A new data hub helps small-scale fishers adapt to climate change – Mongabay

Report on Digital Innovations for Sustainable Small-Scale Fisheries

Introduction: Addressing a Critical Gap in Food Systems and Sustainable Development

Small-scale fisheries, which account for approximately 40% of the global fish catch, represent a food production system highly vulnerable to the impacts of climate change. A significant data deficit has historically hindered governments’ ability to support these communities in adaptation and sustainable management. To address this challenge and advance several Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), the global research partnership CGIAR has launched its Asia Digital Hub. This initiative convenes policymakers, scientists, and the private sector to scale digital solutions for food systems, with a strong focus on achieving sustainability and resilience.

The Peskas System: A Tool for SDG Advancement

Core Functionality and Implementation

A key tool developed by the Hub is Peskas, an open-source system designed for near real-time monitoring of small-scale fisheries. Its implementation marks a significant technological leap from traditional paper-based, annual reporting to dynamic, automated data analysis. In a notable case study in Zanzibar, the system is being integrated with government frameworks.

• 100 fishing vessels have been equipped with trackers.
• Data collectors at 30 landing sites use tablets to record catch information, including species, weight, and length.
• The Peskas system automatically analyzes and displays statistics, providing unprecedented insights into fishing activities.

Direct Contributions to SDG 14: Life Below Water

The Peskas initiative directly supports the targets of SDG 14 by providing the timely and reliable data necessary for effective fisheries management. By replacing inefficient annual reporting with real-time monitoring, the system empowers decision-makers to:

1. Identify the location and productivity of fishing grounds.
2. Manage fish stocks more effectively to prevent overfishing.
3. Fulfill national and international reporting obligations for the conservation and sustainable use of marine resources.

Broader Impacts Across Multiple Sustainable Development Goals

Enhancing Food Security and Livelihoods (SDG 2 & SDG 1)

By improving the management of fisheries, Peskas contributes to SDG 2 (Zero Hunger) by securing a vital source of nutrition for millions. Furthermore, it supports SDG 1 (No Poverty) by ensuring the long-term viability of fishing livelihoods. In Malaysia, a pilot project with the JARING association demonstrated how the data can be used to verify fisher operations for licensing and prevent the misuse of fuel subsidies and living allowances, ensuring economic benefits are distributed equitably.

An Integrated Approach to Development (SDG 5, SDG 9, SDG 13)

The Asia Digital Hub’s vision extends beyond catch monitoring to create a holistic data environment that addresses interconnected development challenges. This aligns with a multi-faceted approach to the SDGs.

• Climate Action (SDG 13): The data provides critical information for communities to build resilience and adapt to the effects of climate change on marine ecosystems.
• Gender Equality (SDG 5): The Hub actively seeks to integrate data on women’s empowerment within aquatic food systems.
• Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure (SDG 9): The Hub promotes innovation through accessible technology, including a portable genome sequencing toolkit for aquatic animal health and open-access educational courses.

Fostering Global Partnerships and Future Growth

Strengthening South-South Cooperation (SDG 17)

The Peskas system, first developed in Timor-Leste in 2016, exemplifies a successful model for partnership and knowledge sharing. Its expansion and adoption highlight a commitment to SDG 17 (Partnerships for the Goals).

• Current Expansion: The system is being implemented in Zanzibar, Malawi, Kenya, and Mozambique.
• Future Interest: Brunei, Djibouti, and Ethiopia have expressed interest in adopting the technology.

This collaborative framework is expected to enhance cooperation between countries in the Global South, promoting open-source solutions and advancing Africa’s fisheries monitoring and climate adaptation capabilities.

Conclusion: User-Centric Digital Transformation for a Sustainable Future

The success of digital tools like Peskas hinges on a user-centric design philosophy. For digital transformation to be effective, solutions must be co-designed with the communities they serve, ensuring that small-scale fishers are not merely data providers but active participants in creating systems that meet their needs. The Asia Digital Hub’s approach demonstrates that targeted digital innovation, grounded in collaboration and local realities, is a powerful catalyst for achieving the Sustainable Development Goals, from protecting life below water to ending poverty and hunger.

