Combined supply and demand interventions increased the frequency of fish purchases in rural households: results from a randomized, controlled trial in Timor-Leste

Abstract

The role that fish play in healthy, sustainable diets is well documented, but getting fish into rural diets presents supply and demand challenges. Nearshore fish-aggregating devices (FADs) are simple, climate smart devices placed in coastal fishing grounds away from reefs to concentrate pelagic fish and make them easier for fishers to catch. We conducted a cluster-randomized, controlled trial in Timor-Leste to test the effects of nearshore FADs on fish catch rates and to evaluate the effects of the FAD placement alone, a social behaviour change (SBC) component alone, and the combined effects of the FAD and SBC on household weekly fish purchase and women’s and children’s consumption the day prior. Catch data was collected daily from landing sites, using a digital fisheries monitoring system. Household fish purchases were measured by asking detailed questions about purchases in the previous seven days, and qualitative 24-hour recalls were conducted with a woman of reproductive age in the house. Analysis was intention-to-treat. The catch per unit of fishing effort (CPUE) significantly increased at one fishing ground with FADs (0.85 kg/fisher/hr) but decreased significantly at two fishing grounds, one by –0.43 kg and one by –0.50 kg. Households in the FADs+SBC arm were almost twice as likely to purchase fish during the previous week compared to the control households (PR; 1.90, 95% CI; 1.14, 3.20, p<0.05). Women in the FAD+SBC arm were 4 times as likely to report consuming fish the day prior as compared to women in the control arm (PR: 4.17, 95% CI 1.88, 9.29; p<0.001). There were no differences in fish purchases or consumption in either the FAD alone or SBC alone arms. From our finding that both the FAD placement and SBC interventions were required to improve diets, we conclude that efforts, investments, and programs aimed at improving diets should focus on both supply and demand aspects of the food system.