Fisheries Learning Exchanges: a Short Guide to Best Practice

FISHERIES LEARNING EXCHANGES A SHORT GUIDE TO BEST PRACTICE

a GARTH CRIPPS/BLUE VENTURES

FISHERIES LEARNING EXCHANGES A SHORT GUIDE TO BEST PRACTICE

Lead author Steve Rocliffe

Contributing authors Katie Thompson Lekelia D. Jenkins Shawn Peabody Brian Jones

Published by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations and Blue Ventures Conservation Rome, 2018 Required citation: Rocliffe, S. 2018. Fisheries learning Under the terms of this licence, this work may be copied, exchanges: a short guide to best practice. Rome, FAO. Licence: redistributed and adapted for non-commercial purposes, CC BY-NC-SA 3.0 IGO. provided that the work is appropriately cited. In any use of this work, there should be no suggestion that FAO endorses The designations employed and the presentation of material any specific organization, products or services. The use of the in this information product do not imply the expression of any FAO logo is not permitted. If the work is adapted, then it must opinion whatsoever on the part of the Food and Agriculture be licensed under the same or equivalent Creative Commons Organization of the United Nations (FAO) concerning the license. If a translation of this work is created, it must include legal or development status of any country, territory, city or the following disclaimer along with the required citation: area or of its authorities, or concerning the delimitation of its “This translation was not created by the Food and Agriculture frontiers or boundaries. The mention of specific companies or Organization of the United Nations (FAO). FAO is not products of manufacturers, whether or not these have been responsible for the content or accuracy of this translation. The patented, does not imply that these have been endorsed or original [Language] edition shall be the authoritative edition. recommended by FAO in preference to others of a similar nature that are not mentioned. Disputes arising under the licence that cannot be settled amicably will be resolved by mediation and arbitration as The views expressed in this information product are those described in Article 8 of the licence except as otherwise of the authors) and do not necessarily reflect the views or provided herein. The applicable mediation rules will be policies of FAO. the mediation rules of the World Intellectual Property Organization http://www.wipo.int/amc/en/mediation/rules ISBN 978-92-5-130589-8 (FAO) and any arbitration will be conducted in accordance with © FAO 2018 the Arbitration Rules of the United Nations Commission on International Trade Law (UNCITRAL).

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This handbook provides guidance on developing, implementing, evaluating and sustaining fisheries learning exchanges (FLEs). A collaboration between FAO, the NGO Blue Ventures and the research initiative FLExCELL, it draws on experiences from dozens of learning exchanges over the past decade to provide actionable, accessible advice and best practices.

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While anyone seeking to better understand FLEs will find The guide is structured as a simple ten-step process covering the information presented here of use, the guide is aimed the major activities that should be undertaken before, during primarily at practitioners such as NGOs and government and after a learning exchange. workers acting as technical partners to fishing communities in tropical developing countries. 1. Develop objectives 2. Assemble the team By blending research into FLE best practices with extensive 3. Select participants insights from the field, this guide provides you with the 4. Make logistical arrangements necessary tools and guidance to develop effective learning 5. Design the activity programme exchanges. Because no two FLEs will be the same, it adopts a 6. Prepare for the learning exchange comprehensive but not prescriptive approach with a focus on 7. Implement the learning exchange flexibility and the need to consider differing contexts. 8. Document and measure 9. Debrief 10. Keep up momentum

The steps provide in-depth guidance on best practices and common pitfalls, as well as links to other useful resources. You’ll also find a detailed checklist with practical reminders of the most important steps involved in successfully organizing learning exchanges.

We hope you find this guidebook useful in your knowledge sharing efforts and welcome your thoughts and feedback at [email protected].

iii THE TEN STEPS

01 Develop objectives 02 03 04 Assemble the Select Make logistical team participants arrangements 05 06 07 Design the activity Prepare for the Conduct the programme learning exchange learning exchange 08 09 10 Document and Debrief Keep up measure momentum

iv CONTENTS

iii ABOUT THIS GUIDE iv THE TEN STEPS

1 FISHERIES LEARNING EXCHANGES: AN INTRODUCTORY Q&A

3 Case study one: learning exchange benefits

5 TIPS FOR SUCCESSFUL LEARNING EXCHANGES

8 BEFORE THE LEARNING EXCHANGE

9 01 Develop objectives

10 02 Assemble the team

11 03 Select participants

13 04 Make logistical arrangements

15 05 Design the activity programme

17 06 Prepare for the learning exchange

19 DURING THE LEARNING EXCHANGE

20 07 Conduct the learning exchange

22 08 Document and measure

23 AFTER THE LEARNING EXCHANGE

24 09 Debrief

25 10 Keep up momentum

26 REFERENCES AND RESOURCES

27 CONTRIBUTING ORGANIZATIONS

28 APPENDIX: BEST PRACTICE CHECKLIST

v ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

The authors gratefully acknowledge the 2013 FLExCELL This guide was produced and funded by the “Enhancing the workshop participants for their insightful ideas and contribution of small-scale fisheries to food security and contributions: Dennis Abrahams,Fernando Bretos, Noe sustainable livelihoods: FAO SSF Guidelines Implementation Bustamante Flores, Nancy Daves, Wes Erikson, Will Heyman, Support Project” (GCP/GLO/645/NOR) under the FAO Amy Hudson Weaver, Noah Idechong, Mitchell Lay, Jesus Umbrella Programme for the Promotion and Application of Lucero, William Maheia, Shawn Peabody, Nicolas Pilcher, the SSF Guidelines. The focus of the programme is ensuring Joseph Quinata, Cathlyn Stylinski, Steven Victor, Johnny Wong that national and regional policies embrace the principles Sin Fatt, and Nathalie Zenny. Thanks also must go to the of the SSF Guidelines and to promote the sustainable use of following for helpful comments and discussions on this Guide: aquatic resources for secure livelihoods. The contribution by Xavier Vincke, Kitty Brayne, Marc Fruitema, Alasdair Harris, the government of Norway is gratefully acknowledged. Charlie Gough, Garth Cripps, Lena Westlund, Joseph Zelasney, Rupert Quinlan.

vi FISHERIES LEARNING EXCHANGES AN INTRODUCTORY Q&A INTRODUCTORY Q&A

1. WHAT IS A FISHERIES 3. WHAT ARE SOME OF THE LEARNING EXCHANGE? ADVANTAGES OF AN FLE?

A fisheries learning exchange, or FLE, brings together FLEs are a relatively recent innovation, and the evidence representatives from different communities to share base is still emerging. But researchers and practitioners knowledge and expertise in fisheries management and marine are finding that they can be a valuable way to advance conservation. fisheries management efforts. The hands-on, peer-to-peer learning environment created by a learning exchange helps Contexts and precise definitions vary, but an FLE generally participants to learn better, improves their information has two central components: travel and knowledge exchange. retention, and may also increase their enthusiasm for the A “typical” exchange, so far as one exists, would see fishers, topic. The sharing of challenges as well as benefits helps leaders and other members of one community (the visiting communities to prepare for, or even avoid completely, these community) travel to another (the host community) to learn challenges themselves. about a successful fisheries management approach. Through a programme of field visits, workshops, practical activities By building confidence and capacity, and motivating and one-to-one dialogue, fishers from the visiting community individuals to act, learning exchanges can also translate this learn the benefits, drawbacks and enabling conditions of the increased knowledge into action, with positive results for approach, with a view to adopting it upon their return home. fisheries management and conservation at the site level. Moreover, where learning exchanges lead to adoption of To date, most FLEs have been organized by conservation successful approaches at multiple sites, they may even organizations and networks of fishing communities, but other catalyse change at the institutional level. actors also initiate learning exchanges. They are sometimes known as look-and-learn visits, study tours, cross-visits or South–South exchanges. 4. ARE THERE ANY

