Communities, livelihoods and natural resources

This is a small knowledge sharing project on bush foods which will see communities in the NT and Timor Leste working together on indigenous knowledge.  Each research team will conduct parallel activities in their country and identify when and how the communities want to share their knowledge within the country and with each other.  The project finds ways to promote effective intragenerational knowledge transfers within the community and between the two countries ( at community level). The project will run a workshop on country for communities to talk about bushfoods and IP. As well as workshops and community visits, the communities get a chance to decide which bush food they want to focus on, what they want to do with the knowledge and also look at issues around value chains, IP and supply issues. As much as possible the project is about learning together and sharing while the project is a platform that present resources so communities can achieve their own objective to preserve and transfer their knowledge. The project is funded by ACIAR from August 2023-February 2025 with additional support from RIEL, Charles Darwin University and partners.

The project is led by RIEL Associate Professor Bev Sithole, Aboriginal Research Practitioners Network (ARPNet). The Team includes experienced grassroots practitioners who are leaders in their field, and leading experts on IP from the UNSW. We have partnered with AGORA  who are known leaders for their work with bush foods in Timor Leste. For more information contact, Associate Professor Bev Sithole, ARPNet, Research Institute for Environment and Livelihoods, Charles Darwin University

Email: bevlyne.sithole@cdu.edu.au

The relationship between human society and well-being, coastal and marine economic development, and the natural world is being studied with increased urgency and interest in the Anthropocene. Investigating these relationships from historical, cultural, social, economic, and political perspectives, the Topical Collection in the Maritime Studies journal will showcase multidisciplinary research on ‘Encountering Maritime and Coastal Northern Australia’ to document and analyse issues, priorities, and visions of the North.

Through the Topical Collection, we will debate scholarly and applied perspectives regarding the human dimensions of diverse maritime interactions, experiences, and relationships with the ocean and contemporary issues pertaining to policy, sustainable livelihoods, and societal well-being. The Topical Collection of papers and subsequent workshop will also draw out recent developments, particularly in Indigenous policy and fisheries, marine conservation and management, non-Indigenous maritime sectors and livelihoods, and transboundary fisheries. The Topical Collection will promote social science perspectives and knowledges critical to addressing multiple challenges and making informed decisions for sustainable marine-based livelihoods, management approaches, and environments in the Anthropocene.

Charles Darwin University is funding the program to assist CDU researchers, HDR candidates, adjuncts, and partners in enhancing research capacity, publication, and promotion of their work. The Topical Collection will be edited by Professor Natasha Stacey and Dr Kylie McKenna.

Since the COVID 19 pandemic there has been a recent spike in illegal Indonesian fishing incursions in Australian waters. Both Australia and Indonesia have identified the need to address high numbers of illegal Indonesian small-scale fishing occurring in the Australian Fishing Zone and to provide long term solutions to support sustainable livelihoods of coastal communities in eastern Indonesia.

The overarching aim of this ACIAR funded project (2023-2024) is to identify multiple drivers of illegal Indonesian fishing in the Australian Fishing Zone, and opportunities for gendered livelihood improvement to reduce future illegal activity and improve wellbeing of selected fishing communities in Nusa Tenggara Timor (NTT). This  will engage an Australian and Indonesian multidisciplinary social science research team to build capacity and knowledge to: (a) situate illegal and legal fishing activities within a place-based assessment of livelihood trajectories; (b) identify the changing conditions that have led to the recent increase in illegal activity in Australian waters as a viable livelihood pathway in response to numerous drivers; and c) present an analysis of the research and evaluate opportunities for addressing behavioural drivers in the context of future livelihood interventions. The knowledge contribution of this project is to produce evidence for viable community development and policy alternatives to the enforcement of Australia’s borders.

The project is funded by  the Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research Social Systems Program and is led by Professor Natasha Stacey in collaboration with Dr Dedi Adhuri, BRIN, Indonesia and other RIEL/CDU and Indonesian researchers.

Traditional fishing in the Torres Strait has, and continues to be, an important part of the livelihoods of Torres Strait Islander communities, providing nutrition and other social, cultural, and spiritual benefits. Recreational fishing (non-commercial fishing by non-Torres Strait Islanders) also has a growing impact on fished resources.

The long-term sustainability of fished resources in Torres Strait requires reliable catch data from all fishery sectors, including commercial and non-commercial (Traditional and recreational). This data is not only a priority for key commercial species, such as Spanish mackerel, coral trout, and tropical rock lobster, but also for the many other Traditionally fished species that communities rely on.

Catches from the commercial sectors have monitoring programs in place and these data contribute to assessments that are central to fishery management decisions. However, catches from the non-commercial fisheries are poorly monitored and understood in the Torres Strait, despite making up a substantial part of the total catches. There have been a range of fishery catch surveys for the Traditional fishery in recent decades, however, there has been no suitable data collection for more than 10 years and there is no ongoing targeted monitoring program in place.

