The Andhra Pradesh State Forest Department has identified nine landscapes, including marshes to support climate resilience of thousands of coastal families under the United Nations Development Programme’s Green Climate Fund (GCF).
The States of Maharashtra, Odisha and Andhra Pradesh have been chosen under the UNDP and granted the GCF of over ₹298 crore for the six-year project that commences this year. Some 25 landscapes have been identified for the project and of them nine fall in Andhra Pradesh.
V. Bhaskara Ramana Murthy, Principal Chief Conservator of Forests (Forest Resources), Andhra Pradesh, has told The Hindu:
“The nine landscapes identified for the GCF project are Telineelapuram (Nowpada swamp, Srikakulam), Chintapalli coastal belt (Visakhapatnam), Koringa Wildlife Sanctuary, Krishna Wildlife Sanctuary, Bantumilli wetlands (Krishna), Pulicat Lake and Nelapattu Bird Sanctuary (Nellore).”
“Above 50 % of women, particularly fisherfolk and those depend on agriculture, will be provided the alternative livelihood options, apart from conserving the respective ecosystem -- mangrove, marsh, wetland, and swamps -- through the activities being taken up with the GCF,” says Mr. Ramana Murthy.
Baseline study
The baseline study to identify the beneficiaries and form ecology development committees has been commenced across the State, documenting the possibilities to implement various livelihood activities -- honey production, cultivation of mussel, oyster, wild crab, salt-resistant food crops, medicinal and aromatic plants (Telineelapuram).
The six-year project is likely to witness restoration of nearly 300 hectares of salt marshy land and improvement in mangrove and mud-flat ecosystem in thousands of hectares along the Andhra coast, in addition to ensure alternative livelihood options for survival of the coastal communities that are prone to affect by the adverse climatic changes in their surrounding ecosystems.
In 2016, a team of experts (representing NABARD, ICRISAT, Germany-based GIZ, MSSRF) have studied restoration model of Sorlagondi reserve forest in Krishna district and impact on local communities and ecosystem under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) Adaptation Fund to suggest the activities under the GCF.