As a response to the devastating result of the armed conflict between the Philippines government forces and members of the Maute Group which forced thousands of families to flee Marawi City and its nearby municipalities in Lanao del Sur in 2017 resulting to a serious threat to food security in the affected areas, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO-UN) put forth efforts and resources to procure inputs for the immediate restoration of agricultural livelihoods and food security of affected population. The FAO project team’s coordination with government partners and local NGO partners led to the identification of the farmers and fisherfolks affected by the Marawi conflict. The FAO provided technical assistance and fisheries inputs for the recovery and restoration of the livelihoods of the affected fisherfolks. Most of these fisherfolks are residents of the municipalities of Marantao and Ditsaan-Ramain in Lanao del Sur.
The fisherfolks in Marantao were given five (5) fish cage units while those in Ditsaan-Ramain were given six (6) fish cage units and six (6) fish pen units. The fish cage and pen units were constructed with sufficient quantity of bamboo poles, plastic drum floaters, concrete sinkers, and quality fish netting materials. Each fish cage or pen unit was also provided with ten-thousand (10,000) sex-reversed male tilapia fingerlings and seventy-two (72) bags of tilapia feeds; which sums up to 200,000 tilapia fingerlings and 1,224 bags of feeds. One-hundred (100) sets of fish gill nets and fish pots were also provided to the fisherfolks. The distribution of all inputs to the fisherfolk beneficiaries was completed in December 31, 2018.
This paper presents the project management strategies employed, main findings and conclusions, and recommendations noted during the conduct and execution of the fisheries component of this livelihood support project.