Current non-commercial fishery monitoring in the Torres Strait is limited to remote survey effort, on a prorated population size basis, as part of the broader Queensland recreational fishing survey. This survey does not provide reliable estimates for Torres Strait Traditional or recreational fishing due to low numbers of people surveyed and has been assessed as an inappropriate survey design for the Torres Strait Traditional and recreational fishing context (Bedford et al 2021). Consequently, there is a strong need to improve catch monitoring for sustainable management and ensure food security needs for Traditional livelihoods.

A scoping study (Bedford et al 2021) funded by AFMA conducted in 2021 showed:

1. a non-commercial fishery monitoring program is supported by many Torres Strait Islander leaders.
2. a technology-based, self-reporting, information tool, such as an APP, is likely to be the most cost-effective option to meet the needs of Torres Strait Islanders; and
3. a monitoring program and information system would provide many benefits to Torres Strait communities. More detailed information can be found in the project report (Bedford et al., 2021).

This project addresses the next stage in developing a monitoring program to complete a comprehensive and equitable community engagement program throughout all Torres Strait and Northern peninsula communities to seek support for this next step. This engagement will also help design a digital monitoring tool for fish catches that will be appropriate for Torres Strait Islanders. It will also provide a case study to support a national agenda to implement monitoring for Australian Indigenous fisheries.

Objectives

This project aims to share information and collate the views of Torres Strait community members about a new, long-term, fishery information system to underpin sustainable fisheries and livelihoods. It will then summarise information about the design and options for development of an APP or web-based information collection system. The objectives are to:

1. Collate and review existing and new information about the potential options for a non-commercial fishery monitoring program as recommended by Bedford et al. (2021)
2. Assess the level of community need and support (or otherwise) for a non-commercial fishery monitoring program through a comprehensive and equitable community consultation and participation process throughout Torres Strait and Northern Peninsula Area communities
3. Develop cost and performance options for a non-commercial fishery monitoring program and its components (e.g., self-reporting web-based tool/APP platform data management, storage, and access complimented surveys) to allow for an assessment of value (e.g., meeting needs ease of use maintenance and data use in stock assessments).

The project ‘2022-045 Measuring non-commercial fishing catches (traditional subsistence fishing) in the Torres Strait to improve fisheries management and promote sustainable livelihoods’ is supported by funding from the FRDC and AFMA on behalf of the Australian Government.

FRDC article about this project

For more information contact:

• Project Co-Leader: Professor Natasha Stacey, natasha.stacey@cdu.edu.au
• Project Co-Leader: Kenny Bedford
• Team members: Tim Skewes and David Brewer

Reference

Bedford, K., Skewes, T., and Brewer, D. 2021. Developing an approach for measuring the non-commercial fishing in Torres Strait in order to improve fisheries management and promote sustainable livelihoods. Unpublished Report Prepared for the Australian Fisheries Management Authority. 84 pp. URL:https://www.pzja.gov.au/research/developing-approach-measuring-non-commercial-fishing-torres-strait-order-improve-fisheries

In Timor-Leste, current farming methods are generally laborious, and on-farm labour supply continues to decline as people seek other opportunities, so the remaining farmers must produce more each day to sustain production. This project will focus on increasing yield or reducing labour input, or both. CDU is working with To’os Servisu Kma’an (TOSKA), University of Timor-Leste,  and other partners, in six participating communities in Timor-Leste to increase on-farm labour productivity.

The project places six participating communities at the centre of the research:

• Loro and Bee Metan (Betano, Manufahi) in the Southern Rainfed Zone
• Raebuti Udo (Ainaru Villa) and Gorema (Maubisse) in the Upland High Altitude Zone
• Saraida (Quelicai, Baucau) and Caihula (Venilale, Baucau) in the Inland Irrigable Watersheds Zone

The implementing organisation is Charles Darwin University, Darwin Australia, with a Timor-Leste registered entity, TOSKA, in Dili.

Key Timor-Leste partners include:

• University of Timor-Leste (UNTL)
• Dom Bosco, Timor-Leste
• Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock, Forestry and Fisheries, Timor-Leste
• To’os Servisu Kma’an (TOSKA), Timor-Leste

The participating communities guide the choice of research questions, assess how trialled innovations could be adopted or adapted, and guide refinements throughout the project. Research questions will cover:

• Identification of the limiting nutrient(s) in cropping systems and response to it
• The benefits of ‘micro-dosing’ low rates of fertilizer
• Improving weed management with or without herbicides
• Applying protected cropping for reliable vegetable production
• Forage preservation for improved livestock health and production
• Mechanising land preparation, seeding, weeding and harvest
• The labour productivity gains from the above
• Gains in nutritional yield from the above

The project should free-up household time; more time to earn income, gain skills or improve lifestyle.