DRAWBACKS TO FLES? 2. WHICH COMMUNITIES CAN BENEFIT FROM FLES? FLEs can be expensive undertakings, particularly when they are international in scope. For organizers, the costs for travel, accommodation, administration, facilitation and translation can be considerable. For participants, giving up FLEs offer benefits to a wide range of communities interested fishing for the duration of the learning exchange may lead to in curbing overfishing or using marine resources more an unacceptably high level of foregone income, while long- sustainably, but they may be particularly useful in relatively distance travel can be tiring. One informal survey in May 2013 small and homogenous contexts where there are legal and put the average spending per participant across four FLEs at institutional frameworks supportive of community-based USD 2 700 (Jenkins et al., 2017), though it’s possible to reduce management. FLEs can be successful in other circumstances, this cost, especially when participants are from neighbouring but lead times will generally be longer. Communities that regions of the same country. are larger tend to be more complex, while those in countries where resource management is not devolved to the local level Where contexts of the exchanging communities differ will likely need government support and involvement to first considerably, there is an additional risk of unintended develop appropriate procedures and policies. consequences. For example, during a learning exchange between octopus fishing communities in southwest Madagascar and Mexico, the Malagasy fishers learned a new fishing method from their Mexican counterparts, which, if implemented in Madagascar, could negatively impact stocks there. Though such a situation has not yet come to pass, this case suggests that the outcomes of learning exchanges might not always be universally positive.

2 CASE STUDY ONE: LEARN- ING EXCHANGE BENEFITS

In Madagascar, FLEs have been instrumental in driving an unprecedented expansion in local fisheries management and conservation initiatives that has led to policy change at the national level.

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Since 2004, the small-scale fishing communities of The apparent successes of both Velondriake and the Andavadoaka in southwest Madagascar have been closures that preceded it have led other communities to implementing periodic fishery closures for the reef octopus follow suit. To date (2017), more than 190 LMMAs, many Octopus cyanea, a regionally important species that is both of them encompassing temporary octopus closures, have consumed locally and sold for export to southern Europe. been established. Together, these areas now cover 14.5 percent of Madagascar’s continental shelf (14 023 km2) and The closures, defined areas that typically comprise 20–25 are the dominant form of marine resource management percent of a community’s overall octopus fishing grounds, in the country. Similar regimes have spread to the United are usually in place for 2–3 months at various times of Republic of Tanzania, Mayotte, Mexico, Mauritius, Indonesia year. When well managed, evidence suggests that they can and Mozambique. improve fisher catches and income. An analysis of eight years of data found that octopus landings increased by As a result of this expansion, the Malagasy Government more than 700 percent in the month following the lifting of has introduced new policies to improve the sustainability of a closure, boosting the catch per fisher per day by almost the octopus fisheries and committed to a tripling of marine 90 percent over the same period. protection, with a focus on locally centred approaches.

The closures form the foundation of the Velondriake It’s unlikely that the octopus closures and the LMMAs that Locally Managed Marine Area (LMMA), a 640 km2 followed would have spread so far and so fast without the protected area in which destructive practices such as use of FLEs, illustrating their importance as a catalyst for poison fishing and the use of beach seine nets have been broader-scale change. Over the past decade, an estimated banned. Seven marine reserves permanently off limits to 550 fishing community representatives have visited all fishing have been established, in addition to the periodic Andavadoaka to learn about octopus closures and LMMA octopus closure areas. Velondriake is managed at the local establishment, to discuss management issues, and to level, with an elected association of village representatives witness the reopening of a closure. (the Velondriake Association) responsible for all regulations and enforcement. Support and technical backstopping is provided by the UK NGO Blue Ventures.

3 INTRODUCTORY Q&A

5. WHAT ARE THE DIFFERENT TYPES OF FLE?

There are three main types of FLE, a model transfer exchange, a reciprocal exchange and a congress-style exchange. Each type can be national or international in scope, depending on whether or not all of the participants are from the same country.

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MODEL TRANSFER EXCHANGE CONGRESS-STYLE EXCHANGE In a model transfer exchange, a community delegation visits During a congress-style exchange, fisheries stakeholders a model community to learn about a management solution. from several communities come together in a central location For example, the Environmental Defense Fund (EDF) brought to share experiences, information and best practices. For fisheries stakeholders (government officials, leaders of example, a workshop at the 2012 IUCN World Conservation fisher cooperatives and associations, and representatives Congress in Jeju, South Korea brought together 17 community from conservation NGOs) from around the world to British fishery leaders from across the South Pacific, western and Columbia, Canada to see the benefits of a catch share system central Indian Ocean, Caribbean and Central America. The for themselves. On their return home, several participants delegates exchanged best practices, lessons learned and went on to establish similar programmes, thereby transferring common challenges in community fisheries management, and the model to their own communities. explored the possibility of establishing a global network (as yet unrealized) aimed at facilitating the sharing of timely and RECIPROCAL EXCHANGE relevant information. Reciprocal exchanges involve representatives from two or more communities visiting each other to exchange A congress-style exchange typically does not include site experiences and insights, typically with a view to developing visits to see management strategies in action, and therefore solutions to shared issues. For instance, between 2005 and more closely resembles a conference or workshop in terms 2007 communities from Hawaii, Japan and Mexico visited of its organizational challenges. The focus of this guide is each other to discuss challenges related to bycatch mitigation. on the development and organization of model transfer This process led to significant decreases in bycatch mortality and reciprocal exchanges. For guidance on congress-style of loggerhead sea turtles in Mexican waters and laid the exchanges, a number of excellent resources already exist, groundwork for introducing turtle-friendly nets in including The World Bank’s The Art of Knowledge Exchange Japanese fleets. handbook (World Bank, 2016).

4 FISHERIES LEARNING EXCHANGES TIPS FOR SUCCESSFUL EXCHANGES

5 TIPS FOR SUCCESSFUL LEARNING EXCHANGES

Every FLE is different. Contexts, activities, objectives and logistical requirements all differ, as does the definition of success. In the short term, for instance, a successful learning exchange might be one in which participants return to their communities feeling motivated to take action, and armed with tangible experiences and lessons learned from similar communities that they can apply at home. In the long term however, that same learning exchange would need to turn knowledge and motivation into fisheries management and conservation action in order to be considered a success. Despite this variation, seven general principles for successful learning exchanges have emerged from FLE research and practice. These principles are summarized in this section.

