Promoting and influencing policy through small projects

In India, the NCB is using project results (species recovery plans) in policy briefs for state agencies to take up project recommendations in their respective policy agenda. Five SGF projects (by BNHS, SMDRI, WTI, WWF-India, and Wetlands International South Asia), had a research focus, and produced scientific studies on the mangroves of Rantnagiri; the seagrass beds of Palk Bay and Gulf of Mannar; whale sharks along the west coast of India; ornamental gastropod shell trade along the south coast of India; and the Vembanad Kol backwaters in Kerala. While the focus of these projects was on research, some of the key deliverables were recommendations or draft management plans for ecosystems, or recovery plans for species--with the research aspect substantiating the projects’ policy recommendations. This information was presented to the NCB and the Principal Chief Conservators of Forest, Chief Wildlife Wardens and associated other forest department officials (of the West coast states) for further discussions and discuss plans for uptake at the policy level at an 12th NCB meeting that was held in Mitapur, Gujarat on December 2013. Several significant suggestions were made by the state and ways to take the recommendations forward were agreed upon. MFF India in 2014 will work with through the NCB and the states to take up these project recommendations in their respective policy agenda. Read more from the India Small Grants Facility Page.

In Sri Lanka, following the findings of a project that established the biodiversity value of a mangrove forest, the NCB has recommended declaring the area as a conservation forest. Read more about the project, "Mangrove diversity and related fishery in lagoon/estuarine systems in Potuvil- Panama coastal stretch"

In Viet Nam, one SGF project successfully established a co-management scheme in a national park, protecting natural biodiversity and community traditional rights. See related story, "Sustainable use of mangrove resources to benefit poor women through a co-management pilot in the core zone of Xuan Thuy National Park, Vietnam"