This is a 4-yr project that commenced in August 2024 and will conclude in August 2028.

Key contacts for the project are: Dr Leigh Vial (Project lead), Charles Darwin University,leigh.vial@cdu.edu.au; Mana Marcia e Silva (Country Leader), TOSKA, marcia.esilva@agri.tl

Northern Australia is one of the few places left in the world with sawfish and river shark populations, making it a key priority to protect them. A major challenge is the lack of information on current populations, which limits the ability to develop effective management strategies. This project will gather knowledge as an important early step in enhancing protection measures. There is much research and activities underway to understand the distribution and status of sawfish and river sharks. It is important we understand the knowledge held and experiences of commercial fishers. Northern Territory Seafood Council (NTSC) partnered with community and livelihoods researcher Natasha Stacey from Research Institute for the Environment and Livelihoods, Charles Darwin University (CDU) and Drs Vinay Udyawer and Claire Streten from the Australian Institute of Marine Sciences (AIMS) to undertake interviews with fishers as part of a project.  

Read the executive summary from the project final report (Udyawer et al 2024) and view other outputs below

The project outputs including a final report,  a 13-minute mini-documentary, available via NTSC website https://www.ntsc.com.au/content/sawfish-and-river-shark/sawfish-and-river-shark) and a short piece on aired on  ABC Landline program on 13 October 2024: ABC Landline Saving the endangered sawfish

The project also awarded the following accolades

2024 Winner Research, Development & Extension (RD&E) Award, 2024 National Seafood Industry Awards. For the project ‘Professional fishers’ knowledge to inform research and management of sawfish and river sharks project’.

2024 Winner Research, Extension and Development Award at 2024 NT Seafood Industry Awards. For the project ‘Professional fishers’ knowledge to inform research and management of sawfish and river sharks project’.

The NTSC put out a media release on our national award  Media Release - Northern Territory Seafood Council Inc.

The 13-minute documentary, we explore the innovative partnership between the Northern Territory Seafood Council, the Australian Institute of Marine Science (AIMS), and the Research Institute for the Environment and Livelihoods (RIEL) at Charles Darwin University (CDU). This project brings together the invaluable firsthand knowledge of professional fishers and scientific tools, such as environmental DNA (eDNA) sampling, to better understand and conserve some of Northern Australia's most endangered species - Sawfish and River Sharks.

Udyawer V., Stacey N., Buccella C., Streten C., Harries S., Hammond M., English D. & Winchester  K. (2024) Tapping into the knowledge of professional fishers to inform research and management of Sawfish and River Sharks. Report prepared for Parks Australia. Northern Territory Seafood Council, Australian Institute of Marine Science, Charles Darwin University, Darwin. (78 pp) https://www.ntsc.com.au/content/sawfish-and-river-shark/sawfish-and-river-shark

Executive summary

The rivers and coastal regions of the Northern Territory (NT) are rich in biodiversity and serve as a critical habitat for various marine species, including Threatened, Endangered, and Protected Species (TEPS) like Sawfish, River Sharks, and batoids. The NT coastal regions are also the work grounds of coastal fisheries which leads to accidental interactions and bycatch of these TEPS species by fishers. As the range of Sawfish can also extend to oceanic regions, offshore fisheries are also known to have interactions with this species on occasion. This firsthand experience and observation by fishers provide invaluable insights that can be considered alongside fisheries science generated knowledge, offering a more holistic understanding of TEPS behaviour, distribution, and habitat use. Furthermore, integrating fisher knowledge with scientific data can validate or where needed, significantly enhance the effectiveness of management strategies aimed at conserving and sustainably managing these vulnerable species.  

The overall objective of this research project was to improve the current knowledge of the occurrence of Green Sawfish, Dwarf Sawfish, Largetooth Sawfish, Narrow Sawfish, Northern River Shark and Speartooth Shark in fishing grounds of northern Australia. The project explored professional fisher knowledge and interactions with TEPS within three NT commercial fishery sectors [Barramundi (NTBF), Coastal Net (NTCNF) and Offshore Net and Line (NTONLF) fisheries], employing a multidisciplinary mixed methods approach which combined qualitative semi-structured interviews of professional fishers with field-based data collection involving eDNA and fishing surveys along the NT coast. Sixteen participants, encompassing retirees, current fishing operators, and newcomers to the industry, were interviewed during September and October 2021. The interviews focused on gathering firsthand accounts of interactions with Sawfish, River Sharks, and batoids. Structured around six key themes, the interviews provided detailed insights into the fishers' experiences and spatial patterns of TEPs interactions, as depicted on maps by the participants.  