1. HAVE A CLEAR 2. START 3. SEARCH FOR A OBJECTIVE EARLY SIMILAR CONTEXT

It’s obviously very difficult to evaluate Learning exchanges, particularly when Learning exchanges tend to work best the success of an FLE without knowing they involve international travel, require when the communities participating are what you’re setting out to achieve. It’s a huge amount of time and effort. It’s similar, so strive to engage communities absolutely vital to craft a clear objective easy to underestimate the resources with comparable culture, language and that aligns with the wishes of the required to develop and implement background. It’s also helpful if both communities involved. them successfully, and in many cases, communities target similar species (e.g. doing so means taking field staff away sea cucumber or octopus) in similar STEP 1 PROVIDES MORE from their day-to-day obligations to places (e.g. on a coral reef or in a INFORMATION ON THIS. focus on the learning exchange. As mangrove), and using similar gear (e.g. a such, it’s important with any exchange spear or handline). to estimate not only the cost, but the opportunity cost as well – i.e. what your The more aligned the communities, staff could be doing instead – before the faster the learning exchange may you decide whether to proceed. It’s progress and the more likely it will often a good idea to bring in at least one lead to sustained improvements in new staff member dedicated entirely fisheries management or community to exchange organization, thereby conservation. Blue Ventures has found minimizing any burden on field teams. that learning exchanges between Key staff should consider beginning similar octopus fishing communities work on the exchange at least a year in southwest Madagascar led to before the first visit is slated. better outcomes more rapidly than international exchanges between STEPS 2 AND 4 COVER communities with very different PLANNING IN MORE DETAIL. contexts (see Case study 1). However, be careful that the exchanging communities aren’t too similar, or there may be too significant an overlap between their experiences for the learning exchanges to be worthwhile.

6 3. sufficiently respected by the community that their messages will be listened to and acted on. 4. FIND FUNDING It’s also a good idea to select at least one participant known to be sceptical and unafraid of asking difficult questions. If a learning exchange can convince the village’s most ardent Aside from being time-consuming, learning exchanges can be sceptic of the benefits of improved fisheries management, it extremely expensive. Costs will vary depending on distance will be easier to convince others who are also hesitant. between communities, length of visit and which country is the host, but you should budget for up to USD 3 000 per visiting SEE STEP 3 FOR MORE ADVICE ON participant to cover logistical costs such as transport, food, SELECTING PARTICIPANTS. accommodation and translation. Costs for host participants will be much lower but can still be significant, especially if participants take part in organized activities away from their villages. Follow-up activities may also require additional budget, particularly if none of the partners has a presence in 6. CREATE A LEVEL the host and visiting communities. You should also consider compensating exchange participants for their time spent PLAYING FIELD not working. The amount should be agreed in advance, be in accordance with the local context and be high enough to make the learning exchange attractive to the participant, but It’s crucial in any FLE that both the hosts and the visitors not so generous as to encourage a culture of compensation. feel their opinions and experiences are equally valued. Here, as in so many aspects of a learning exchange, detailed Otherwise there is a possibility that resentment will creep in, knowledge of the participating communities is essential. reducing the likelihood of a positive outcome. To help avoid this, activities should be planned to allow a free-flowing, STEP 1 PROVIDES MORE INFORMATION ON multidirectional exchange of information among peers. THIS. Similarly, a facilitator should be selected who is impartial, . respectful, constructive and preferably able to speak the languages of both communities.

5. SELECT PARTICIPANTS Accommodation can also be used to create a level playing CAREFULLY field. If the visiting participants are all put up together in a guesthouse for example, there is a danger that this might reinforce or engender a feeling of otherness or inequity. Selecting participants is one of those tasks that can make Consider accommodating visitors with host families or in or break a learning exchange. In many cases the objective other homestays. Doing so can break down barriers between of an FLE will be to improve fisheries management or exchanging communities and also build empathy and trust. conservation in at least one of the participating sites. At the community level, it’s therefore vital to ensure that there is STEPS 4 AND 5 COVER THIS IN MORE DETAIL. already at least some degree of interest in locally led natural resource management in both communities. In a model transfer exchange the host community must be supportive, have relevant experience and be honest about their model – especially its challenges. It’s also crucial to avoid visiting the 7. DON’T FORGET THE same model community too frequently, as this runs the risk that they may grow tired of hosting. A better approach might FOLLOW-UP be to use a rotating selection of communities who previously visited a host community and successfully transferred the model to their context. These communities will be motivated Follow-up after an FLE is crucial. The supporting organization to host by the sense of accomplishment of having gone from must ensure that participants have understood key messages, exchange attendee to host community. synthesised what they’ve learned, and are comfortable leading discussions in their own communities. When it comes to selecting participants, a high level of local knowledge is required. To maximize the chances of a STEPS 9 AND 10 FOCUS ON FOLLOWING UP. successful outcome, participants should be

1. sufficiently well-informed to understand the key messages of the learning exchange; 2. seen as legitimate in the eyes of the community – while exchanges should include a wide variety of participants, the majority of those taking part should ideally be fishers;

7 BEFORE THE EXCHANGE

01 Develop objectives 02 03 04 Assemble Select Make logistical the team participants arrangements 05 06 07 Design the activity Prepare for the Conduct the learning programme learning exchange exchange 08 09 10 Document and Debrief Keep up measure momentum

8 01: DEVELOP OBJECTIVES

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COMMON OBJECTIVES IS A LEARNING EXCHANGE THE At the heart of any successful exchange is a clear and well- RIGHT APPROACH? crafted objective. The overarching objective of most FLEs is to Once you’ve decided on your objectives, it’s time to reflect encourage certain actions or behaviours, but they can have a on whether an FLE is the best way to meet them. Consider, wide range of more specific objectives. For example for example, whether increased technical support might be cheaper and more effective. If you have identified a possible exchange site for your community to visit, are their safety 1. To develop support for marine conservation and fisheries concerns or strict visa requirements which could render a management initiatives learning exchange too challenging? 2. To develop support for fisheries interventions with the potential to curb overfishing and lead to sustainable use FUNDRAISING 3. To create a forum for dialogue, encouraging fishers to talk Once you have set your objectives and determined that a about their problems and propose solutions learning exchange is the best way to meet them, it’s time to secure funding. Learning exchanges can be very costly. For 4. To introduce sustainable alternatives to fishing, for those involving international travel, you might need to budget example aquaculture or ecotourism up to USD 3 000 per participant. In addition, you may need to 5. To share information about fishing gear in order to include provisions for translation and facilitation, and provide decrease bycatch per diems for all those taking part. You should also think about how the learning exchange will be communicated externally When developing your objectives, ensure that the needs of (e.g. to funders). For example, having a videographer the community are placed front and centre. Talk to community accompany the exchange can be useful, but will add members and ascertain where their particular interests lie. significant expense. Also bear in mind that you have no way of knowing what will happen during the learning exchange itself. Despite your stated objectives to develop support for marine conservation and fisheries management initiatives among your community, you may well discover during the learning exchange that there is greater interest in alternative livelihood activities. Make sure that your objectives leave you with room to be responsive and flexible to the desires of the group.