Analysis of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in the Article

1. Which SDGs are addressed or connected to the issues highlighted in the article?

1. SDG 1: No Poverty
   • The article mentions that digital monitoring could help governments verify fishers’ operations for “living allowances,” directly connecting to social protection systems aimed at poverty reduction among fishing communities.
2. SDG 2: Zero Hunger
   • The article focuses on small-scale fisheries, which account for “40% of the global fish catch,” highlighting their importance as a “food production system.” The initiative aims to improve the management of this food source and also integrates data on “household nutrition.”
3. SDG 5: Gender Equality
   • The Asia Digital Hub’s scope extends beyond catch monitoring to “integrate data on… women’s empowerment,” indicating a focus on understanding and improving the role and status of women within food systems.
4. SDG 9: Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure
   • The entire article is centered on the development and scaling of “digital solutions” like the Peskas open-source system. It highlights scientific research, technological development (genome sequencing tool kit), and increasing access to information and communications technology for fisheries management.
5. SDG 13: Climate Action
   • The article explicitly states that small-scale fisheries are “one of the food production systems most vulnerable to climate change” and that a key goal of the initiative is to “help fishers adapt.”
6. SDG 14: Life Below Water
   • The core purpose of the Peskas tool is to enable “near real-time monitoring of small-scale fisheries” to provide “timely, reliable information they need to manage fisheries better.” This directly addresses the need to regulate harvesting and maintain the health of marine ecosystems.
7. SDG 17: Partnerships for the Goals
   • The initiative is a collaboration between multiple stakeholders, including the “global research partnership CGIAR,” WorldFish, policymakers, scientists, communities, the private sector, and NGOs like JARING. The article also notes the goal of fostering “better cooperation between countries in the South.”

2. What specific targets under those SDGs can be identified based on the article’s content?

1. Target 1.3: Implement nationally appropriate social protection systems and measures for all, including floors, and by 2030 achieve substantial coverage of the poor and the vulnerable.
   • The article suggests that data from Peskas could help governments “verify fishers’ operations for licensing and prevent abuse of subsidized fuel and living allowances,” which are forms of social protection for vulnerable fishing communities.
2. Target 2.3: By 2030, double the agricultural productivity and incomes of small-scale food producers, in particular women, indigenous peoples, family farmers, pastoralists and fishers…
   • The Peskas system provides data on “fishing grounds along with their productivity,” which helps fishers and managers make better decisions to sustain and potentially increase yields and incomes from small-scale fisheries.
3. Target 5.b: Enhance the use of enabling technology, in particular information and communications technology, to promote the empowerment of women.
   • The article states that the Asia Digital Hub aims to “integrate data on… women’s empowerment,” linking the use of digital technology directly to understanding and promoting gender equality.
4. Target 9.5: Enhance scientific research, upgrade the technological capabilities of industrial sectors in all countries…
   • The creation of the Asia Digital Hub by the CGIAR research partnership and the development of the Peskas tool are direct efforts to enhance scientific research and upgrade technological capabilities in the fisheries sector.
5. Target 13.1: Strengthen resilience and adaptive capacity to climate-related hazards and natural disasters in all countries.
   • The article identifies small-scale fisheries as being “most vulnerable to climate change” and explicitly states the initiative’s goal is to “help fishers adapt,” which directly aligns with building resilience and adaptive capacity.
6. Target 14.4: By 2020, effectively regulate harvesting and end overfishing, illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing…
   • The Peskas system is designed to provide “timely, reliable information” to “manage fisheries better.” By monitoring catch data and fishing locations, it directly supports the regulation of harvesting to ensure sustainability.
7. Target 14.b: Provide access for small-scale artisanal fishers to marine resources and markets.
   • By providing data on productive fishing grounds and improving overall management, the system helps secure the access of small-scale fishers to marine resources. The article also notes that fishers should “help design things,” ensuring the tool meets their needs.
8. Target 17.16: Enhance the global partnership for sustainable development, complemented by multi-stakeholder partnerships…
   • The Asia Digital Hub is described as bringing together “policymakers, scientists, communities and the private sector,” which is a clear example of a multi-stakeholder partnership for sustainable development.

3. Are there any indicators mentioned or implied in the article that can be used to measure progress towards the identified targets?

1. Indicator for Target 14.4 (Proportion of fish stocks within biologically sustainable levels):
   • The data collected by Peskas, including “species, weight and length” of fish caught, and information on “fishing grounds along with their productivity,” serves as a direct input for assessing the health and sustainability of fish stocks.
2. Indicator for Target 2.3 (Productivity of small-scale food producers):
   • The catch information recorded by data collectors can be used to measure the productivity of small-scale fishers (e.g., catch per boat, per day).
3. Indicator for Target 9.c (Proportion of population covered by a mobile network):
   • The implementation of the Peskas system, which involves “100 fishing boats out of Zanzibar… equipped with trackers” and “data collectors use tablets,” implies the use of and access to digital infrastructure and can be measured by the number of users and devices deployed.
4. Indicator for Target 17.6 (Number of science and/or technology cooperation agreements):
   • The expansion of Peskas from Timor-Leste to “Zanzibar, Malawi, Kenya and Mozambique, with interest from Brunei, Djibouti and Ethiopia” is a measurable indicator of South-South cooperation and technology transfer.
5. Indicator for Target 5.b (Proportion of individuals who own a mobile telephone, by sex):
   • While not explicitly stated, the goal to “integrate data on… women’s empowerment” implies a need to collect data on women’s access to and use of the digital tools being deployed, which would serve as an indicator.

4. Summary Table of SDGs, Targets, and Indicators

Source: news.mongabay.com