FIAP/C1177 (En) FAO Fisheries and Aquaculture Circular ISSN 2070-6065 PARTICIPATORY RURAL APPRAISAL – VULNERABILITY STUDY OF AYEYARWADY DELTA FISHING COMMUNITIES IN MYANMAR AND SOCIAL PROTECTION OPPORTUNITIES FAO Fisheries and Aquaculture Circular No. FIAP/C1177 (En) PARTICIPATORY RURAL APPRAISAL: VULNERABILITY STUDY OF AYEYARWADY DELTA FISHING COMMUNITIES IN MYANMAR AND THEIR SOCIAL PROTECTION OPPORTUNITIES %\ Aung Kyaw Thein 'LUHFWRU 3\RH3LQ,QVWLWXWH <DQJRQ0\DQPDU Richard Gregory ,QGHSHQGHQW&RQVXOWDQW 3\RH3LQLQVWLWXWH <DQJRQ0\DQPDU Michael Akester &RXQWU\'LUHFWRU :RUOG)LVK <DQJRQ0\DQPDU Florence Poulain )LVKHULHVDQGDTXDFXOWXUHRIILFHU )$2)LVKHULHVDQG$TXDFXOWXUH'HSDUWPHQW 5RPH,WDO\ $QG Romain Langeard ,QGHSHQGHQW&RQVXOWDQW :RUOG)LVK <DQJRQ0\DQPDU )22'$1'$*5,&8/785(25*$1,=$7,212)7+(81,7('1$7,216 5RPH9 Required citation: Thein, A. K., Gregory, R., Akester, M., Poulain, F. and Langeard, R. 2019. Participatory rural appraisal- Vulnerability study of Ayeyarwady Delta fishing communities in Myanmar and social protection opportunities. FAO Fisheries and Aquaculture Circular no.1177. FAO. Rome. 56 pp. Licence: CC BY-NC-SA 3.0 IGO. The designations employed and the presentation of material in this information product do not imply the expression of any opinion whatsoever on the part of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) concerning the legal or development status of any country, territory, city or area or of its authorities, or concerning the delimitation of its frontiers or boundaries. The mention of specific companies or products of manufacturers, whether or not these have been patented, does not imply that these have been endorsed or recommended by FAO in preference to others of a similar nature that are not mentioned. 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Cover photograph: Fisher from Papin Village in Maubin Township, Ayeyarwady, Myanmar (Michael Akester) iii PREPARATION OF THIS DOCUMENT This circular is part of the efforts by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) to explore evidence of the linkages between poverty, social protection and natural resource management with a view to implementing programmes to empower rural communities in the transition to sustainable natural resource management and poverty reduction. In Myanmar, with support from FAO, the WorldFish and the Pyoe Pin Institute carried out a participatory-based vulnerability study to assess the state of social protection and poverty dimensions in the Myanmar fisheries sector. 1 Participatory rural appraisal – Vulnerability study of Ayeyarwady Delta fishing communities in Myanmar and social protection opportunities (PRA-V study) seeks to inform fisheries management and social protection2 processes of the key vulnerability issues faced by fishers at five pilot sites selected for fisheries co-management within the research programme of the Myanmar Department of Fisheries, WorldFish and FAO on an Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research (ACIAR) funded project. An analysis of the PRA-V study information leads to some broad conclusions. The PRA-V study suggests that the most vulnerable communities are in Maubin and Hinthada. In both areas, community fisheries co-management is unlikely enough to reduce household or individual vulnerability significantly. The communities in Thabaung, Labutta and Dedaye appear to offer more livelihood opportunities for local people. In these areas, improving fishing ground access would likely have a positive effect on the overall livelihoods of people. However, the remoteness of the two coastal areas could prohibit social and economic development. The PRA-V study also explored gender vulnerability aspects, focusing on female-headed households and individual women from fisher households. Due to the patriarchal social structure and cultural norms, many female-headed households appear to be more vulnerable than male-headed households. The PRA-V study suggests that there is gender disparity in terms of vulnerability in many communities. Recommendations for further Ayeyarwady fisheries law reforms, fisheries management and social protection interventions that would reduce fisher household vulnerability are included in the discussion section. 1 This is a follow up to the 2015 nation-wide survey and analysis on the dimensions of poverty, vulnerability and social protection in rural communities in Myanmar, which the Myanmar Department of Rural Affairs (DRD) commissioned with the support from the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO): FAO. 2016. Report of the Workshops to present the initial research findings from a nation-wide survey and analysis on social protection and poverty dimensions in support of rural development and poverty reduction in Myanmar, Nay Pyi Taw and Yangoon, Myanmar, 29–30 September 2015. FAO Fisheries and Aquaculture Report No. 1126. Rome, Italy. The survey can be found on line at the following address: http://www.fao.org/3/a-i5348e.pdf 2 Social protection, as defined by the United Nations Research Institute for Social Development, consists of policies and programmes designed to reduce poverty and vulnerability by promoting efficient labour markets, diminishing people's exposure to risks and enhancing their capacity to manage economic and social risks, such as unemployment, exclusion, sickness, disability and old age. v Contents A ronyms ................................................................................................................... ......... ....Ǥv i 1 bbreviation- Introduction and .............................................. ac ................................................................... ...ii 1 1.1. Introduction to the participatory rural appraisal vulnerability study ....................................... 1 1.2. Vulnerability – the Delta context ................................................................................................................ 2 1.3. Objectives and research questions ............................................................................................................ 3 2. Methodology ............................................................................................................ 4 2.1. Participatory rural appraisal levels .......................................................................................................... 4 2.2. Developing participatory rural appraisal vulnerability tools ........................................................ 4 3. Results ...................................................................................................................... 6 Site 1 Inn Gyi Hinthada ................................................................................................................................................... 6 Background to Site 1 ........................................................................................................................................................... 6 Table 2 Inn Gyi village information .............................................................................................................................. 6 Village profile information