9 02: ASSEMBLE THE TEAM

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The majority of FLEs will involve different NGO and/or In the case of a model transfer exchange, it’s possible that the government partners supporting each of the participating original funding proposal may have overlooked how the model communities. So, as a first step, it’s important to pull together hosts might also benefit from the exchange. If this is the case, an exchange committee composed of a balanced mix of staff it’s important to understand what the host community is keen from each partner organization. Ensure that field staff are to learn from the visitors and ensure this is incorporated into adequately represented. They will know the community the planning during early committee meetings. best and be able to advise you on what is feasible in terms of itineraries and participants. In the early stages of the process, Similarly, it’s also worth establishing at this stage whether the exchange committee does not need to meet regularly; the participating NGOs are interested in aspects of the once a month is typically about right. However, as the first other community that fall outside the stated objectives of exchange visit nears, the meetings will necessarily become the learning exchange. For example, a host community may more frequent as the workload demands. have a successful ecotourism initiative in addition to those targeting fisheries management. While the visiting NGO may Early committee meetings should start as close to receipt of have determined, in discussion with the community, that such funds as possible and should be used to determine resource an initiative is not the right fit for that community, they may allocations, funding splits and financial processes. Should one themselves wish to learn more, with a view to determining its NGO pay for everything, and book flights and accommodation? potential for other communities they support. Will local costs be covered by the host NGO, or should the visiting NGO pay its own way and claim reimbursement afterwards? If the latter, is it necessary to set a daily rate for major items like food? Being upfront about this and deciding it early on will avoid misunderstandings down the line.

10 03: SELECT PARTICIPANTS

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With resource and funding allocations decided, the next major 5. People on very restricted diets. Food in a host community task is participant selection for the learning exchange. This may be completely different from what visitors are used may seem straightforward in theory, but it’s enormously to, and far more limited in terms of options. As such, challenging in practice, and all too easy to get wrong. Here are people with unusual dietary requirements may struggle some pitfalls and groups to be wary of. with what’s on offer. 6. Government officials. Involving government workers in

GARTH CRIPPS/BLUE VENTURES 1. Failing to consult the community widely. If you only ask a learning exchange can be vital, especially in contexts community leaders who they think should participate, where national legal frameworks may not be amenable there’s a danger you’ll just regurgitate existing power to community-led management. However, in situations structures: i.e. the most powerful families will be the ones where there is little engagement between the state and who attend. local institutions, or where there is an established history 2. Educational bias. Don’t select participants on the basis of of local-level resource management, participants may educational attainment alone. While it’s important that feel reluctant to share information in front of government they are able to grasp the nuances of what they see and officials, so care should be taken when extending an learn, it’s more important that they have the ear of the invitation to them. community, and can relate to what they see (if they fish, for example). Your selection of participants should depend to an extent 3. “Joiners”. Joiners are people who are members of every on the objectives of the learning exchange and your existing association or initiative. They are often the first to relations with the community you’re accompanying. volunteer and tend to be enthusiastic advocates, all of which gives them the appearance of a perfect candidate. If you know the community particularly well, you could But if their community knows them as individuals identify which subgroups you’d like to see represented in the who agree with everything, they may not trust joiners learning exchange – for example a young fishers’ group or when they later try to convince them of the benefits of women’s organization – and approach them directly. In other community fisheries management. circumstances, ask the community as a whole, but brief them 4. Older people, new mothers, or those with health first. Explain the types of people you want. Ask members problems. Learning exchanges, particularly those that to make a long list and then have them vote anonymously are international in nature, often involve extensive travel, for their favourites. Be as community-led as possible in and can be very tiring. Where the respective contexts of the selection process, especially when you don’t know the exchanging communities are quite different, stress arising community well. from cultural and geographical unfamiliarity can be an issue.

11 exchanges (it costs the same to hire a minibus irrespective of whether it’s transporting 5 people or 25), experience suggests that it’s more important to identify participants with the social capital to motivate their community to action, rather than obsess over numbers. That said, larger communities with more committees, cooperatives and other local-level institutions are more complex, and may therefore benefit from a larger exchange delegation.

INVOLVE WOMEN You should always strive to ensure adequate representation GARTH CRIPPS/BLUE VENTURES for women in your exchange group, but this can be challenging. In many developing countries, women are often Irrespective of your knowledge level, here are some key responsible for the day-to-day functioning of the family. Thus pointers for selecting participants. it can be difficult for them to leave behind daily household management and child care responsibilities to participate in a IDENTIFY THE INFLUENCERS learning exchange. Culturally, younger women may need to be Participants should be trusted sources of information in accompanied by a chaperone (whose costs would need to be their communities, with sufficient influence and standing to accounted for in any budget). In addition, some men may be enact change if required. They should be observant, willing to uncomfortable at the thought of their wives travelling to other speak in front of groups, energetic, and not afraid to ask lots places without them, placing additional pressures on families. of questions. Ideally, you want someone who the community feels understands their best interests, evaluates things When it comes to determining who to select, it’s important critically (but with an open mind), and can be trusted. It’s also to remember that a women’s organization is rarely a important to select participants who are likely to stay in the representative sample of women in a given community. To village over the long term. avoid resentment, try to ensure as much as possible that everyone has an equal chance of participation. SELECT THE SCEPTICS EDUCATION IS IMPORTANT It’s a good idea to pick individuals who aren’t convinced by the objectives. These types of people will often be the first to While it’s more crucial to ensure that exchange participants oppose a management or conservation measure, so turning have a sufficient standing in the community to spread ideas them into early advocates is enormously advantageous. If you and enact change effectively, they must nevertheless be can convince the sceptics, you can convince anyone. informed enough to understand and apply the key messages of the learning exchange. If the exchange is international in FIND THE FISHERS scope, work with the committee to establish what the primary language will be, and try to ensure as much as possible that Fishers often make the best exchange participants, as participants are fully fluent in it. It’s also important that they they have the skills and experience to gain a detailed are receptive to working with the NGO partner to refine the understanding of the initiatives in the host community, and messages that they bring back from the learning exchange to will often share a similar socio-economic background with their communities, in order to maximize the likelihood that their exchange counterparts. these will then adopt sustainable fishing practices.

ENSURE YOUR GROUP IS DIVERSE IT’S A MIX While it’s a good idea to have plenty of fishers in your It’s unlikely that you’ll be able to identify a single person who exchange party, it’s important that other voices are not possesses all of these traits, but you should strive to make crowded out. Different people provide different perspectives, sure that each participant has as many of them as possible. and successful learning exchanges often include non- Ultimately, as long as the group as a whole covers all these fishers such as traditional leaders or members of women’s bases, your chances of a successful outcome will be increased. organizations. There are no hard and fast rules, but a good rule of thumb is to ensure that no more than three-quarters of your group are fishers. Whatever the final makeup of your group, it’s important that the different exchange community groups mirror each other. People feel comfortable when they see people like them, so this helps to ensure that all members of the group feel valued.

