Sri Lanka is embarking on an innovative journey to combine environmental conservation and economic development with the ‘Green Entrepreneurs for Mangroves in Sri Lanka‘ (GEMS) programme. This initiative, led by the Initiative for Livelihood Education and Development (iLEAD) International Academy, the Chamber of Young Lankan Entrepreneurs (COYLE), and the Centre for International Forestry Research and World Agroforestry (CIFOR-ICRAF), aims to create a sustainable future by nurturing young entrepreneurs dedicated to mangrove restoration and the preservation of other ecosystem services in the country. This plan is being created under the overall leadership and vision of Sri Lanka’s Senior Advisor to the President on Climate Change, with cooperation from several departments of the Ministry of Environment, as well as other relevant ministries and government authorities.
GEMS Program Vision and Objectives
The GEMS programme aims to train 6,500 young green entrepreneurs across Sri Lanka’s 64 DS Divisions with maritime borders. These enterprises will prioritize the sustainable use of mangrove byproducts and other ecosystem benefits. Their tasks will include preserving, protecting, and restoring the health of mangroves in their particular locations. The program intends to invest USD 3.5 million, resulting in an annual local revenue of USD 26 million in the country’s disadvantaged coastal districts.
Global Recognition and Support
Sri Lanka’s efforts have received international attention, with the country becoming one of the seven UN World Restoration Flagships for its pioneering work in mangrove restoration. This recognition highlights the importance of the GEMS program and its potential to serve as a model for other countries seeking to reconcile economic development with environmental sustainability.
Ruwan Wijewardene, Senior Advisor to the President on Climate Change, has stressed the importance of balancing economic development with ecological and environmental conservation. He has stated that these two qualities may and should compliment one another. Ravi Pratap Singh, Managing Director of iLEAD International Academy, stated that the organization is fully prepared to identify, mobilise, and train 6,500 adolescents from the country’s coastal districts. Thushira Raddella, Chairman of COYLE, has pledged to provide mentorship support to all young green entrepreneurs who graduate from the programme via their newly built Entrepreneurship Development Center. Ravi Pratap Singh further stated that adolescents would be mobilized and trained in partnership with other local partners who work in coastal communities on entrepreneurship and environmental awareness programs. Dr. Rupesh Bhomia, an internationally renowned senior scientist, has committed his time to this work and has pledged CIFOR-ICRAF of ongoing technical support based on its global knowledge in the field.
Bringing together stakeholders to galvanize efforts.
Earlier this month, a huge gathering of stakeholders was organized through an event called ‘The Big Lunch’, which was inspired by similar events held by the Eden Projects in the United Kingdom to encourage mangrove restoration. ‘The Big Lunch’ was intended to produce actionable ideas for the GEMS programme. A wide range of stakeholders attended the event, including government leaders, UN agencies, business chambers, international and national NGOs, environmentalists, academic and research institutions, community practitioners, and young people. This gathering of more than 70 participants generated over 30 strong action proposals to guarantee that this curriculum has a genuine impact on the ground.
This informal meeting would be followed by a workshop of all stakeholders next month, hosted by the Centre for International Forestry Research and World Agroforestry (CIFOR-ICRAF) in collaboration with the Ministry of Environment, to discuss the outcomes of ‘The Big Lunch’ and strengthen the GEMS programme’s strategies and work plan.
The ongoing support and active participation of all stakeholders, including international partners like the Eden Project in the United Kingdom and the M.S. Swaminathan Research Foundation in India, who will share their knowledge and expertise on mangrove restoration, will contribute to the program’s success. This coordinated approach assures that economic expansion does not harm the environment.
Key Components and Support Systems
The initiative will use decision science to define the responsibilities of three major stakeholders: community mobilizers, companies, and research/academic institutions. Collaboration between these parties is critical to the success of mangrove restoration projects. COYLE will play an important role in building an Entrepreneur Development Centre to mentor aspiring entrepreneurs committed to green business practices.
The initiative also aims to foster dialogue and collaboration. The informal style of ‘The Big Lunch’ encouraged in-depth talks, which resulted in concrete ideas. The program emphasized the necessity of community-wide collaboration among businesses, research institutions, and youth mobilization organizations.
Expected Results and Impact
The GEMS programme is expected to begin on-the-ground activities in September 2024. It seeks to directly serve over 32,000 people and reach about half of the country’s population (around 10 million). This effort is expected to create an annual revenue of Rs 7860 million (USD 26 million), greatly increasing the income of families in poor coastal regions.
This program would be consistent with UN Sustainable Development Goal 14, which focuses on the sustainable management of oceans and coasts. Mangrove restoration also contributes to other SDGs such as poverty eradication, hunger elimination, livelihood and economic growth, climate action, and biodiversity conservation.
How is tourism benefiting from this project?
Nowadays, most travellers are very conscious of nature. Therefore, most tourists are very eager to explore the beaches, coves, bays, mangrove lagoons and riverine fauna and flora. Venturing on a boat tour in Sri Lanka, such as Madu river safari and Bentota river Safari, are the most suitable programs to see the valuable mangrove vegetation in Sri Lanka. These mangroves make a very unique and valuable environment which is inhabited by a large number of fauna and flora. Maintaining this unique vegetation allows the people who engage in offering boat trips to Tourists to largely benefit from this initiative.