Enabling local blue growth in developing countries: a thematic review.

Abstract

Blue growth – the prospect of economic revenue and wellbeing from the sustainable use of ocean resources – has caught the interest of most coastal and island nations of the world, including many developing countries. The sea alone does not, however, spur socioeconomic development in coastal communities. A large body of scientific literature explores the circumstances under which a community’s access to natural resources actually leads to local economic growth. This study specifically examines the literature targeting the communal-level outcome of aquatic resource use in developing countries, with a focus on identifying the prerequisites for socioeconomic wellbeing resulting from the exploitation of such resources. More specifically, this study strives to identify the institutional and infrastructure factors that promote local blue growth in developing countries. It consists of a thematic review of 90 scientific articles involving systematic mapping, regression analysis and content analysis. The study concludes that the incomes and wellbeing of coastal communities in developing countries depend on well-functioning value chains and the degree of social development. The results also show that the sustainability of marine and coastal resources is associated with the quality of resource management, the degree of coherence of policy and legal frameworks and the manner in which they are communicated. Inadequate resource management and incoherent policies and laws, on the other hand, are associated with lower incomes, wealth and employment. The study identifies a number of critical factors related to the type and quality of governance. Blue growth at local level benefits from governance frameworks that are coherent and reliable, leadership that is dynamic and legitimate, an administration that is reliable and enforcement that is efficient. It is also of great importance that decisions affecting the livelihoods of coastal communities be adapted to the local circumstances and that communities be given adequate opportunity to influence those decisions. Coastal-community development depends on the degree of social cohesion and equity in access to resources, as well as on the capacity of individuals and organisations. Such capacity is important not only in the private sphere for the development of sustainable blue businesses, but also in the public sphere for the design and implementation of public policies that are evidence-based and adapted to context. A further conclusion of this study is that local blue growth benefits from the existence of well-functioning value chains, markets that are open and accessible, and infrastructure that is adequate and well maintained. Based on these results, the study proposes the following eight recommendations for consideration by authorities and development agents working for local blue growth. These recommendations are further elaborated in Chapter 6. 1. Ensure that legal frameworks and policies affecting the blue economy are coherent, clear and predictable. 2. Support the development of well-functioning value chains for blue economy products and services 3. Support the creation and development of organisations for blue growth in the local community. 4. Appreciate the importance of high-quality leadership. 5. Engage local communities in decisions affecting their blue economy. 6. Enhance the capacity and technical skills of individuals and institutions of the blue economy. 7. Provide and maintain the infrastructure necessary for local blue growth. 8. Build local blue growth using the whole toolbox – the above recommendations for advancement of local blue growth should not be viewed in isolation but addressed simultaneously. This report is a result of SwAM Ocean, an international development cooperation programme being operated by the Swedish Agency for Marine and Water Management (SwAM). SwAM Ocean aims to contribute to poverty reduction through sustainable use of aquatic resources. To reach this goal we need a good understanding of the premises for enabling long-term blue growth in coastal communities. This report is part of a four-part series of studies of the topic. As part of SwAM Ocean, four studies exploring the conditions for lifting coastal communities out of poverty are being conducted. These four studies investigate institutional and infrastructure factors affecting blue growth and social development at local level in developing countries. The first study (WSP, 2020) analyses 17 cases of successful blue growth at community level, based on small-scale fisheries, aquaculture and conservation. The study is based on a literature review and expert interviews. It identifies co-management of natural resources, access to credit, technical skills, well-functioning post-harvest value chains and the presence of infrastructure such as fishing ports, docking and storage as being key to enabling local blue growth. In the second study a thematic review of scientific literature is conducted, and is presented in this report. Results of the review indicate that local blue growth is more likely in the presence of coherent and predictable blue-economy frameworks, and when stakeholders have adequate capacity and skills. National and international institutions and actors need to adapt blue-economy projects and policies to local contexts, support the development of well-functioning value chains and ensure that efficient environmental regulations are enforced. A spatial analysis exploring how basic infrastructure affects blue growth and socioeconomic development is presented in the third study (GroundTruth, 2021). It explores 11 rural coastal communities in the Western Indian Ocean region, and concludes that the presence of and access to roads, airports and electricity in coastal communities contribute to economic wellbeing. The key role played by strategic planning is also highlighted, indicating that strategically planned communities tend to feature higher levels of both economic and social wellbeing. The fourth study explores lessons learned from promotion of local blue growth in coastal communities in Sweden. Applying a case-study approach, it identifies enablers and barriers, along with strategies used for overcoming them, resulting in successful project outcomes. SwAM is the responsible Swedish government agency tasked with protecting, restoring and ensuring sustainable use of freshwater and ocean resources, including fisheries management. The work being carried out within the international development cooperation programme SwAM Ocean contributes to holistic marine management, blue growth and poverty alleviation in partner countries and regions. In parallel, knowledge gained from the SwAM Ocean collaboration enhances and improves our own understanding and management of Swedish aquatic resources. Ecosystem-based management, ocean literacy and cross-sectoral planning, including marine Enabling local blue growth in developing countries spatial planning, are examples of processes in which mutual learning is key in order to achieve sustainable management of the oceans in Sweden and at international level