AGRICULTURE Ministry officials and representatives of the Mangrove Action Committee (MAC), on Thursday, met stakeholders of Guyana Beekeepers Association, in a bid to advance the livelihood component of the Guyana Mangrove Restoration Project (GMRP). Project Coordinator, Mr. Bissasar Chintamanie, said the meeting, organised by the Agriculture Sector Development Unit (ASDU) and held in the Ministry Georgetown  boardroom, was successful and the beekeepers organisation is now expected to present a proposal to the MAC towards developing the new partnership.
The draft National Mangrove Management Action Plan proposes that, relative to the livelihood component, communities can be engaged in the provision of labour, materials and equipment.
Support and suitable compensation could be arranged so that real benefits are derived by communities, in return for their participation.
Chintamanie said: “Networking is very important. The proposal will indicate what the beekeepers want and how they can support the management, protection and restoration of mangroves.”
He added that, after the proposition is submitted, the MAC will make recommendations, ratify them and take it from there.
Chintamanie noted, too, that, by assisting with livelihoods of community members, the entire mangrove project will, eventually, become community owned and contribute to the sustainability of the overall initiative.
He explained that, in advancing the livelihood component of the GMRP, the partnership between the beekeepers and the MAC will see persons being deterred from destroying the mangroves as they will be aware that bees are in that area and result in increased economic output from the natural sources, the ecosystem.
“The hives can either be in the mangrove forests or in close proximity to the forests. The honey that is processed when bees visit the mangrove flowers are of very good quality,” Chintamanie assured.
He observed that the beekeepers grouping is not functioning to maximum capacity and there is need for greater networking among the members.
Chintamanie expressed the hope that the MAC and beekeepers partnership will engender enhanced cooperation.
Way forward
“We are encouraging networking amongst the beekeepers and more organisation in the association,” he said, disclosing that another meeting, like Thursday’s, is scheduled after two weeks to decide the way forward.
The $100M Government funded project covers the 2010 to 2012 three-year period and the momentum built through successful implementation is expected to aid long term sustainability.
The objectives 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 in Guyana.
Under the European Union (EU) Global Climate Change Alliance budget line, a programme linked to sustainable coastal zone management was developed and a total 4.165 million euros are to lend additional support for the project execution.
Mangroves serve to shield inland areas during storms; a source of food for fish, shrimp and crabs that live in rivers and shallow parts of the sea/ocean; trap sediments and break down pollutants; provide homes and nurseries for many animals, primarily fishes and a safe haven for juvenile fish, shrimps and crab located on Guyana’s coastline.
Actions such as grazing animals and dumping garbage in them, fishermen pulling their boats through them and cutting the trees for fuel and other purposes are the causes of mangroves destruction, the impacts of which the GMRP is targeted to mitigate.