SAIME Initiative

SAIME Initiative Latest News

Recently, a model of Sustainable Aquaculture in Mangrove Ecosystems (SAIME) in West Bengal’s Sundarbans has been conferred Global Technical Recognition by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations.

About SAIME Initiative

• The Sustainable Aquaculture in Mangrove Ecosystems (SAIME) is a multi-stakeholder partnership (MSP) to strengthen transformative processes in shrimp trade as a basis for the protection of mangrove ecosystems in West Bengal.
• It is a climate-adaptive and conservation-linked livelihood initiative that integrates brackish water shrimp-based aquaculture with mangrove restoration.
• It is an ecosystem-based, climate-adaptive, and conservation-linked livelihood approach.
• Implemented by: It has been implemented in collaboration with Global Nature Fund (GNF), Nature Environment and Wildlife Society (NEWS), Naturland, and Bangladesh Environment & Development Society (BEDS),

What are Mangroves?

• Mangroves are salt-tolerant trees and shrubs that grow in coastal intertidal zones, primarily in tropical and subtropical regions.

Characteristics of Mangroves

• Salt Tolerance: They possess specialised root structures, such as salt-filtering roots and salt-excreting leaves, to manage high salinity levels.
• Aerial Roots (Pneumatophores): These roots help in respiration by obtaining oxygen from the air in waterlogged soils.
• Prop Roots: Provide stability against tidal waves and storm surges.
• Vivipary (Seed Germination): Seeds germinate while still attached to the parent tree to overcome the challenge of germination in saline water.
• Efficient Carbon Sequestration: Mangroves are among the most carbon-rich ecosystems, playing a vital role in mitigating climate change.
• Ecological Significance: Mangrove forests act as a crucial buffer between land and sea, providing habitat for various marine and terrestrial species.

Source: TH

‹ ›