DON’T SUPERSIZE Exchange groups should be large enough to disseminate key lessons learned to their community effectively, but not so large that opportunities for one-to-one dialogue with the other community are lost. While it’s often tempting to take advantage of the economies of scale inherent in learning GARTH CRIPPS/BLUE VENTURES

12 04: MAKE LOGISTICAL ARRANGEMENTS

GARTH CRIPPS/BLUE VENTURES

With the exchange groups selected and the objectives not need a visa to visit Indonesia, but Indonesians do need a clarified, it’s time to start work on the logistics. This phase is visa to visit South Africa. among the most time-consuming of the whole process, and it’s vital to ensure that you start it as early as possible. Passports and visas may seem like a relatively trivial part of the entire exchange process, but if they can’t be arranged in ARRANGE VISAS AND PASSPORTS time, the learning exchange won’t be able to proceed. Allow plenty of time for this step. Depending on the country in which you work, you may find that some, many, or even all of your exchange party lack passports. A related problem is that of visas. Rules for citizens DETERMINE WHETHER A SCOPING VISIT IS of many tropical developing countries wishing to visit other REQUIRED countries can be onerous and complex, and may take time to Next, determine whether a scoping visit is needed. Scoping navigate (see Case study 2). visits, where one of the NGO partners visits the other to prepare the ground ahead of the learning exchange, can add A good (though not foolproof) way of assessing whether significant additional expense, especially where international this aspect of the planning process might be particularly travel is required; these should be considered carefully. challenging is to make use of Travelscope’s interactive world passport map. Simply click on any country to see at a glance In situations where the respective contexts of the exchanging which other countries’ passport holders can travel visa-free. communities are quite different, scoping visits may be For example, let’s assume that you want to organize a model particularly useful. For example, in the Madagascar–Mexico transfer exchange that would see a delegation travel from exchange profiled in Case study 2, the project lead from one Mozambique to visit a coastal fishing community in Indonesia. of the Mexican partners travelled to Madagascar ahead of the Simply clicking on Mozambique and then Indonesia will tell first leg of the learning exchange. The time was used to visit you immediately that no visa is required. the exchange community and meet with community partners, government representatives and seafood buyers, and to If you want to plan a return leg that would see the Indonesian build a strong understanding of the country’s environmental delegation visit Mozambique after the original visit to and socio-economic context, communities and fisheries. The Indonesia by the Mozambican exchange party, then you’d results of this scoping were used to develop an itinerary for need to additionally check visa requirements between the first leg of the learning exchange specifically tailored to Indonesia and Mozambique (by clicking on Indonesia, then the needs of both fisher groups, maximizing opportunities to Mozambique) as well as between Mozambique and Indonesia. capitalize on participants’ experience and expertise. They’re not always the same. For example, South Africans do

13 In other cases, especially where budget is a concern, it may be TRAVEL AND ACCOMMODATION a good idea for an NGO partner from the visiting delegation to In the case of international exchanges that require air travel, travel to the host community a few days before the learning the next thing to do is arrange flights. Because flying may exchange itself to help with planning and ensure that the be a novel and tiring experience for some of the exchange needs of both parties will be met by the exchange. participants, it’s important (where possible) to minimize flight times. When selecting a route, try to avoid countries that HEALTH, RISK AND INSURANCE require transit visas, and ensure that flights involving multiple Health, risk and insurance policies will be specific to the carriers are booked on one ticket with baggage checked all the organizations coordinating the learning exchange, but it’s way through. important to ensure adequate coverage. Blue Ventures’ field sites in Madagascar are remote and lack comprehensive All in-country logistics should be handled by the exchange medical facilities. As such, for all communities that visit, the partner based in that country. They know the context and organization insists on travel and health insurance for the may have access to internal flights and local accommodation participants it supports, as well as a basic health screening options that international travel agents will not. The local at a local hospital or private clinic to check for pre-existing partner should organize all ground and air transportation, conditions that may preclude travel, and to recommend including taxis or minibuses to/from airports at the beginning appropriate vaccinations. For participants supported by and end of the learning exchange. partners, Blue Ventures advises a health screening and vaccination assessment, and suggests that any pre-existing For accommodation, try to avoid putting all visiting conditions be checked, noted and considered before travel. participants together in a guesthouse or hotel unless the hosts are also staying there. If facilities permit, consider accommodating visitors with host families in homestays. This can break down social barriers between exchanging communities, and build empathy and trust.

CASE STUDY 2: THE CHALLENGES OF ARRANGING PASSPORTS AND VISAS FOR PARTICIPANTS IN AN INTERNATIONAL EXCHANGE

When the NGOs Blue Ventures, Pronatura Noroeste and Because they also required visas to visit South Africa, they had SmartFish International secured funding for an international to first travel to the South African embassy in the Malagasy exchange between small-scale octopus fishers in Mexico and capital Antananarivo, and to wait there for several days while Madagascar, they did not initially appreciate how much effort their visas were arranged. This whole process added a month and time would be needed to organize visas. and significant additional expense to the return leg, and took time away from preparing the Malagasy participants for The first leg of the exchange took place in August 2015, when cultural differences. The NGO partners began the process of a delegation from the Mexican community visited Madagascar securing visas a full seven months before the Mexican leg of to learn about the short-term octopus fisheries closures the trip, building support for the learning exchange in Mexico carried out there over the past 11 years as a management tool and working with the Mexican ambassador in South Africa to to build catches and income (Case study 1). For this leg, little allow visas to be granted more quickly than normally possible. time was spent on visa logistics, because Mexican passport Without this foresight, it’s likely that the return leg would holders were able to buy a visa upon arrival in Madagascar. have been unable to proceed.

The return leg, which saw the Malagasy participants visit their counterparts in Mexico, was an altogether more challenging affair. Malagasy citizens wishing to visit Mexico require a visa in advance, but, as there is no Mexican embassy in Madagascar, it was not possible to procure one in-country. Instead, the Malagasy delegation had to fly to South Africa to be interviewed for Mexican visas at the embassy in Pretoria.

14 05: DESIGN THE ACTIVITY PROGRAMME

GARTH CRIPPS/BLUE VENTURES

Once the logistics are arranged, the activity programme can participate in practical, field-based activities and giving them be developed. Its make-up will necessarily be driven by the sufficient time to rest, recuperate and reflect on those activities. message to an extent, so it’s important not to have too many messages that you want to convey. Stick with one or two, and PLAN UNSTRUCTURED TIME build the activity programme around them. Allow plenty of opportunities for visitors and hosts to converse and learn from one another. Even traditionally Given that objectives and messages will differ from exchange formal activities like a village orientation for visitors can be to exchange, there isn’t one “right” way to organize a transformed into an opportunity for one-to-one interaction programme. However, these pointers should help to maximize and relationship building. For example, Blue Ventures-hosted the chances of a successful learning exchange. Note that learning exchanges in Madagascar often commence with the structure and relative merits of individual sessions falls members of the host community taking the visitors into the outside the scope of this guide. For detailed information on village, and then leaving them to ask anyone in the village this, please see the World Bank’s guide (World Bank, 2016). any questions they like about local fisheries management and conservation initiatives. Allowing the visitors the chance SEEING IS BELIEVING to engage on their own terms with people who are not part Within any learning exchange, field visits are critical. Try to of the learning exchange sets a tone of inclusivity right from plan activities that allow hosts and visitors to fish together or the beginning, builds trust and transparency, and shows the visit seafood buyers. But even just visiting an area of a reef visitors that the hosts have nothing to hide that’s been closed is much more powerful than just talking about it. Even though participants might not be able to see CONSIDER BANNING POWERPOINT changes to the reef that have resulted from the closure for Classroom sessions are an inevitable part of any learning themselves, a visit can transform it from abstract concept exchange, but they should be as short and informal as to real management intervention, allowing participants to possible, and focused on practical and interactive activities understand the size and physical characteristics of a particular like role plays, games or icebreakers. area. What works best will vary by context, so activities should Be careful of trying to pack too much field time into your be adapted to the needs of the individual communities. For programme, however. Often the most inspiring hands-on some, silly icebreakers can help to build rapport; for others, activities are the most logistically challenging. It’s important storytelling sessions may prove to be more effective. to strike a balance between allowing exchange delegations to

