SOI/09/010 - Takwa Community Fishing Project

Country Solomon Islands
Total project budget ($USD) $10,208
Requested funding ($USD) $6,600
03/02/2009
Project development type Fisheries and Aquaculture
Name of Requesting Association Takwa Village
Objective: Employment, income generation and improvement of living conditions by fishing activities and marketing of fresh fish.
Background: The Takwa Community is located in the Malaita Province in Solomon Islands. It is the most heavily populated province in the country. The people in the community live on the coast and depend on marine resources which enable them to earn only a small income, but which is not sufficient to meet the families’ needs. Some of the problems are: lack of appropriate fishing gear and equipment, lack of knowledge on modern fishing technology, no marketing experience. The project is intended to support socioeconomic development in Takwa Community by generating employment and revenue opportunities rather than fish for food. The Project Committee, consisting of 7 members, including Chairman, Project co-coordinator/Treasurer, Project manager (a retired fishery officer) and Secretary, has a good gender balance. The Project Committee will be responsible for the overall supervision and implementation of the project which involves purchasing of required equipment, fishing gear, etc. as well as introducing modern fishing technologies and marketing techniques. The project involves reef fishing, and deep-water fishing targeting on snappers, bonito and tuna. There is a high demand for fresh fish not only at local markets but also at restaurants and hotels, and also in urban areas like Auki, the capital of Malaita Province. A provincial fishery centre, located less than a kilometre away from the project site (Takwa Community), provides ice-block making facilities and cooler facilities. These facilities will be used to store fish before transportation to the local markets, and to urban centres like Auki town, and Honiara, the capital city of Solomon Islands. The main goal of the project is to provide income generating activities that will help to overcome financial constraints in meeting household and family needs. The whole community will benefit by the improvement of village life, i.e. providing better sanitary facilities, water supply, sports facilities and other services. The duration of the project will be approximately 12 months. The community together with the Project Committee will maintain the project after its initial completion.
Use of Funds: The funds will be used to purchase a ray boat, Suzuki OBM engine, gillnets, eskies (coolers), trays, OBM fuel tank, and hardware materials for the construction of a small building for safekeeping of fishing equipment, and containing an office, a storage room and resting area. The community will contribute labour, transport and local materials (timber, sand, gravel).
Beneficiaries: 700