During this period, six small grants were successfully implemented, while three more have been initiated along with a large grant project in the Sundarbans. Some of the issues that are being addressed by these projects include detailed mangrove mapping and faunal surveys, capacity building and awareness workshops, programmes with local communities who live in and around these ecosystems, training of local women and youth in mangrove nursery raising and planting, establishing ECO clubs in rural schools, understanding the current status and extent of shelterbelts along the coastal areas on a GIS platform, and developing models of restoring abandoned aquaculture farms into mangrove restoration sites along with introducing fish in these, argumenting the livelihoods of the communities in these areas. Phase I of MFF has now been successfully completed and we are moving forward with the Phase II of this initiative.
MFF Projects
Completed Small Grant Projects:
1. “Mangrove Conservation and Regeneration”
Implementing agency: Tata Chemical Society for Rural Development (TCSRD), Gujarat
Duration: 12 months
This project addressed mangrove restoration on barren mudflats, and aimed to improve coastal wetland ecology through restoration and by increasing awareness amongst the locals. In addition to planting over 60,000 saplings in a 50 acre plot, several local women were trained in nursery raising and Eco clubs established in rural schools with an outreach exceeding 2,400 children.
2. “Study of floral diversity and natural recruitments of mangrove species in selected mangrove habitats of South Gujarat”
Implementing agency: Gujarat Ecological Education and Research (GEER) Foundation, Gujarat
Duration: 12 months
This project documented the floristic diversity and natural recruitment of mangroves in southern Gujarat. It also looked into the dependence of local communities in these mangrove habitats. in addition to detailed mangrove mapping and floral surveys, new mangrove areas in Navsari and Valsad districts were identified and the project also resulted in three
more mangrove species added to state mangrove list.
3. “Critical evaluation of alternate livelihood programmes implemented for reducing dependence on Sundarbans mangroves and its ecosystem”
Implementing agency: Sundarbans Biosphere Reserve, West Bengal Forest Department
Duration: 13 months
It evaluated past and current livelihood initiatives and their success in reducing anthropogenic pressures in the landscape. This project aided in the development of the large grant project in the same area and has also helped the forest department in implementing newer alternative livelihood interventions in the area.
4. “Study of the status of shelter belts in Southern India coastal line”
Implementing agency: Environment Protection Training and Research Institute (EPTRI), Andhra Pradesh
Duration: 12 months
This project documented the current status of coastal shelter belts in six coastal states and prepared a synoptic report on various management initiatives of these shelter belts, along with detailed maps.
5. “Sustainable coastal livelihood: integrated mangrove fishery farming system”
Implementing agency: M.S. Swaminathan Research Foundation (MSSRF), Tamil Nadu
Duration: 12 months
This project developed an Integrated Mangrove Fishery Farming System (IMFFS) that involved plantation of mangroves along with culture of fishes, prawns and crabs in degraded and abandoned prawn farms. Two models of IMFFS were developed during the project duration, and the culture of fish, prawns or crab provided immediate income and mangrove plantations provided long-term environmental security to these abandoned prawn farms. These models were also environmentally sound and also reduced input cost drastically as they involved the use of no energy for pumping water in and out of the farm and no use of artificial feed and chemicals in fish culture. These models also have the potential to be replicated across the country where such degraded and abandoned sites exist.
6. “Current status, threats and conservation measures of coral reefs in India- National brainstorming workshop”
Implementing agency: Suganthi Devadason Marine Research Institute (SDMRI), Tamil Nadu
Duration: 3 months
This was a national level meeting of scientists, managers, policy makers and NGOs that discussed the current status, threats and conservation practices of Coral reefs in India and consolidate their findings in one comprehensive publication. Over 51 participants from the 4 major reef areas in India (including administrators, managers, scientists, Government and NGO’s / Institutions) participated and presented 28 research papers under 5 broad research areas.
Recently Initiated Projects:
Ongoing Small Grant Projects:
1. “Demarcation of area for edibility and non-edibility of edible bivalves and region influenced by mangrove habitats along the Goa coast, Central West Coast (CWC) India, by determination of trace metal concentration in it and action there of”
Implementing agency: National Institute of Oceanography (NIO) (15 months)
2. “Sustainable fresh water aquaculture in mangrove dominated Indian Sundarbans”
Implementing agency: Department of Marine Science, University of Calcutta (13 months)
3. “Mangrove restoration and afforestation: participatory assessment of current practices”
Implementing agency: M.S. Swaminathan Research Foundation (MSSRF) (12 months)
Large Grant Project:
1. “Alternative livelihood options for vulnerable mangrove resource users in the Sundarbans Tiger Reserve”
Implementing agency: West Bengal Forest Department (24 months)
