Coastal communities like Navghar faced significant challenges due to the loss of mangroves. Vandana Patil recounts a time when the sea's bounty, especially crab and fish catches, became unpredictable and diminished. This decline was primarily due to the unchecked destruction of local mangrove forests. As these natural guardians vanished, the land lost its anchor, marine life lost its shelter, and the fishing-based livelihoods of the community became uncertain, forcing many to seek alternative, often unreliable, sources of income. Initially, many residents were unaware of the critical connection between mangrove health and their economic survival.
A major initiative was launched by the Government of India to improve climate resilience among its coastal communities. This project was a collaborative effort involving the Green Climate Fund (GCF) and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP). It focused on conserving and restoring vital marine ecosystems like mangroves while helping communities develop livelihoods capable of withstanding climate change impacts. The project was implemented across three coastal states: Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra, and Odisha.
Navghar became a focal point for transformation under this project. In 2021, a Mangrove Co-Management Committee was formed, consisting of village members, the local Gram Panchayat (village council), and women’s Self-Help Groups (SHGs). This committee aimed to protect the remaining mangroves and create sustainable local livelihoods. A key strategy involved providing structured training, particularly for women, in sustainable crab farming techniques. This fostered the formation of new livelihood groups like "Healthy Harvest" and "Wild Crab Aqua Farm," which began farming mud crabs on coastal land while ensuring the protection of mangroves from illegal cutting.
Women played a crucial role in the success of the initiative in Navghar. Recognizing that they are often disproportionately affected by economic instability, the project strategically placed them at the forefront of change. They actively participated in the Mangrove Co-Management Committee through their Self-Help Groups (SHGs), received training in sustainable crab farming, and managed new aquaculture groups. This involvement provided them with year-round employment opportunities, a significant improvement over the seasonal work they previously relied upon, allowing them to engage in local crab farming instead of traveling long distances.
By 2023, Navghar witnessed remarkable positive changes. Environmentally, the coastline, which had been degrading, experienced the regeneration of mangroves. These revitalized forests now provide better protection against erosion and storms, while coastal waters became richer in marine life. Economically, the community, particularly women, benefited from new sustainable livelihoods like local crab farming, ensuring year-round employment and income. Socially, awareness campaigns led by the Co-Management Committee successfully educated residents about the crucial link between healthy mangroves, abundant fish and crab catches, and their livelihoods, transforming the perception of mangroves from mere trees to vital protectors.
A mangrove is not a single species but a community of salt-tolerant plants (trees and shrubs) that thrive in the intertidal zones of tropical and subtropical coastlines. These ecosystems are specially adapted to conditions that most other plants cannot endure, such as waterlogged soils, high salinity, and regular tidal flooding.
Mangroves flourish in areas with high rainfall, generally between 1,000 and 3,000 millimeters annually, and prefer warm temperatures ranging from 26°C to 35°C. Their unique location in the intertidal zone means they are adapted to fluctuating water levels and soils that are constantly wet and low in oxygen.
Mangrove ecosystems provide critical benefits:
According to the India State of Forest Report (ISFR) 2023, India's total mangrove cover is 4,991.68 square kilometers, representing 0.15% of the country's total geographical area. Encouragingly, India has seen a net increase in mangrove cover over the past couple of decades.
West Bengal's Sundarbans hold the largest share of India's mangrove forests, followed by Gujarat and the Andaman & Nicobar Islands.
Gujarat recorded a substantial increase in mangrove cover, attributed to large-scale plantation drives, community participation, and public-private partnerships.
India has implemented several strong legal frameworks to protect mangrove ecosystems, including the Coastal Regulation Zone (CRZ) Notification and compensatory replantation mandates.
MISHTI, or Mangrove Initiative for Shoreline Habitats & Tangible Incomes, aims to restore and afforest mangrove ecosystems across nine coastal states and four Union Territories.
This mission includes a component specifically for the conservation of mangroves and coral reefs, providing financial assistance for their management.
The GCF-ECRICC Project focuses on enhancing coastal resilience, with a significant component aimed at restoring mangroves in targeted coastal states.
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