The insights gleaned from the fisher interviews informed the design of two fieldtrips conducted in October 2022 and October 2023. The fieldtrips involved conducting eDNA surveys to assess its viability as a monitoring tool for Sawfish and River Shark occurrence. During the trips fishing surveys were also conducted to pinpoint key locations of Sawfish presence and to gather data on bycatch interactions. Additionally, six satellite tags were deployed on adult Sawfish to track their movements post-release. The Sawfish catch exhibited a clustered pattern in Buckingham and Arnhem Bay, whereas Anson Bay revealed consistent captures outside primary fishing grounds. Out of the six satellite tags deployed, four provided post-release data, indicating that tagged individuals remained within their respective bays for the 96-day duration. Unfortunately, the species tagged in this study remained in the coastal zone, so it was not possible to identify migration through the North Marine Parks Network. However, professional fishers operating in the NTONLF provided information during interviews on offshore occurrence of Narrow Sawfish, Wedgefish and Guitarfish species.  

In summary, this project offers valuable insights that can guide future management strategies for conserving and managing TEPS. This project was the first consideration of professional fisher knowledge on TEPS in the NT. The facilitation of this project through the Northern Territory Seafood Council was vital in building links between professional fishers and research agencies.

More information about the project can be found via the Northern Territory Seafood Council Inc website or contact ceo@ntc.com.au or Natasha Stacey at Charles Darwin University ( Natasha.stacey@cdu.edu.au ).

Development of Aboriginal fishing businesses in the Northern Territory, Australia are aiming to improve the livelihoods of community members through providing access to a nutritious, diverse and culturally significant food supply. This provides the wider community with the possibility to purchase and consume a local food source that consists of high-quality protein and is rich in key nutrients that are essential for human development and function. While several scientific studies have identified the biochemical pathways of seafood consumption and the associated health benefits, limited empirical evidence has supported an Indigenous Knowledges interpretation of the nutrition, health and wellbeing benefits of seafood.

The research project is addressing this knowledge gap through a multi-dimensional approach. This includes a qualitative study design guided by Indigenous research methodologies aimed at understanding a localised Aboriginal representation and connection to the nutritional health and wellbeing values and meanings of seafood. The research project takes place in Maningrida Aboriginal community with support of Bawinanga Aboriginal Corporation and members of the fishing enterprise including Aboriginal costal license holders, workers and their families engaged in the research.  The objectives are:

1. To document Indigenous knowledges on the understanding of the nutritional health and wellbeing benefits and the value and meanings of locally caught and consumed seafood
2. To develop outputs (e.g. poster, booklet) based on Aboriginal knowledge and nutrition profiling of identified seafood species for inter-generational knowledge transfer
3. To develop a conceptual framework to bring together and represent the components and values of Indigenous knowledges of the nutritional health and wellbeing benefits of seafood

The project will bring together two knowledge systems to better understand the wider nutritional, health and wellbeing benefits of seafood for Aboriginal Peoples. As requested by the Traditional Owner’s in the research project design important outputs include the creation of educational resources to be used as tools to pass on intergenerational knowledge. It is anticipated that the study findings will also help to inform policy makers, government, non-government organisations and Aboriginal communities with recommendations on how to strengthen future policy to support Indigenous fisheries, access to country and fisheries to improve health outcomes. The outcome of the research will contribute new knowledge to ensure the development of Indigenous fisheries is sensitive to health, nutritional and wellbeing values and meanings of culturally important seafood.

This research project is funded by the Fisheries Research Development Corporation (FRDC project 2019-143) on behalf of the Australian Government and is being implemented in partnership with Monash University, Charles Darwin University and Bawinanga Aboriginal Corporation and Traditional Aboriginal Owners from the Maningrida region in the Northern Territory.

Publications:

Cubillo, B., Brimblecombe, J., and N. Stacey (2024) The representation of Aboriginal nutrition, health, and wellbeing values within coastal marine and fisheries policies of the Northern Territory, Australia, Maritime Studies, 23:27 https://doi.org/10.1007/s40152-024-00370-4

Cubillo, B. Stacey, N., & Brimblecombe, J. 2023, 'How is nutrition, health and wellbeing conceptualised in connection with seafood for coastal Indigenous Peoples', Food Policy, vol. 116, 102434, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foodpol.2023.102434

Fisheries Research and Development Corporation article about this project: https://www.frdc.com.au/seafood-builds-physical-and-cultural-health-indigenous-communities

Partners: 

• Monash University (A/Prof Julie Brimblecombe & Dr Beau Cubillo )
• Charles Darwin University (Prof Natasha Stacey)
• Bawinanga Aboriginal Corporation and Traditional Owners from Maningrida region, Arnhem land, Northern Territory

• Lulu Middleton (PhD) (Commenced July 2021) Nutrition-Sensitive Aquatic Food Systems: Have Mangroves Been Overlooked for their Potential to Support Gendered Food and Nutrition Security in Indonesia?
• Nur Isiyana Wianti (PhD) Gendered Livelihood Vulnerability and Resilience of Sama-Bajo Fishers in Southeast Sulawesi, Indonesia.
• Nilanjana Biswas (PhD)  Changing times, changing tides: Women's engagement in the Northern Territory seafood sector.

