ECDT GRANTEES
In 2017, USAID Oceans awarded grants to two organizations to support the development and implementation of the Philippines and Indonesian learning site electronic catch documentation and traceability systems. Each grantee has worked to support local government and industry partners to advance system implementation and piloting.
Masyarakat dan Perikanan, Indonesia (MDPI) was established as an independent foundation to provide on-going care for the conservation of fisheries resources and ecosystems of Indonesia and the region. MDPI supports the development of the fishing communities and supply chains through programs, which support economic improvements and social stability for people. In August 2017, MDPI was awarded a grant by USAID Oceans for the “Initial Pilot Trialing of Catch Documentation and Traceability Systems for Small-scale Fisheries in Bitung, Indonesia.” MDPI’s work under this grant focuses on strengthening fisheries management by coordinating with national and provincial governments and industry stakeholders to implement and test the learning site eCDT system, while also supporting MDPI’s mission of empowering small-scale fishing communities to achieve sustainability by harnessing market forces.
SOCSKSARGEN Federation of Fishing and Allied Industries Incorporated (SFFAII), located in General Santos City, Philippines, was founded as an umbrella seafood industry association with over 100 companies involved in fishing, canning, fish processing, aquaculture production and processing and other allied industries. SFFAII works closely with Philippines Government and the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR). SFFAII works to unite fishing associations and allied industries in SOCSKSARGEN to jointly work for a sustainable and globally competitive industry and to strengthen industry representation and positioning with respect to other players in the world with the end in view of protecting, expanding, and maintaining the country’s strategic lead in the tuna industry.
In October 2017, SFFAII was awarded a grant by USAID Oceans to support eCDT system implementation and demonstration in the program’s General Santos City learning site. Through the grant, SFFAII has worked to engage tuna industry and local government partners in support of eCDT . SFFAII regularly engages partners through multi-stakeholder meetings and provides direct support to USAID Oceans’ “First Mover” partners who are piloting the system.
GENDER GRANTEE
In 2018, USAID Oceans selected organizations to support its human welfare and gender equity objectives in its Philippines and Indonesian learning sites. The grantees will work in 2018-2019 to implement gender equity interventions, engaging women and men for increased welfare within the sector, through program activities for capacity building, advocacy, and empowerment.
The National Network for Women in Fisheries (WinFish) was established in 2000 with the vision to “create a gender-fair society and a gender-responsive fisheries sector.” The organization strives to increase the awareness of women’s roles in fisheries, improve women’s quality of life through advocacy and networking, and develop a more focused direction for fisheries-related activities of women, in partnership with men. WinFish is well-informed of the gender dynamics in the program’s General Santos City, Philippines learning site, as the group partnered with USAID Oceans in 2017 to conduct a Gender Analysis of the General Santos City Fisheries Sector.
EAFM GRANTEES
In 2019, USAID Oceans selected organizations to study the use of electronic catch documentation and traceability (eCDT) data to improve fisheries management in its Philippines and Indonesian learning sites. The grantees will work in 2019-2020 to leverage eCDT data for fisheries management planning, decision making, and policy development.
Mindanao State University Naawan Foundation for Science and Technology Development, Inc. (MSUNFSTDI) was founded in 1992 as a non-profit and non-government organization. MSUNFSTDI works in resource and environmental management to support sustainable fisheries and biodiversity conservation in the Philippines through research and development projects and is funded by a range of institutions, from national government agencies to NGOs and the private sector. Through a long-established relationship with the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR), MSUNFSTDI has been conducting researches and implementing projects in marine resource management and has been able to leverage relevant data and knowledge gained from these projects in the development of fisheries management plans, both ecological and socioeconomic purposes. Previously, MSUNFSTDI has worked on several USAID-DAI (Development Alternatives Inc.) projects under the Department of Environment and Natural Resources-Philippine Environmental Governance (EcoGov) for coastal resources and Marine Protected Areas (MPA) management, coral reef assessment, and fisheries profiling. Under the EAFM grant, in partnership with BFAR the MSUFSTDI team designed, tested, and deployed an innovative data solution in the form of an mobile application dashboard for use by fisheries officers that visualizes and analyzes near-real time eCDT data being collected through the Philippines National eCDT System.
through their previous work with USAID Oceans and extensive projects with other partners, has been working on the development of the fishing communities and supply chains to support economic improvements and social stability for people. MDPI was awarded a grant by USAID Oceans in August 2017 for the “Initial Pilot Trialing of Catch Documentation and Traceability Systems for Small-scale Fisheries” where it leveraged its knowledge and capacity in to support and advance the works of USAID Oceans on eCDT data management, testing, and implementation. Under the grant, MDPI engaged with local and national partners to develop, deploy, and begin piloting of eCDT system technology, Trafiz and TraceTales. The tools help capture and validate key data on products, including legality and movement throughout the supply chain, from the point of harvest to the end consumer. Data collected by these tools will be leveraged under the grant for enhanced fisheries management. Under the EAFM grant, in partnership with the Government of Indonesia the MDPI team designed, tested, and deployed an innovative data solution in the form of a desktop application dashboard for use by fisheries officers that visualizes and analyzes near-real time eCDT data being collected through the Indonesia National eCDT System (e-Logbook and STELINA).