15 It’s best to try to avoid formal presentations as much as It’s also vital that the host community representatives are possible. These can be both time-consuming and motivation- able to speak openly about their failures and challenges. sapping, particularly when translation is required, and Most community members will want to show how well their there’s often a tendency to include too much detail. A visiting initiative is working, and may be reluctant to share things that community is unlikely to need a comprehensive briefing on they are struggling with (like enforcing the rules). Try to select the biological, social and governance dimensions of a host’s hosts who are happy to be honest, and discuss this with them protected area, for example. It’s far better to focus sessions before the learning exchange. on the advantages and challenges of the area, with a view to discussing whether it’s something the visitors might like to try DON’T FORGET FEEDBACK for themselves. Feedback and reflection are among the most important aspects of any exchange programme, but are often the first to In classroom sessions, a picture is worth a thousand words. be culled when an inevitable overrun occurs. To minimize the Encourage hosts and visitors to share pictures of their own likelihood of this, try to solicit feedback informally and on-the- communities and fishing practices. Don’t be afraid to use fly rather than in a formal session on the same day. physical pictures and a hand-drawn map. Beware of using PowerPoint, however: because it’s so easy to add extra slides, presentations that start off as just a few pictures can all too AGREE ON A LANGUAGE easily grow to include management plans and “death by bullet Before the learning exchange begins, identify a working points”! language. Ideally try to find a language that all participants are conversant in. This is rarely possible, however, particularly TACKLE MISCONCEPTIONS when learning exchanges are international in scope. If more than one language is to be spoken, consider hiring Prioritizing field activities and maximizing opportunities for interpreters. You could use willing field staff for this, but one-to-one communication can help to create an environment translation can be a full-time job, so unless the staff are able where the visiting community feels sufficiently comfortable to to put off their usual duties for the duration of the learning voice any concerns about the host community’s management exchange, it’s usually a better idea to use professionals. and conservation initiatives. In the case of a model transfer . exchange it’s important to tackle any concerns and misconceptions, as not doing so will reduce the likelihood of successful adoption by the visiting community. You may need to plan a dedicated session in order to devote ample time to this task.

16 06: PREPARE FOR THE LEARNING EXCHANGE

GARTH CRIPPS/BLUE VENTURES

Once the activity programme has been developed, there are a access to a camera or smartphone. If it’s going to be through few more things to take care of before the FLE kicks off. participatory video diaries, where members of the exchange party film themselves and their reflections and produce DETERMINE COMMUNICATIONS ACTIVITIES a video summary, determine whether there is a need to Decide how you are going to share the learning exchange provide videography training and editing support, and plan with others. Depending on your budget and the objectives of accordingly. See Step 8 for more on this. the exchange, this can range from daily Instagram images, or a post-exchange blog post or news article, right up to a BRIEF THOSE WHO MAY BE AFFECTED videographer accompanying the exchange party. Field staff, government officials and village leaders not involved in the planning of the learning exchange but with DETERMINE MAJOR FOLLOW-UP ACTIVITIES the potential to be affected by it should be briefed on who Develop an overall feedback form, ensure that there are is coming and why, and what their daily schedule will be. Be opportunities during the learning exchange for participants clear that they may need to provide time and support for the to complete the form, and work out how to share the learning exchange, and make sure they’re okay with this. feedback with the exchange committee and the communities themselves after the exchange is over.

It’s crucial at this point to think about how visitors will share their newly acquired experience and knowledge with their own communities. If this is to be done through a guided image slideshow, for example, make sure participants have

17 GARTH CRIPPS/BLUE VENTURES

BRIEF PARTICIPANTS As the starting date of learning exchange approaches, • A copy of the daily schedule/itinerary make sure you brief all participants effectively and arrange • A health and safety briefing, covering cultural dos and translation of materials as necessary. Produce a briefing don’ts, safety tips and full emergency contact details for packet for all visitors and hosts and send it to them before all members of the exchange party. the learning exchange, but also ensure printed copies are available upon arrival. The packet should contain the following • A “who’s who” with information (and pictures if possible) information: on who each of the participants are, what they do, and what they’re hoping to get out of the learning exchange. . • A country briefing, providing standardized information for visitors to the host community. The briefing should Blue Ventures can supply example briefing documents on cover the field sites being visited and provide detailed request. Please email [email protected] for more information on the current status of the programmes at information. each site. It should recommend equipment and clothing for participants to bring, cover arrival and departure Finally, don’t forget to make sure that visiting community processes at borders and airports, and provide up-to- members come prepared with information about their date information on currency, ATMs, and phone and home fishery/community that can be shared with the host Internet access. It’s also a good idea for it to provide an community. Maps, films, photos and stories work particularly overview of internal logistics, including accommodation well. and transport quality, as well as a map of the primary exchange village, and perhaps some key phrases in the local dialect.

18 DURING THE EXCHANGE

19 07: CONDUCT THE LEARNING EXCHANGE

GARTH CRIPPS/BLUE VENTURES

By this point, a lot of the hard work has been done. Objectives tempted to drop feedback sessions; rather solicit feedback have been decided, participants selected and briefed, visas informally on journeys or during moments of downtime. Use procured, flights and accommodation booked, itineraries this information to manage the learning exchange adaptively, finalized and activities planned. and don’t be afraid to change up the programme based on this feedback. Participants will thank you for it, and feel more Now all you have to do is put all the planning into action on motivated and valued as a result. the ground. Things, of course, are rarely so simple. Delayed flights, issues with accommodation and transportation, RECOGNIZE AND CELEBRATE DIFFERENCES participant fatigue, and cultural, linguistic and culinary of a degree of culture clash during an FLE, especially one differences can all conspire to derail your learning exchange. that is international in scope. While your briefing packet The pointers in this section should help to keep things on track should include a summary of potential differences between and maximize the chance of achieving your objectives. the exchanging communities, this may not be sufficient. For example, during a 2017 learning exchange between ORIENT THE PARTICIPANTS fishing communities in the United Republic of Tanzania and One of the first things to do once the exchange participants Madagascar, the Tanzanian delegation asked their Malagasy arrive is to orient them. Not every participant will have had hosts some questions about the funding of their central the opportunity to digest the briefing packet, so it’s a good resource management committee. Unbeknown to the idea to run through key points as a group and clarify anything Tanzanians, this was a sensitive topic, and as such threatened that isn’t clear. This is particularly important on international to create barriers between the two communities. exchanges, where food, language, culture and context may be unfamiliar to visiting participants. Irrespective of the In situations like this, an impartial facilitator is particularly geographic scope of the learning exchange, make sure you beneficial. Sensitive discussions can bring forth new ideas find time during this session to cover any health and safety and solutions, but all too often risk causing conflict. An requirements. experienced facilitator will be able to recognize this and steer discussions in a direction that is beneficial to both parties MANAGE ADAPTIVELY without causing offence. Even the best-laid exchange plans will often go awry. Transport may be delayed, or weather may intervene to interrupt field activities. It’s important when this happens to not stick too doggedly to the itinerary. When it comes to dropping activities, prioritize practical field activities and one-to-one interaction over classroom sessions. Don’t be