• Jenny House (PhD) Community-based fisheries management through a gender lens: examining gendered participation in fisheries management and monitoring in Timor-Leste.
• Kimberley Hunnam (PhD) 2022 Optimising the Timor-Leste sardine fishery for enhanced food security.
• Gianna Bonis-Profumo (PhD) 2021 Child and maternal dietary quality and its relationship with women’s empowerment in agriculture in rural Timor-Leste.
• Benjamin Brown (PhD) 2021 Evaluating Mangrove Forest Landscape Restoration Opportunity in Indonesia, Co-supervisors: Hutley (CDU).
• Emily Gibson (PhD) 2021 Dietary diversity and fish consumption of mothers and their children in fisher households in eastern Indonesia.
• Jane Munday (PhD) 2021  Objective truths or subjective realities? – Social and cultural impact assessment of development in Northern Australia, Co-supervised with Northern Institute, CDU thesis available https://researchers.cdu.edu.au/en/studentTheses/objective-truths-or-subjective-realities
• Pia Harkness (PhD) Principal Supervisor. 2020. A study of livelihood resource use, dependence and impacts within the Savu Sea MPA, eastern Indonesia.  CDU thesis available https://researchers.cdu.edu.au/en/studentTheses/reconciling-conservation-and-development-interests-for-coastal-li
• Ronju Ahammad (PhD) 2019. Recent trends in forest and livelihood relationships of rural communities in the Chittagong Hill Tracts region, Bangladesh. CDU thesis available at https://researchers.cdu.edu.au/en/studentTheses/recent-trends-in-forest-and-livelihood-relationships-of-rural-com
• Hannah Ling (PhD) 2019. Approaches to small-scale manganese mining in West Timor, Indonesia: Perspectives, values, beliefs and sustainability. CDU Thesis available at https://researchers.cdu.edu.au/en/studentTheses/approaches-to-manganese-mining-in-west-timor-indonesia
• Kamy Melvani (PhD). 2019. Forest gardens and farmer livelihoods in the Intermediate zone of Sri Lanka.
• Frances Every (MSc). 2016 Livelihoods, Vulnerability and Marginalisation of a Bajo community in Wuring Laut, eastern Indonesia.

House,J., Kleiber,D.,  Steenbergen,D.J., & N. Stacey 2024. Participatory fisheries monitoring and gender: an example from Timor-Leste, SPC Women in Fisheries Information Bulletin Number 40: 21-28. Women in Fisheries No 40 (September 2024) | FAME (spc.int)

Cubillo, B., Brimblecombe, J., and N. Stacey (2024) The representation of Aboriginal nutrition, health, and wellbeing values within coastal marine and fisheries policies of the Northern Territory, Australia, Maritime Studies, 23:27 https://doi.org/10.1007/s40152-024-00370-4

Middleton, L., P. Astuti, B. Brown, J. Brimblecombe and N. Stacey (2024) “We don’t need to worry because we will find food tomorrow”: Local Knowledge and Drivers of Mangroves as a Food System through a Gendered Lens in West Kalimantan, Indonesia, Sustainability, 16, 3229. https://doi.org/10.3390/su16083229

House, J., Amaral, N.M.S, Silva de Jesus, J., Gomes, J., Chew, M., Kleiber, D., Steenbergen, D.J. & Stacey, N. (2024) Women’s experiences of participatory fisheries monitoring in Timor-Leste, Maritime Studies  23, 9. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40152-024-00352-6

Cubillo, B. Stacey, N., & Brimblecombe, J. 2023, 'How is nutrition, health and wellbeing conceptualised in connection with seafood for coastal Indigenous Peoples', Food Policy, vol. 116, 102434, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foodpol.2023.102434

House, J., Kleiber, D., Steenbergen, D.J. & Stacey, N. (2022) Participatory monitoring in community-based fisheries management through a gender lens. Ambio 52, 300–318. https://doi.org/10.1007/s13280-022-01783-3

Nyboer, E. A., Reid, A. J., Jeanson, A. L., Kelly, R., Mackay, M., House, J., ... & Cooke, S. J. (2022). Goals, challenges, and next steps in transdisciplinary fisheries research: perspectives and experiences from early-career researchers. Reviews in Fish Biology and Fisheries, 1-26. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11160-022-09719-6

Bonis-Profumo, G, Rosario Pereira, D, Brimblecombe, J, & Stacey, N (2022). Gender relations in livestock production and animal-source food acquisition and consumption among smallholders in rural Timor-Leste: A mixed-methods exploration. Journal of Rural Studies, 89, 222-234. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jrurstud.2021.11.027

