Topics :: Empower civil society :: Sustainable Livelihoods
Aloe vera plantation managers , Sri Lanka © S. Christensen, 2011
The livelihoods of coastal communities are heavily dependent on resources and services provided by coastal ecosystems. From basic necessities including food, water and shelter to intrinsic services like tourism and recreation, coastal ecosystems cater to a multitude of human needs. The quality of these services and ecosystem health are in turn dependent on their judicious utilization by communities. Local people are not just recipients of these services but also exert direct influence on the nature and providing capacity of ecosystems.
The intricate links between local livelihoods and ecosystem health are now widely recognized. With coastal communities constantly evolving and diversification of their needs and occupations, there is a greater urgency to equate socio-economic and livelihood concerns with ecosystem health. It is now imperative that insightful parallels be drawn between decline in ecosystem health and livelihood activities.
MFF focuses on promoting livelihood activities that are environmentally sound, economically realistic and sustainable. Together with partners it seeks to address the challenges faced by coastal ecosystems and communities in the MFF countries. Through this programme of work MFF aims to develop models to guide livelihood restoration in post disaster situations, encourage replicable community led ecotourism activities, restore fisheries in tsunami affected areas and help market non-fish mangrove products.
For details about Actions, Outputs and Results, click [ + ]
Returning mangroves to Tanjung Panjang, Indonesia © IUCN, 2018
Mangrove forests worldwide have been vanishing at astonishing rates. Tanjung Panjang, Indonesia, which has lost over 60% of its mangroves in the last 3 decades, exemplifies this trend. The creation of aquaculture in nature reserves has in part led to this decrease in mangrove cover. With the help of IUCN's Restoration Opportunities Assessment Methodology (ROAM), local experts and several NGOs are working with current land users and the local government to restore forest landscapes and strive for a more sustainable future.
Bangkok, Thailand 17 Dec 2018
Each MFF country 01 Nov 2018
Yangon, Myanmar 28 Sep - 02 Oct 2017