Projects - Fida International

Coastal Environment Rehabilitation Programme

At the middle distance between marine and terrestrial worlds lie the mangrove forests, moist, tropical woods that harbour innumerable ecological benefits. Besides protecting and providing for a large number of coastal animals and organisms, mangroves also control many forms of pollution. They stop chemicals like phosphorous and petroleum products from polluting ocean waters through a process called rhizofiltration. They serve as a source of food and fuel for the communities of people who live in coastal regions and act as a buffer between the ocean and the land. But now, mangrove forests are among the most threatened habitats in the world because of careless business and industrial pursuits. In India, mangrove cover has been reduced to less than a third of its original in the past three decades. Between 1963 and 1977, India destroyed nearly 50 per cent of its mangroves. The biggest culprit is the booming aquaculture business. Local communities were forcibly evicted to make way for the shrimp farms. In Andhra Pradesh, more than 50,000 people were forcibly removed. The problem acquires even greater importance in view of recent environmental hazards. In the Kanyakumari district of Tamil Nadu, the tsunami of December 2004 had a far more devastating impact than the earlier tsunamis of 1881 and 1941. Environmentalists draw a direct link to the destruction of mangroves in the area. Other communities in Tamil Nadu reported minimal loss of life due to mangrove forest protection. In an agricultural land like India, there are other implications as well. Mangrove forest destruction increases salinity in the surrounding environment and this can lead to crop problems. The Coastal Environment Rehabilitation Programme aims to protect and rehabilitate mangrove forests around Machilipatnam in Krishna District of Andhra Pradesh. The Krishna coastal area is particularly vulnerable to natural disasters so it is imperative to maintain the natural protection afforded by mangrove forests. First initiated in September 2005 with three fishermen communities of 1,920 families, the project works towards regenerating mangrove plantations and mobilising and motivating the people to safeguard these forests. The project also focuses on creating awareness among the local people and providing versatile training on mangrove cultivation and disaster preparedness. So far, 50 percent of the local community has undergone extensive training through methods such as awareness meetings, exposure trips and poster campaigns. Establishing new mangrove forests is a key priority and what started as small-scale plantation has now been expanded into a full-fledged programme. Fida partners with the Full Gospel Churches of India (FGCI) for this project.