Stacey N & Govan H (2021). Module 8: Livelihoods. In K Barclay, C Donato-Hunt, J Kalsuak, J Kinch, B Leduc, N Makhoul, & S Mangubhai (Eds.), Pacific handbook for gender and social inclusion in small scale fisheries and aquaculture 2nd edition. Pacific Community. https://www.spc.int/DigitalLibrary/Doc/FAME/Manuals/Barclay_21_Gender_Handbook_Module8.pdf

Adhuri, D., J. Fox & N.Stacey (2021, Dec 7). Sailing south: why Indonesian fishers risk apprehension in Australian waters. The Conversation. https://theconversation.com/sailing-south-why-indonesian-fishers-risk-apprehension-in-australian-waters-173107

Stacey, N, Gibson, E, Loneragan, NR, Warren, C, Wirayawan, B Adhuri, DS, Steenbergen, DJ, & Fitriana, R (2021). Developing sustainable small-scale fisheries livelihoods in Indonesia: Trends, enabling and constraining factors, and future opportunities. Marine Policy, 132, Article 104654. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.marpol.2021.104654

Hunnam K, Carlos I, Hammer MP, Dos Reis Lopes J, Mills DJ & Stacey N (2021). Untangling Tales of Tropical Sardines: Local Knowledge From Fisheries in Timor-Leste. Frontiers in Marine Science, 8. doi: 10.3389/fmars.2021.673173

Bonis-Profumo, G, Stacey, N, & Brimblecombe, J. (2021). Measuring women's empowerment in agriculture, food production, and child and maternal dietary diversity in Timor-Leste. Food Policy, 102, Article 102102. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foodpol.2021.102102

Ahammad R, Stacey N, & Sunderland T. (2021). Determinants of forest and tree uses across households of different sites and ethnicities in Bangladesh. Sustainability: Science, Practice, and Policy, 17 (1), 232-242. https://doi.org/10.1080/15487733.2021.1930731

Ahammad, R, Stacey, N, & Sunderland, T (2021). Analysis of forest-related policies for supporting ecosystem services-based forest management in Bangladesh. Ecosystem Services, 48, Article 101235. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecoser.2020.101235

Gibson, E, Stacey N, Sunderland, T & Adhuri, D (2021). Coping or adapting? Experiences of food and nutrition insecurity in specialized fishing households in Komodo District, eastern Indonesia. BMC Public Health, 21, Article 355. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-021-10248-3

Bonis-Profumo G, Stacey N, & Brimblecombe, J (2021). Maternal diets matter for children's dietary quality: Seasonal dietary diversity and animal-source foods consumption in rural Timor-Leste. Maternal and Child Nutrition, 17, Article e13071. https://doi.org/10.1111/mcn.13071

Ahammad R, Stacey N, & Sunderland, T (2020). Assessing land use changes and livelihood outcomes of rural people in the Chittagong Hill Tracts region, Bangladesh. Land Degradation & Development, 32 (3626-3638). https://doi.org/10.1002/ldr.3795

Gibson, E, Stacey, N, Sunderland, TCH, and Adhuri, DS (2020). Dietary diversity and fish consumption of mothers and their children in fisher households in Komodo District, eastern Indonesia. PLoS ONE, 15(4) Article e0230777. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0230777

Gibson, E, and Stacey, N (2019, December 19). Gender matters in coastal livelihood programs in Indonesia The Conversation. https://theconversation.com/gender-matters-in-coastal-livelihood-programs-in-indonesia-127747

Steenbergen, D, Eriksson, H, Hunnam, K, Mills, D, and Stacey, N (2019). Following the fish inland: understanding fish distribution networks for rural development and food security in Timor-Leste, Food Security 11, 1417–1432. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12571-019-00982-3. YouTube video summary https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FA4WzzjjeD4

Stacey, N, Gibson, E, Loneragan, N, Warren, C, Wirayawan, B, Adhuri, D, & Fitriana, R, (2019). Enhancing coastal livelihoods in Indonesia: an evaluation of recent initiatives on gender, women and livelihoods in small-scale fisheries, Maritime Studies 18, 359–371, Special Issue (En)Gendering Change in Small-scale Fisheries and Fishing Communities in a Globalized World. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40152-019-00142-5

Steenbergen, D, Clifton, J, Visser, L, Stacey, N, and McWilliam, A (2017). Understanding influences in policy landscapes for sustainable coastal livelihoods. Marine Policy, 82, 181-188. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.marpol.2017.04.012

Loneragan, NR, Stacey, N, Warren, C, Gibson, E, Fitriana R, Adhuri, D, Jaiteh, VJ, Mustika, PLK, Steenbergen, DJ, and Wiryawan, B (2018). Small-scale fisheries in Indonesia: benefits to households, the roles of women, and opportunities for improving livelihoods. ACIAR Small Research Activity, Project Number FIS/2014/104. https://www.aciar.gov.au/project/FIS-2014-104

The ACIAR Small Research Activity (SRA) SLAM-2021-108:) forms the first stage of a planned larger ACIAR project to improve smallholder livelihoods in Timor Leste through increased labour productivity with a focus on innovation in soils management and improvement. The SRA aims to generate the research questions with social science that the larger project will pursue; ACIAR projects are usually commissioned with pre-defined research questions. The project will be undertaken from May 2022-July 2024.

