Gandhinagar: Gujarat has emerged as the leading state in the country in strengthening coastal ecosystems by expanding the cover of mangrove cultivation under the Centre’s MISHTI (Mangrove initiative for shoreline habitats and tangible incomes) scheme.
The state, accounting for around 23.32 per cent of India’s total mangrove cover, has added more than 19,000 hectares in just two years.
The state, having set out clear targets under the MISHTI scheme, has become a national model for mangrove conservation and expansion.
Through sustained afforestation, the mangrove plantation and restoration have been carried out across around 40,000 hectares over the past three years.
Jaypal Singh, Gujarat Principal Chief Conservator of Forests (PCCF), said that excellent work has been accomplished under this program.
“Gujarat accounts for nearly 85 per cent of the total work done across India in a year, and the Forest Department has completed mangrove plantations over an area exceeding 40,000 hectares in the last three years,” he added.
Mangroves serve as a natural protective shield for coastal areas, enriching marine biodiversity, boosting fish production, and strengthening the ‘blue economy’ alongside the livelihoods of coastal communities.
DM Dafda, a farmer from Jamnagar, noted that when mangrove leaves turn yellow and fall, the insects that breed on them become food for small fish, forming the basis of the food chain that extends from small fish to larger ones.
Gujarat has the second-largest mangrove cover in the country.
The state’s coastal regions account for around 23.32 per cent of India’s total mangrove cover.
The state government has set a target to expand the mangrove area from around 1,164 square kilometers to 1,500 square kilometers by the year 2035.
Notably, the state remains second, falling behind West Bengal in area under mangroves.
Mangrove trees play a pivotal role in preventing coastal erosion, promoting bio-diversity and providing protection against natural disasters.
(IANS)
