Distance Learning and Information Sharing Tool for the Benguela Coastal Areas (DLIST-Benguela)

The overall aim of DLIST-Benguela is to increase access of local communities to information that is critical to environmental management and sustainable livelihood creation, founded on the Benguela Current’s coastal and marine resources. Already through the pilot, as a tool accessible to a wide range of stakeholders, DLIST is ideally positioned to translate the outputs from the science and institutional building actions and investigations of the GEF IW BCLME program, and the BENEFIT program into management action, through mass education and awareness building amongst stakeholder communities. The BCLME Program’s focus is on facilitating adaptive management of the LME based on sound science and the active participation of all concerned stakeholders. The Program is providing support for the establishment of an Interim Benguela Current Commission (IBCC). Capacity building, within the IBCC and associated structures is considered key to the sustainable utilization of the array of resources contained in the BCLME, from artisanal fisheries to high tech exploitation of open sea resources. DLIST can contribute to the institution building/ capacity building by including a larger range of stakeholders in the overall management effort, and by broadening the management constituency. This is because DLIST promotes the sharing of ideas between coastal interest groups, different tiers of government and between a wide array of players that include local communities and the private sector. It also brings to its users information on emerging opportunities, shares the “lessons learned” by different sectors of society, and provides DLIST users with a strong and growing information base relating to the BCLME and its coastal areas.