Fisher socio-economic wellbeing and coping IMBIZO III-Workshop 3 Mohamed Munas Centre for Poverty Analysis
Rationale People are not passive during conflict contexts Avoidance, containment and confrontation Dearth of literature on coping strategies becoming (more) sustainable livelihoods Fisher households chosen because of its importance in the conflict affected North and East (64% of the fish from N&E) The relative isolation of the fishers in the North and East Now having to compete with their Southern counterparts who are ahead in the race
Longitudinal survey Three conflict affected districts in the North and East Mannar, Jaffna and Trincomalee 2 DS divisions each 1400 sample-data collection complete Will be revisited in 2015 Random method of household selection Cross country survey tool with customised sets of questions included to capture the local context Analysis on going at present-initial analysis is being presented to the main stakeholders this week in Colombo
Map of Sri Lanka
Longitudinal Survey Research question what do livelihood trajectories in conflict-affected situations tell us about the role of governments, aid agencies, markets and the private sector in enabling people to make a secure living?
Explaining people's livelihoods status i) differences between households (household factors) ii) contextual factors iii) the shocks experienced by a household and the coping strategies used to deal with shocks v) social protection vi) livelihoods services
SAMPLE/HOUSEHOLD PROFILE
Distribution of households by Primary Occupation and district
Distribution of households by Primary Occupation and Ethnicity
Secondary occupation Fishing hhs show relatively lower engagement in secondary occupation
Average household size Fisher household size relatively larger
Level of Education by primary occupation Fisher households feature highest in the no schooling category and in the 1-9 category
Distribution of children who are not enrolled in school Children from fisher households show higher incidence of no schooling/drop outs
VULNERABILITY
Food insecurity by ethnicity
Food insecurity by district Given that almost half of the sample in Mannar and fisher hhs, implications for food insecurity
Fisher Household Food Insecurity Status Indications of food insecurity and coping strategies are mixed across and within districts. A larger percentage (10%) Fisher Households in Mannar and compared to (4%) in Trincomale had to reduce the number of meals eaten in a day over 10 day in the last month
Distribution of households by type of shock Floods and inflation/price hikes identified as crucial
300 Coping strategies- How did the hhs deal with this 250 200 150 100 50 not relavant eat less withdraw children and sell assets other use savings migration for seek bond borrowing money 0 Livestock/ crop disease Flood Drought Sudden health problem or accident Long term health problem Death of family member Inflation and price hikes Loss of work Loss of land/ of a assets household member
Support Sought from Importance of informal networks such as family
Borrowings by household type fisher and non fisher Borrowed from money lender 40.0% 35.0% 30.0% 25.0% 20.0% Borrowed from savings group 15.0% 10.0% Borrowed money from informal lender 5.0% 0.0% Fisher Borrowed from employer Borrowed from family
On coping strategies Borrowings sourced both formally and informally Implications for longer term vulnerability Cycle of debt mainly from the employer
Purpose of borrowing by type of hhfisher and non fisher Borrow money for productive purpose 60.0% 50.0% 40.0% 30.0% Borrow money for other purpose 20.0% 10.0% 0.0% Borrow money for immediate basic needs Fisher Non-fisher Borrow money to meet Educ exp Borrow money to meet health exp
Livelihood related support services Fuel subsidy Beacon lights Seed & tools 25.0% 20.0% 15.0% Agric extension Fert subsidy Financial management 10.0% 5.0% Credit general 0.0% Fisher Non-fisher Skills training Transportation of fish harvest Fisher extension services Market infrastructure Road from landing site Ice factory Landing site Given prominence of price hikes fuel subsidy is important
Recipients of Social Services Employee pension 25.0% Drinking water 20.0% Old age pension 15.0% Sanitary facilities 10.0% 5.0% Dissability allowance 0.0% Fisher Non-fisher Fisher housing Fisher pension scheme Samurdhi Fisher loan scheme Fisher insurance scheme
Synthesis of the discussion Fisher household vulnerability Vulnerability caused by exogenous events such as floods and price hikes more than endogenous factors Higher number of dependents based on the household size Lower level of education of adults and higher rates of school drop outs Lower secondary occupation Short term and long term implications for household well-being Lower education levels limitations for diversifying into a multiple income portfolio and moving into value addition Dependence on employer leading to chronic indebtedness Given the high reliance on fuel subsidy, the implications in case of it being discontinued Importance of informal networks and sources of support when there is a shock
Livelihood related coping strategies Invest in less capital intense and relatively less risky ventures Migration and wage work Shift from deep sea fishing to coastal fishing Implication of identity on coping Muslims and Sinhalese mainly involved in trading because they could easily move through check points Changes in identity -switching between languages according to the audience
Thank you!