Timor-Leste is one of the poorest nations in the world. Since Timor-Leste gained independence in 2002, there have been significant efforts and resources provided through Australia’s ODA program along with investments from other international development agencies that aim to address the low agricultural productivity in the country and improve food and nutrition security for the population. This SRA will do three activities, at six locations in three key livelihood zones, to generate appropriate agricultural research questions for labour productivity and livelihood improvement:

• Undertake the Stages of Progress (SoP) methodology to understand what has driven rural households into or out of poverty and affects their food security and sovereignty.
• Detail the current farming system, assets, constraints, opportunities and farmers’ motivations around crop selection.
• Document the impact of previous research-for-development projects at these locations and nearby.

The SRA and larger project aim to provide recommendations to ACIAR and other research and development organisations on future research, development initiatives and investments.

A provisional selection of the three municipalities has been completed (August 2022) which include:

• Ainaro, Maubisse selected for the upland high altitude livelihood zone
• Baucau selected for the inland irrigable watersheds livelihood zone, and
• Manufahi selected for the southern Rainfed livelihood zone

For more information contact:

• Project Leader: Dr Leigh Vial, Research Fellow, RIEL, leigh.vial@cdu.edu.au
• Project team: Timor Team Leader: Marcia Exposto e Silva
• Australia team member: Professor Andrew McWilliam, University of Western Sydney

A knowledge exchange hosted in 2022 between Research Institute for the Environment and Livelihoods (RIEL), Charles Darwin University (CDU) and Blue Ventures Timor-Leste (BVTL) fisheries management experts examined how government and community-based fisheries managers collect and use data for decision making among other issues.

The exchange was led by Jenny House (RIEL PhD Candidate) conducted as part of an ongoing research collaboration between RIEL and BVTL about community-based marine management. Support from a Crawford Fund Training Grant enabled eight Timorese marine management practitioners to visit Darwin from 29th August to 2nd September to participate in an intensive program of skill development and relationship building activities with numerous researchers and other natural resource and marine management practitioners in Darwin.

In the NT, the use of participatory approaches is increasingly recognised as crucial for community-based NRM and there are a number of programs engaging Indigenous communities in sea country planning and management. As such, BVTL's work on participatory marine management and monitoring and sustainable livelihoods is highly relevant for NT researchers and practitioners.

Topics included First Nations community governance, qualitative research skills, inclusive and sustainable fisheries management, nature-based livelihoods, and conservation. The participants also shared their innovative approach to community-based natural resource management with Australian researchers and interested stakeholders at a seminar.

This exchange was designed for the Timorese participants to develop skills, and to share their extensive experience with researchers and natural resource management practitioners in Australia. To read more about the exchange see the Final Report (PDF, 1.46 MB) or read a CDU enews article

This project led by Prof Natasha Stacey reviewed the Aboriginal Coastal Licence (ACL) regime in Maningrida with the Bawinanga Aboriginal Corporation and provided an evaluation of its benefits, vulnerabilities and recommendations.

Research outputs are in preparation but a summary of ACL regime is provided in Jentoft et al (2019). We are also developing additional research with partners to support further development of Indigenous fisheries futures in the Northern Territory (2020).

The Yokarra Crew – What we learned from catching and selling fish in and around Maningrida, Arnhem Land (PDF, 1.31 MB)

We recently completed a co-led ACIAR funded project with Murdoch University, IPB and LIPI to identify the new approaches to coastal livelihood diversification in eastern Indonesia (Loneragan et al 2018; Stacey et al 2019).

This synthesis of current knowledge and analysis of coastal livelihood programs will contribute towards improved applied, gender-balanced, action-driven research in Indonesia in the future. The final report can be found at: https://www.aciar.gov.au/project/fis-2014-104

Stacey, N., E. Gibson. N. Loneragan., C. Warren, R. Fitriana, B. Wirayawan and D. Adhuri (2019) Enhancing coastal livelihoods in Indonesia: an evaluation of recent initiatives on gender, women and livelihoods in small-scale fisheries, Maritime Studies:142 Special Issue (En)Gendering Change in Small-scale Fisheries and Fishing Communities in a Globalized World. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40152-019-00142-5

