For more than 15 years, CODESPA Philippines has worked alongside seaweed-farming communities to strengthen livelihoods, adapt to changing environments, and create opportunities for a more resilient future.

To the communities whose livelihoods depend on the sea, resilience is not an abstract idea. It can mean finding ways to continue earning when environmental conditions change. It can also mean learning new techniques, accessing new markets, or finding additional ways to generate income from resources that communities already have. And sometimes, it means having a partner who stays long enough to walk alongside them through these changes.

For more than 15 years, CODESPA Foundation Philippines has been working with communities and local partners to do exactly this. Now, that work has received recognition from the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) through two awards:

• The Outstanding Partner in Fisheries Management and Conservation, presented during BFAR’s 63^rd Fish Conservation Week in the Caraga region.
• The Gawad Pasasalamat sa mga Kabalikat ng Pangisdaan at Yamang Tubig (Award of Appreciation for Partners in Fisheries and Aquatic Resources), through which CODESPA was subsequently recognized among the national awardees.

For CODESPA Philippines Country Director Gemma Goliat, the recognition is more than an award.

It means a lot to us because it validates that what we are doing is valuable and critical.

Resilience beyond environmental management

CODESPA’s work recognizes that environmental sustainability and economic resilience are closely connected.

One example is its work with seaweed farmers to develop seaweed bio-stimulants that create opportunities to add value to a locally available resource while connecting coastal producers with farmers on land who can use the product in their own farms.

For Gemma, this reflects a broader understanding of resilience.

When we talk about economic resilience, it goes beyond environmental management and climate change adaptation.

It is also about helping communities build the capacities, opportunities, and partnerships they need to strengthen their livelihoods.

The power of partnership

This work is made possible through collaboration with communities, local government units, institutions, farmers organizations, and other partners.

The BFAR recognition is therefore also a reflection of these relationships. It acknowledges the collective effort behind initiatives that seek to make livelihoods more sustainable while supporting responsible management of natural resources.

Goliat added that the recognition also reinforces CODESPA’s commitment to the people and partners behind its work.

This recognition is an inspiration to us not just to continue doing it right, but to give importance to our partners. As an organization, it is a testimony of our hard work and our commitment.

With more than a decade in the Philippines, CODESPA continues to work alongside communities to turn local knowledge, resources, and partnerships into opportunities for more resilient livelihoods.

Recognition may mark a milestone, but the real measure of the work is what communities can build and sustain together.

Article written by Gemma Golliat, Country Representative, and Wyslly Sombrero Ala, Communications, at CODESPA Philippines.