Mangrove Protection and Shrimp Farming?

"Mangroves are the solution chosen by nature for the protection of life and livelihoods on the border between land and sea. The project aims to build partnerships between different actors to restore mangroves, strengthen their resilience and make life on the coasts sustainable. My request: Please help us to do so."

Ajanta Dey, Director and Programme Manager of Nature Environment & Wildlife Society (NEWS), GNF partner in India

The dramatic death of the mangrove forests

Mangroves protect nature and the basis of life at the interface of land and sea. But increasing deforestation is depriving tropical coasts worldwide of this protective barrier – in the last 70 years alone, almost 50 percent of the global mangrove population has disappeared. Shrimp farming is also increasing the disappearance of the mangroves. In our project "Shrimp Trade & Mangrove Ecosystems", it is therefore our main goal to preserve the mangrove trees in the species-rich labyrinth of the Ganges Delta. For this purpose, we develop sustainable strategies and implement actions together with our partners in Bangladesh, India and Germany.

Cheap shrimp – at what ecological price?

Shrimps have become an indispensable part of our plates. Nevertheless, it is hardly known that the yarn aquaculture in Southeast Asia is partly to blame for the deforestation of mangrove forests. In the river deltas of India and Bangladesh, shrimp ponds increasingly dominate the landscape and displace the valuable mangrove forests – also in the Sundarbans, the largest contiguous mangrove area on earth, where Bengal tiger and other endangered species still live.

Shrimp production has many faces

The intensive aquaculture of shrimps also causes negative effects on nature, the excessive use of chemicals and animal feed causes water pollution and the loss of ecosystems. However, there are sustainable alternatives, such as certified organic shrimp from Naturland. In our project we plant mangroves directly into shrimp ponds and thus preserve biodiversity, reduce CO₂ emissions and help to secure the livelihoods of small farmers.

An ecological and social problem

Shrimps are the livelihood of many generations of small farmers of the Sundarbans. For this reason, we try to take a multifaceted approach and consider both mangrove protection and the production and supply chain of shrimp. We as consumers can also do something for mangrove protection: Buy only certified shrimps and thus promote more sustainable production methods such as the IMA system (Integrated Mangrove Aquaculture) that we use. Mangroves are planted directly into the shrimp pond so that the animals can live in harmony with the mangroves until they are caught. This way we strengthen the mangrove ecosystems.

Activate alliances

Our means of choice for promoting this integrated cultural form and informing German retailers is a so-called multi-actor partnership. With our mangrove project, we bring many different actors from trade, politics, science and civil society to one table to seek solutions together and develop long-term partnerships. In this way, we want to ensure that all actors along the value chain, from the small local farmers to the food retail trade, benefit from doing something for mangrove protection. For example, we are currently working together to set up pilot farms.

A common goal connects

Help us with your donation to save the mangrove forest before it is too late!

Every financial contribution counts

Help us to save the mangrove forests and increase the sustainability of shrimp farming.

Masks and disinfectants for farmers to better protect them at the local markets where the shrimps are sold.
Your Support: 20 Euro
100 mangrove seedlings for farmers.
Your Support: 50 Euro
Training of farmers in sustainable agricultural practice.
Your Support: 100 Euro
Contribution to the fencing of a farm to protect the mangrove seedlings from goat feed.
Your Support: 200 Euro
Contribution to necessary ground work to convert a conventional farm into an IMA shrimp farm.
Your Support: 500 Euro

More information of our project Shrimp "Trade & Mangrove Ecosystems" ...

The project "Multi-stakeholder partnership to strengthen transformative processes in shrimp trade as a basis for the protection of mangrove ecosystems in South Asia" is supported by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ).