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WADAF, a regional ngo in support of artisanal fisheries
Its vision :
* A society in which artisanal fisheries contributes to the dignity of professionals capable of organising themselves to :
improve their living conditions and that of their families;
* take charge of their destiny and defend their interests;
* enjoy the consideration that is due them so that their concerns are taken into account in national development policies and during public debates of the civil society as well as in national and international political circles.
Its composition
* WADAF is composed of NGOs, artisanal fisheries professional organisations and natural persons, and its founding members are :
- credetip/Centre de Recherche et d'Etude pour le Développement des Technologies Intermédiaires des Pêches/ Senegal
- Inades-formation/Institut Africain pour le Développement Economique et Social / network of NGO’s in 10 African countries with headquarters in Cote d’Ivoire
- cua/crédit union association Ghana.
- ceasm/Association pour le Développement des Activités Maritimes/ France.
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WADAF has expanded its membership since January 2000, and now includes 4 professional Organisations, 7 NGO’s, 1 public institution and 9 natural persons from many countries of the sub-region (Benin - Guinea - Senegal - The Gambia - Mauritania - Nigeria - Togo - Ghana).
Its objectives:
Contribute to :
- food security in West Africa by improving the post-harvest utilisation of artisanal fish products and promoting intra-regional fish trade;
- the emergence of socio-professional groups capable of defending their interests and intervening in government policies affecting them;
- the emergence of supporting structures to professional organisations of artisanal fishery;
- the setting up of communication networks among operators in the artisanal fisheries sector;
- the organisation of a platform of debate and dialogue between public and private operators in the West African Region, institutions, organisations and enterprises involved in the development of artisanal fisheries.
- the compilation of studies and prospectives collective thinking sessions on the sector;
- achieving West African regional integration from the grassroots.
Its experiences
- WADAF has several years of experience in artisanal fisheries in all the 16 countries of the region under the Regional Programme for the "Improvement of Post-Harvest Utilisation of Artisanal Fish Catches" (WARF), 1994/2000.
- WADAF has developed several regional networks to support its actions :
- Network of artisanal fisheries journalists in West Africa;
- Network of technologists in artisanal fisheries;
- Network of NGO’s and institutions support of Artisanal Fisheries;
- Network of experts in savings and credit;
- Network of resource persons specialised in the Participatory Rapid Appraisal (PRA);
- Network of experts in post-harvest loss assessment.
- WADAF, with assistance from the natural Research Institute (NRI) of Great Britain, is the first West African institution to initiate a methodology in the field;
- WADAF has based its action on building the organisational capacity of artisanal Fisheries Professionals, with the conviction that without the grassroots stakeholders, there can be no sustainable development.
Its activities
1- Technology
- Extension of improved fish smoking technologies (Chorkor Oven, Banda Oven, etc.).
- Construction and extension of insulated containers for the preservation of fresh fish on-board, storage and transports;
- Sensitisation and training in the control of insect infestation of fish;
- Formulation and development of a post-harvest loss evaluation methodology. 2 - Communication
- Exchange and dissemination of fish trade information;
- Exchange and dissemination of general and technical information;
- Forums of discussion on major artisanal fisheries issues.
- Media :
* Bonga Bulletin (English - french),
* local radio stations (local language broad casts),
* Use of other media (TV, Radio, Newspaper),
* Website,
* Technical and economic Reports,
* Directory of West African Artisanal fisheries Professonal Organisations...
3 - Training
* Training in different areas of artisanal fisheries (business management, savings and credit, simplified accounting, participatory diagnosis, institutional capacity building, technology transfer, grassroots organisations, etc.).
4 - Studies
* Compilation of studies and collective thinking sessions on various aspects of the artisanal fisheries sector (fisheries policies, economics, sociology, anthropology, environment, credit, etc.).
Its means of action
* A General Assembly of Associates (corporate and natural persons) determined to support Artisanal Fisheries.
* A 9-member Executive Board.
* An Executive secretariat in constant touch with the POs and Associated Partners in the 16 ECOWAS countries.
* The effective support of friendly financial partners in the artisanal fisheries sector.
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