20 GARTH CRIPPS/BLUE VENTURES

FIND THE RIGHT BALANCE FOR TRANSLATION Another major challenge in any international exchange This almost certainly meant that some things were lost in is translation. It’s often the case that, despite your best translation, leading to sessions running behind schedule efforts with participant selection, not everyone in the and reducing the immediacy of communication between exchange party will share a common language. It’s often participants. tempting to let willing staff translate in situations like these, particularly where budget is a concern, but this is Therefore, it’s definitely a good idea to invest in almost always a false economy. Translation is tiring, and professional translation. But here too, things are not staff are unlikely to be able to carry out both translation necessarily straightforward. The most efficient method and their work obligations simultaneously. Furthermore, is simultaneous live translation, where participants it may not be possible to find staff who can translate receive immediate translation through an earpiece. directly between the languages spoken during the learning Simultaneous live translation can be difficult to implement exchange. in field contexts and can run contrary to the spirit of a learning exchange, which is supposed to be an informal, For example, during a recent exchange between coastal community-driven approach to knowledge sharing. fishing communities in Mozambique and southwest Optimal solutions should be sought for your learning Madagascar, the main languages spoken were the local exchange. dialects from each village. As such, one member of the party had to translate from the Mozambican dialect to Portuguese, another from Portuguese to English and a third from English to Vezo, the local Malagasy dialect.

21 08: DOCUMENT AND MEASURE

GARTH CRIPPS/BLUE VENTURES

Documenting and measuring the learning exchange is a available, but can be time-consuming and expensive to shoot vital step that is often overlooked. Both the communities and edit. involved and the NGO partners need to do some form of documentation, and how this is best achieved will be PARTNER EVALUATION influenced to a certain extent by the objectives of the learning In many FLEs, the partner organization will need to formally exchange. document and measure the learning exchange to evaluate its effectiveness, and may also wish to communicate the COMMUNITY DOCUMENTATION conclusions and results of the exchange to its supporters. As covered in Step 6, the learning exchange should be documented in a way that allows the participants to share Depending on budget and objectives, evaluation can range their experiences and knowledge with their own communities from a simple feedback form distributed to participants at effectively. As much as possible, this type of documentation the conclusion of an exchange visit, through to a scientifically should be community-led. One of the most common methods rigorous survey programme that interviews a representative is photography. Participants are given a smartphone or sample of participants (both before the learning exchange and camera (if they don’t already have their own) and asked to at regular periods afterwards) to ascertain the extent to which document their experiences. The participants can then work any lasting behaviour change has taken place. Whatever you with their partner NGO to create a slideshow that tells their decide, it’s important to avoid relying on obvious metrics story in a way that accords with the objectives of the learning such as number of participants when assessing effectiveness, exchange. It’s a good idea to also provide printed copies of as this will tell you little to nothing about how effective the the photos if possible, as it’s likely that not all participants will learning exchange actually was. have access to a screen or projector to display soft copies of their images. Ultimately, an FLE is a complex set of processes and interactions. While detailed guidance on designing an Another effective method of documenting a learning evaluation programme is beyond the scope of this handbook, exchange is participatory video. This involves members of an researchers from FLExCELL can be contacted for more exchange party filming themselves and their reflections during information at [email protected] the exchange and producing a summary video to show to their own communities. Participatory video can be very effective in formal community meetings where projection equipment is

22 AFTER THE EXCHANGE

23 09: DEBRIEF

GARTH CRIPPS/BLUE VENTURES

FROM MOTIVATION TO ACTION DON’T DELAY THE DECISION The hard work doesn’t stop when the exchange visitors return Once the speakers have finished, try to ensure that the to their own communities. Even if you’ve set a clear objective, community makes a decision. Aim for a commitment aligned selected the right participants, developed a programme with the objective of the learning exchange at this stage. Avoid focused on practical activities and one-to-one interaction, the trap of having a community that is so enthusiastic that and fostered the perfect learning environment during the it wants to implement a new management or conservation learning exchange, you’ll only have succeeded in motivating the initiative immediately, as any such initiative is likely to involve exchange participants to change their behaviour. How do you consultation with surrounding villages, as well as members translate individual motivation into community-wide action? of the community not present at the meeting. In addition, the Here are a few pointers. community and its technical partners (where they exist) may need to first establish what the procedures or options are HOLD A COMMUNITY MEETING AS QUICKLY for devolving resource management to the local level. On the AS POSSIBLE flip side, an outcome such as “we’ll think about what we’ve Have the exchange party ask the community to convene heard and reconvene in a month” is similarly suboptimal, as a meeting upon their return. The rest of the community motivation will inevitably fade over time. will be wondering how the trip went, so this shouldn’t be a challenging undertaking. At the meeting, have the members DEBRIEF PARTNERS of the exchange delegation report back on the FLE, using the While it’s right to focus the majority of your post-exchange photos or videos you helped them create to tell their story. activities on the participating communities, don’t forget to Hold this debriefing session as soon as possible, while the follow up with the other partner organizations. Convene information is still fresh in participants’ minds and enthusiasm the exchange committee to thank everyone involved and to is still high. Both will fade as days pass. thoroughly debrief. Summarize lessons learned to inform future efforts, and determine a focal point for each partner BRIEF THE SPEAKERS who can be contacted for further information and follow-up. To avoid the risk that speakers at the session will focus on what they did rather than what they learned, brief them beforehand BEGIN IMPLEMENTING and ensure that you are present at the meeting. Ask different If, after the debriefing sessions, all parties remain motivated speakers to talk about different things. The representative from to introduce a new measure from the FLE, then it’s time to the women’s organization can talk about gender equity, for move forward with implementation. Best practices for this example, while the sceptic can focus on his or her objections stage will differ between contexts to an extent, and will often and whether these were overcome. require regular communication between all partners. You’ll find a number of excellent resources in the “References and resources” section of this guide.

24 10: KEEP UP MOMENTUM

GARTH CRIPPS/BLUE VENTURES

If you want to maximize the likelihood that your FLE catalyses communication. Where communities are close to one another behaviour change over the long term, there are few extra and share a common language, regular meetings for peer- activities you should consider. to-peer troubleshooting and knowledge sharing should be encouraged. In other instances, web technologies like REPEAT THE LEARNING EXCHANGE Facebook and WhatsApp can be leveraged to encourage To keep momentum high, consider repeating the learning regular conversation. exchange yearly or every two years. This creates an accountability partner for the implementing community. This is not always simple, however. In Madagascar, for Affirming their commitment to transfer a model to their example, a limited communications infrastructure has made own community is one thing, but returning each year to a it challenging to keep lines of communication open between model community to report on their progress can keep them communities beyond face-to-face meetings held during engaged and accountable. learning exchanges. But in situations where this has occurred, there have been several benefits, for instance enabling model communities to learn how others are transferring their COMMUNICATE REGULARLY approaches to their own contexts. Ultimately, keeping up momentum will require the development of long-term relationships between exchanging communities, and this in turn relies on regular

