MISHTI Scheme for Mangrove Plantations
Feb 7, 2023
Navigate Quickly
What is MISHTI Scheme?
What are Mangroves?
Current State of Mangroves
Importance of Mangroves
Threats to Mangroves
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Our today's edition of Current Affairs is here. Read to know more about MISHTI Scheme for Mangrove Plantations. Also, find the topic's relevance to the UPSC CSE syllabus below:
For Prelims: Indian and World Geography-Physical, Social, Economic Geography of India and the World.
General issues on Environmental ecology, Biodiversity and Climate Change.
Government Schemes in News, Mangroves, Coastal ecology, Current State of Mangroves in India, Indian State of Forest Report (IFSR) 2021, Importance of Mangroves, Threats to Mangroves, Mangrove Alliance for Climate (MAC).
For Mains: General Studies Paper I and Paper III
Geography- Distribution of Key Natural Resources across the world (including South Asia and the Indian sub-continent).
Environment and Ecology- Conservation, Environmental Pollution and Degradation, Environmental Impact Assessment.
Context
In the Union Budget 2023-24 presented on February 1, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitaraman announced a new MISHTI scheme.
Probable Question
Mangroves are not just some of the most bio-diverse locations in India, they also protect the coastlines from the vagaries of inclement weather. Explain. (150 words, 10 marks).
What is MISHTI Scheme?
- The Mangrove Initiative for Shoreline Habitats & Tangible Incomes (MISHTI) scheme is a new programme that will facilitate mangrove plantation along India’s coastline and on salt pan lands.
- The programme will operate through “convergence between MGNREGS, Campa Fund and other sources.
- This new programme will aim at intensive afforestation of coastal mangrove forests.
- India has such forests on both its Eastern and Western coasts with the Sundarbans in Bengal being one of the largest mangrove forests on the planet.
What are Mangroves?
- Mangroves are the characteristic littoral plant formation of tropical and subtropical sheltered coastlines.
- Mangroves are trees and bushes growing below the high water level of spring tides which exhibits remarkable capacity for salt water tolerance. ( As per Food and Agriculture Organization).
Current State of Mangroves
- South Asia houses some of the most extensive areas of mangroves globally, while Indonesia hosts one-fifth of the overall amount.
- India holds around 3 percent of South Asia’s mangrove population.
- According to the Indian State of Forest Report (IFSR) 2021, India has about 4,992 sq km (0.49 million hectares) of mangroves.
- As per the IFSR report, there has been an increase in the mangrove cover from 4,046 sq km in 1987 to 4,992 sq km in 2021.
- However, India lost 40% of its mangrove cover during the last century with Kerala losing 95% of its mangroves in the last 3 decades.
- Mangroves in India are distributed across nine States and three UTs with West Bengal having the highest mangrove cover of 2,114 sq km
- Besides the Sundarbans in West Bengal, the Andamans region, the Kachchh and Jamnagar areas in Gujarat too have substantial mangrove cover..
- According to the Indian State of Forest Report (IFSR) 2021, India has about 4,992 sq km (0.49 million hectares) of mangroves.
Also Read: Ammonia Pollution
Importance of Mangroves
- Protection of coastlines: As climate change increases the incidence of extreme weather events across the world, mangrove plantations have shown to make coastal lands resilient, preventing flooding, land erosion and acting as a buffer for cyclones.
- Reducing coastal erosion: Their dense roots bind and build soils, and the above-ground roots slow down water flow and result in sediment deposits, reducing coastal erosion.
- Act as excellent carbon sinks: Mangrove trees can grow in saline waters, and can sequester up to four times more carbon than tropical rainforests.
- Mangroves cover only about 0.1 per cent of the planet’s surface. Yet, they can potentially store up to 10 times more carbon per hectare (ha) than terrestrial forests.
- Support services: They also support a rich food web, with molluscs and algae-filled substrate acting as a breeding ground for small fish, mud crabs and shrimps, thus providing a livelihood to local artisanal fishers.
Threats to Mangroves
- As per the 2022 report of the Global Mangrove Alliance, between 2010 and 2020, around 600 sq km of mangroves were lost of which more than 62 per cent was due to direct human impacts.
- Threats to mangroves include,
- Infrastructure projects — industrial expansion and building of roads and railways.
- Shifting coastlines
- Coastal erosion and storms
- Urbanization
- Pollution
- Aquaculture: Shrimp farming alone destroyed 35,000 hectares of mangroves worldwide.
- Agriculture: Conversion to rice paddies.
| Mangrove Alliance for Climate (MAC) At the 27th session of Conference of Parties (COP27), the Mangrove Alliance for Climate (MAC) was launched with India as a partner. An initiative led by the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Indonesia, the Mangrove Alliance for Climate (MAC) includes India, Sri Lanka, Australia, Japan, and Spain. It seeks to educate and spread awareness worldwide on the role of mangroves in curbing global warming and its potential as a solution for climate change. The inter-governmental alliance works on a voluntary basis which means that there are no real checks and balances to hold members accountable. Instead, the parties will decide their own commitments and deadlines regarding planting and restoring mangroves. The members will also share expertise and support each other in researching, managing and protecting coastal areas. |
Also Read: What are Green Debt Swaps and How Do They Work?
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What is MISHTI Scheme?
The Mangrove Initiative for Shoreline Habitats & Tangible Incomes (MISHTI) scheme is a new programme that will facilitate mangrove plantation along India’s coastline and on salt pan lands. This new programme will aim at intensive afforestation of coastal mangrove forests.
Why are mangroves important?
- Protection of coastlines: As climate change increases the incidence of extreme weather events across the world, mangrove plantations have shown to make coastal lands resilient, preventing flooding, land erosion and acting as a buffer for cyclones.
- Reducing coastal erosion: Their dense roots bind and build soils, and the above-ground roots slow down water flow and result in sediment deposits, reducing coastal erosion.
- Act as excellent carbon sinks: Mangrove trees can grow in saline waters, and can sequester up to four times more carbon than tropical rainforests.
- Mangroves cover only about 0.1 per cent of the planet’s surface. Yet, they can potentially store up to 10 times more carbon per hectare (ha) than terrestrial forests.
- Support services: They also support a rich food web, with molluscs and algae-filled substrate acting as a breeding ground for small fish, mud crabs and shrimps, thus providing a livelihood to local artisanal fishers.
Which area of India has the world's largest protected mangrove forest?
The Sundarbans covers 10,000 km2 of land and water (more than half of it in India, the rest in Bangladesh) in the Ganges delta. It contains the world's largest area of mangrove forests.
Which state has the highest mangrove in India?
Mangroves in India are distributed across nine States and three UTs with West Bengal having the highest mangrove cover of 2,114 sq km (42.45% of India's mangrove cover), followed by Gujarat 23.66% and A&N Islands 12.39%.
News Source: Indian Express
If you want to enhance your IAS preparation and crack the UPSC CSE examination, download the PrepLadder app and get access to the finest study material for UPSC curated by India’s top UPSC faculty.
You can also join our Telegram channel for UPSC coaching and to stay updated with the latest information about the UPSC exam.
PrepLadder IAS
Get quick access to the latest happenings across the globe. Articles revolving around factual data that aims to boost your UPSC CSE preparation and make your dreams become a reality!