Stacey, N., E. Gibson. N. Loneragan., C. Warren, B. Wirayawan, D. Adhuri, D. Steenbergen and R. Fitriana (2021) Developing sustainable small-scale fisheries livelihoods in Indonesia: trends, enabling and constraining factors, and future opportunities. Marine Policy, Marine Policy, 132, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.marpol.2021.104654

Our group's research responds to global calls by academics and international development practitioners for better integration of local resource user groups in sustainable coastal management and governance following continuing trends of failure by centralized policy initiatives. Our research publications have contributed significantly to global literature. Our research (last 5 years) has focussed on development of new approaches to manage and govern fisheries (e.g. Prescott et al 2015; 2017, Steenbergen et al 2017; Steenbergen et al (2019)); critiques of current livelihood programs (e.g. Foale et al 2013, Steenbergen et al 2017; Loneragan et al 2018), and conservation impacts on Indigenous fishing peoples (Stacey et al 2015, 2017; 2018; Stacey & Allison 2019).

We have been at the forefront of research into investigations of the contribution of small scale fisheries to livelihoods and wellbeing at a global scale through invitation to participate in global networks, contribute written work to special publications by the FAO/IUCN (Stacey et al 2017) and as co-editor of book (Johnson, D, Acott, T, Stacey, N & Urquart, J (eds) (2018), Social Wellbeing and the Values of Small-scale Fisheries, Springer). We recently co-led an ACIAR funded project with Murdoch University to identify new approaches to livelihood diversification in eastern Indonesia (Loneragan et al 2018; Stacey et al 2019). We convened a Coastal Livelihoods Symposium in 2016 with the outputs published in Special Issue of Marine Policy journal (https://doi.org/10.1016/j.marpol.2017.04.012).

This was an outcome of the NAMRA-funded Postdoctoral research project on Understanding Coastal Livelihoods in the Arafura and Timor Seas: Impacts and opportunities of contemporary approaches to development, conservation and resource governance (Dr Dirk Steenbergen 2014-2018).

Through our long-standing record of research and engagement in Indonesia and Timor Leste through our association with the Arafura and Timor Seas Expert Forum (ATSEF) and research contributions to the USD 3 million dollar Global Environment Facility Arafura and Timor Seas Ecosystem Action (ATSEA) Program we led the first study exchange which bought together members of communities from Indonesia, Timor Leste and Aboriginal land and sea rangers in Arnhem Land to share experiences in community-based natural resource management (CBNRM) (Stacey et al 2015). The results of this initiative identified key factors for capacity building and a framework for evaluating such initiatives.

We collaborate with numerous land council and Indigenous organisations (e.g. NAILSMA, NLC/CLC) andthe NT government on a portfolio of research activity to assist Indigenous people realise their aspirations for caring and working on country and development of wildlife enterprises. This builds on previous work of the pre-RIEL NTU Key Centre for Tropical Wildlife record of research into natural resource based livelihoods (by past CDU researchers such as Gorman, Whitehead, Griffiths). Our research has included investigations into plant and animal enterprises (e.g. Kakadu plum, sugar bag, crocodile eggs (e.g. Austin and Garnett et al 2011; Zander et al 2016; Gorman et al 2012; 2016). In the coastal zone our past research activity has included sea cucumber and oyster aquaculture development in Warruwi, Goulburn Island and climate change impacts funded by NCCARF and NAMRA programs with Yagbani Aboriginal Corporation (e.g. Fleming et al 2014; Petheram et al 2013, 2014, 2015); building Indigenous marine science capacity evaluation (Stacey and Funk 2017).

A decade of sustained community engagement has enabled a research collaboration with the Wadeye, NT, community. The collaboration aims to support community efforts to establish an enterprise based on abundant sources of Kakadu plum (Terminalia ferdinandiana) on traditional clan estates. This work is investigating the role of supply chain actors and external factors that have influenced the direction of enterprise development, alongside community aspirations for the development of Kakadu plum enterprises (Gorman et al 2019a, Gorman et al 2019b).

Members of our group recently contributed to the Department of Foreign Affairs funded GFPD Program (1.2 million AUD over 4 years) with the ANU, Indonesian universities and government agencies to investigate environmental and social issues and build capacity associated with small scale artisanal mining for manganese and gold in eastern Indonesia (e.g. Fischer et al 2019). Dr Hannah Ling’s (PhD) 2019 considered local perspectives, values and belief associated with small-scale manganese mining in West Timor, Indonesia.

Ling, H. 2017, ‘Community mining in West Timor’, Inside Indonesia, 130, http://www.insideindonesia.org/community-mining-in-west-timor.

Fisher, R, Ling, H, Natonis, R, Hobgen, S, Kaho, NR, Mudita, W, Markus, J, Bunga, W & Nampa, W 2018, Artisanal and small-scale mining and rural livelihood diversification: The case of manganese extraction in West Timor, Indonesia, The Extractive Industries and Society, 10.1016/j.exis.2018.08.004