On site visit…
MINISTER of Agriculture, Mr. Robert Persaud yesterday lauded the move to address adaptation to climate change in a low cost sustainable way through the Guyana Mangrove Restoration Project (GMRP).
But he said the undertaking needs more volunteers.
“We need to adapt. We need to prepare now to address the challenges that are ahead,” Persaud said during a visit to Mon Repos, East Coast Demerara, one of the sites where mangroves are planted.
He said, for sustainability to be a reality, the community must take ownership, as the aim is to have it done by communities.
“Generally, we have a positive response…sustainability is dependent on communities,” Persaud emphasised.
About the destruction of mangroves, he said, while there have been some challenges, restricting access to the trees is not the idea. Rather it is ensuring that they are used in a sustainable way.
Persaud underscored the importance of mangroves, particularly in relation to Guyana’s Low Carbon Development Strategy (LCDS).
He said that the GMRP, which has gained momentum, will contribute significantly to this country’s low carbon vision.
Also visiting with the Minister were Director of the National Agricultural Research Institute (NARI), Dr. Oudho Homenauth, GMRP Coordinator, Mr. Bissasar Chintamanie and Mangrove Action Committee (MAC) Chairperson, Mrs. Annette Arjoon-Martins, among others.
Currently in the initial implementation stage, the LCDS realigns the whole development of the country on a low carbon path, by developing hydroelectric power, practising sustainable forestry, investing in low carbon ventures to produce such as fruit, vegetables and aquaculture, low impact mining and eco-tourism.

Additional funding

Apart from the Government of Guyana, the European Union (EU) is providing additional funding and Persaud said the agreement is being finalised for the receipt of 4.165M euros.
The GMRP is a $100M coastal development funded by the Government, with the overall objective abating climate change and mitigating its effects.
Armed with the National Mangrove Action Plan 2010, stakeholders are looking to protect, manage and restore mangroves locally.
The objectives outlined in the plan are to promote sustainable management of mangrove forest; develop effective protection of mangrove ecosystem and rehabilitation; increase public awareness and education on the benefits of the mangrove forests; establish and complete a legal framework for mangrove ecosystem management; encourage community-based mangrove management and establish the administrative capacity for the management of mangroves.
An estimated 11 kilometres of mangrove forests are expected to be restored countrywide by 2012 and, apart from at Mon Repos, 10,000 seedlings were planted at Hope.
The planting is to continue in an area between Triumph and Success, Greenfield and Victoria, also on East Coast Demerara in Region Four (Demerara/Mahaica) and other sites, including at Lima and La Belle Alliance on Essequibo Coast in Region Two (Pomeroon/Supenaam); Wakenaam in Region Three (West Demerara/Essequibo Islands) and Number Six Village in Region Five (Mahaica/Berbice).
Meanwhile, further situation analyses are to be conducted to assess conditions for continued planting.
The scheme is being managed by the MAC within the Climate Change and Agricultural Adaptation Unit of the National Agricultural Research Institute (NARI) within the Ministry of Agriculture, Government of Guyana.
The Guyana Forestry Commission (GFC) is also compiling an inventory of the  mangrove forests that cover the coastline, with the use of modern a geographic information system and remote sensing technology.