using systems thinking and ‘smart technology’ to...

Using systems thinking and ‘smart technology’ to facilitate social learning

with communities

Russell Richards and Carl Smith

School of Agriculture and Sciences, The University of Queensland, Australia

CCRES – Component II: Generating robust local economies that capture and sustain marine ecosystem services

2

Mental Models –People’s beliefs and

assumptions

Systemic Structures – What the systems look like

Patterns –Behaviour Over Time

EventsSymptoms

Four Levels of Systems Thinking(Maani and Cavana, 2007, Chapter 2)

Understanding of how the system works (or is perceived to work): this can influence decisions and rules

WHY the problems exist and HOW they can be addressed? (System Structures)

WHAT are the problems? (Events and Patterns)

Socio-Ecological Problems• Selayar (Indonesia) and El Nido (Philippines)• Focus problems:

– Water pollution– Food insecurity– Fish catch decline / habitat destruction– Mangrove clearing

• Problem mapping: Focus group discussions to elicit ‘Rich Pictures’

SESAMME app

SESAMMESpatially explicit (Satellite view)

SESAMMESpatially explicit (Satellite view)

Com

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SESAMME‘Drag and Drop’ icons (satellite view)

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FGD in Action

Source: PSU, Philippines

Structure, Decisions and Interventions

Fish catch

Fishing

R1

Attractiveness offishing

+

+

+

Price of fish

+

Supply/demandratio

-

Demand forfish

-

Populationgrowth

+

+

R2

Illegal fishing

Fish stocks-

+

-R3

Fish habitats-

+

+

R5

-

B1

In-migrationAlternative nonfishing livelihood-

-

-

B2

+B3

+

B5

R8

R6

-

B6Pollution

-

B4B7

R7

R4

Tourism

Privatization ofproperty

+

-+

+

+

+

-

B8

B9

B10

B11

Coastal and marine resourcesconservation activities (i.e., MPA

establishment, coral transplantation,mangrove reforestation, IEC, coastal

cleanups, etc)

+

+

Education, capabilitybuilding and skills training

for locals

+

Solid and liquidwaste

management

-

Enforcement offisheries laws

-

Concern and care forthe environment

Income fromfishing

+

+

Economic status+

B12

Encroachment of nonresident/commercial

fishers+

+ ++

-

Alternative foodsources

-

Employability

+

+

Source: PSU, Philippines

• Available for iPad (iPhone version under development)

• ‘Soft Release’ at EAS Congress, Vietnam• Continued development through CCRES

project• Release in 2016 (iTunes)• Develop Android version?#SESAMMErocks

SESAMME