed in close cooperation with each of the Plot Committees. This task will include the following activities: (i) assess BOMOSA plots data to determine the turnover cycles in a year/season e.g. what harvest volume and frequency would be sufficient to gain farmer confidence in the BOMOSA scheme, (ii) determine the timing of processes under different farmer and livelihood conditions in the communities where the new BOMOSA plots are established and (iii) research to understand seasonal and geographic effects on market demand and prices.
Assessing social acceptance and ethical issues: BOMOSA sites will be assessed in terms of social acceptability and ethical, ownership and community-related issues in order to identify and solve any potential conflicts at an early stage. This will include gender related issues, as well as additional income vs. social impacts ("livelihood effects"). This task will be achieved through discussions with the individual Plot Committees and other key stakeholders through surveys at local community level. This task will include field research to understand the social, cultural, esteem and gender factors that may influence the successful implementation on the BOMOSA and participatory sessions to assess community acceptance of the BOMOSA and understand their social and cultural concerns with the project.
Cost-benefit analysis of BOMOSA schemes: This task concerns summarizing all costs associated with the BOMOSA scheme ranging from production, processing and distribution costs, associated environmental impacts (limited to impacts directly related to the water bodies) and any social / ethical costs. This will be compared with a range of direct and indirect benefits (nutritional, social, economic, recreational etc.) for local communities and regional development on the whole.
Technology Implementation Plan (TIP): It is anticipated that BOMOSA scheme should be scaled up within East Africa after completion of the project and the plan to achieve this will be described within the context of a Technology Implementation Plan (TIP). This will include evaluation of various up-scaling scenarios, opportunities, risks and threats and identification of system limitations. Suggestions for incentive schemes and possible inclusion of micro-financing institutions and other promotion agencies will be investigated. A review will be made of MDG's and PRSP targets in the countries to ensure the project fits within each country's poverty alleviation targets and policy recommendations will be made to improve institutional conditions (e.g. public-private partnerships) to achieve widespread take up. This would include the following activities: (i) to understand the institutional environment and policy framework; local government, national and regional government focus (including the current water policy in Kenya which encourages water harvesting and specifies that water abstraction permits will be issued only seasonally, the land policy proposals on maximization of land use), (ii) development of micro-financing schemes to enable broad take up of BOMOSA at community and farmer levels in the three countries, (iii) assessment of Intellectual Property Rights (IPR), ensuring that IPR development within the project is respected and that possible avenues of commercialization of the scientific results are explored and integrated into the overall business model associated with the TIP.