25 REFERENCES AND RESOURCES

Bretos, F., Ricardo, J. A., Moncada, F., Peckham, S. H., Angulo Thompson, K. R., Heyman, W. D., Peckham, S. H., & Jenkins, Valdos, J. A., Diego, A., & Thompson, K. R. 2017. Fisheries L. D. 2017. Key characteristics of successful fisheries learning learning exchanges and sea turtle conservation: An effort exchanges. Marine Policy, 77, 205–213 (available at https://doi. between Mexico, Cuba and the U.S. to engage Cuban coastal org/10.1016/j.marpol.2016.03.019). communities in non-consumptive alternative behaviors. Marine Policy, 77, 227–230 (available at https://doi. Thompson, K. R., Weaver, A. H., Jenkins, L. D., Zenny, N., org/10.1016/j.marpol.2016.05.022). Pilcher, N. J., Peckham, S. H., & Heyman, W. D. 2017. Guidelines for organizing a fisheries learning exchange. Marine Gardner, C. J., Latham, J. E., & Rocliffe, S. 2017. Intended and Policy, 77, 214–218 (available at: https://doi.org/10.1016/j. unintended outcomes in fisheries learning exchanges: Lessons marpol.2016.06.008) from Mexico and Madagascar. Marine Policy, 77, 219–226 (available at https://doi.org/10.1016/j.marpol.2016.04.040). World Bank. 2016. The art of knowledge exchange : a results- focused planning guide for development practitioners in the Jenkins, L. D., Thompson, K. R., Bourillon, L., & Peckham, water sector. Washington, DC (available at http://documents. S. H. 2017. The scope of fisheries learning exchanges for worldbank.org/curated/en/922981470418822804/ conservation. Marine Policy, 77, 196–204 pdf/107500-WP-PUBLIC-aoke-water-guide-2016-rev2-0.pdf). (available at https://doi.org/10.1016/j.marpol.2016.05.025). WorldFish. 2013. Community-based marine resource Latham, J.E. & Rocliffe, S. 2016. Scaling and sustaining local management in Solomon Islands: A facilitators guide. marine conservation. A Resource Kit for Madagascar 1.0. Based on lessons implementing CBRM with rural coastal London, Blue Ventures Conservation (available at communities in Solomon Islands (2005-2013). CGIAR https://blueventures.org/conservation/toolkits/). Research Program on Aquatic Agricultural Systems, Manual: AAS-2013-17. Penang, Malaysia (available at https://www. Peckham, S. H., Maldonado, D., Matsuzawa, Y., Dean, K., & worldfishcenter.org/content/community-based-marine- Kelly, I. K. 2017. Connecting fishers to conserve a transpacific resource-management-solomon-islands-facilitators-guide- ambassador: A trinational fisheries learning exchange. Marine based-lessons). Policy, 77, 231–237 (available at https://doi.org/10.1016/j.marpol.2016.07.006).

Pomeroy, R.W. & Rivera-Guieb, R. 2005. Fisheries Co- management: A Practical Handbook. Wallingford, UK, CABI Publishing (available at https://www.idrc.ca/en/book/fishery- co-management-practical-handbook).

26 CONTRIBUTING ORGANIZATIONS

STEVE ROCLIFFE/BLUE VENTURES

ABOUT BLUE ABOUT ABOUT VENTURES FLEXCELL THE FAO

Blue Ventures rebuilds tropical Fisher Learning Exchange for Achieving food security for all is at the fisheries with coastal communities, Conservation: an Evaluation of heart of the efforts of the Food and developing human rights-based fisheries Lessons Learned (FLExCELL) is a Agriculture Organization of the United management approaches to sustain multidisciplinary research collaboration Nations – making sure people have local fisheries and safeguard marine launched in 2013 to better understand regular access to enough high-quality biodiversity. the processes required to facilitate food to lead active, healthy lives. effective learning exchanges. A three- Blue Venture’s current models, which phase programme involving a network The Organization’s three main goals include aquaculture, efforts to unlock of FLE practitioners across 13 countries, are: the eradication of hunger, and market the carbon sequestration FLExCELL’s overarching goal is to food insecurity and malnutrition; value of marine vegetation (blue identify and rigorously test FLE best the elimination of poverty and the carbon), ecotourism, integrated practices and make them available to promotion of economic and social conservation and health programming, all. Efforts to date have focused on progress for all; and the sustainable rebuilding fisheries, and locally managed establishing a community of practice management and utilization of natural marine areas, share a common theme and conducting comparative case resources, including land, water, air, of inspiring local leadership in marine studies. Results have been published climate and genetic resources, for management by demonstrating that in a special issue of the journal Marine the benefit of present and future effective marine conservation is in Policy, including papers on the history generations. everyone’s interest. and scope of FLEs, key characteristics of successful FLEs, and guidelines for conducting an FLE (see “References and resources” section for details).

27 FISHERIES LEARNING EXCHANGES A BEST PRACTICE CHECKLIST

28 BEFORE THE EXCHANGE

01 CLEAR BEST WAY FUNDING OBJECTIVES OF MEETING SECURED DEVELOPED OBJECTIVES SHARED

02 EXCHANGE FUNDING EXPENSES COMMITTEE SPLIT PROCEDURE ASSEMBLED AGREED AGREED

03 PARTICIPANTS SELECTED IN ACCORDANCE WITH BEST PRACTICE 04 PASSPORTS SCOPING VISITED HEALTH TRAVEL HEALTH AND VISAS PLANNED SCREENINGS FOR INSURANCE INSURANCE ARRANGED IF NEEDED ALL PARTICIPANTS PROCURED PROCURED UNDERTAKEN WHERE NEEDED WHERE NEEDED

05 ACTIVITY FEEDBACK LANGUAGE FOR PROGRAMME FORMS EXCHANGE DESIGNED CREATED AGREED

06 COMMUNICATIONS FOLLOW-UP FIELD BRIEFING PACK ACTIVITIES ACTIVITIES STAFF FOR PARTICIPANTS DECIDED DECIDED BRIEFED PRODUCED

29 INTERNATIONAL NATIONAL GROUND TRANSPORTATION ACCOMMODATION FLIGHTS BOOKED FLIGHTS BOOKED TRANSPORTATION TO AND FROM ARRANGED IF NEEDED IF NEEDED ARRANGED AIRPORT ARRANGED

30 DURING THE EXCHANGE

07 PARTICIPANTS FACILITATION TRANSLATION ORIENTED EFFECTIVE EFFECTIVE

08 EXCHANGE EXCHANGE DOCUMENTED BY MEASURED & COMMUNITIES EVALUATED BY PARTNERS

AFTER THE EXCHANGE

09 COMMUNITY SPEAKERS METHOD OF PARTNERS DEBRIEF HELD BRIEFED IMPLEMENTING DEBRIEFED LESSONS LEARNED DECIDED

31 This handbook provides guidance on developing, implementing, evaluating and sustaining fisheries learning exchanges (FLEs). A collaboration between FAO, the NGO Blue Ventures and the research initiative FLExCELL, it draws on experiences from dozens of learning exchanges over the past decade to provide actionable, accessible advice and best practices.

BLUE VENTURES CONSERVATION FOOD AND AGRICULTURE ORGANIZATION ISBN 978-92-5-130589-8 [email protected] OF THE UNITED NATIONS +44 (0)20 7697 8598 Viale delle Terme di Caracalla www.blueventures.org 00153 Rome, Italy @blueventures www.fao.org 9 789251 305898 I9601EN/1/10.18