Triggering Rural-Urban Interactions to Cope with Climate Change: An Adaptation Experiment

A women’s group has teamed up with local fishermen to restore a coastal mangrove lagoon in Mauritius. The mangrove plantation protects the coastal lagoon that the communities depend on for subsistence, while handicraft activities help diversify income sources. “Climate Change Adaptation in Mauritius’ Coastal Zone through Protective Mangrove Plan” is making communities more resilient to climate change while restoring their coastal environments.

Fast facts:

Tripling of mangrove seedling survival rate through use of a nursery model;
20,000 mangroves planted, protecting nearly one kilometre of coastline;
25 women worked to sensitize 300 community members and 350 schoolchildren on adaptation to climate change;
Project success has led to government commitment of $60,000 for replication.

The problem

The village of Grand Sable, located in the southeast coast of Mauritius, sits between a mountain range and the sea. The seaside is prone to tidal surges and sea level rises, while flash floods from the mountainsides also wash silt into the lagoon. Both of these factors are damaging the shoreline environment, threatening the livelihood of Grand Sable residents who depend on subsistence fishing. Grand Sable fishermen are especially vulnerable to the growing risks of climate change, as increased flooding and greater sea level rises further jeopardize the natural environment upon which they depend.

The solution

The Grand Sable Fishermen Association and the Grand Sable Women Planters Farmers Entrepreneurs Association have teamed up to plant mangroves along 800 meters of Mauritius’ coastline in the village of Grand Sable.

For the project, the fishermen developed a mangrove nursery to mature the seedlings, which increased the survival rate of transplanted tubers to nearly 90%, in contrast to a survival rate of 30% achieved from traditional direct insertion methods.

Women were trained through a “train the trainers” program in the production of cloth bags as an alternative to plastic bags. They were also trained to plant vetiver grass to stabilise hillsides and be harvested for the production of handicrafts. The women also worked to sensitise community members and schoolchildren on climate change issues.

Helping the planet

Mangroves protect land against flooding and help to prevent shoreline erosion, as well as improving water quality by filtering out waste and pollutants. The mangroves act as a natural coastal defense against storm and sea surges, and prevent lagoon siltation by trapping mud washed down from the land that would otherwise enter into the sea. Planting vetiver grass on hillsides effectively controls erosion on mountain slopes, reducing further environmental damage from flash floods. Preventing the siltation of the lagoon and improving seawater quality helps maintain healthy fisheries.

Helping people

Through the project, housewives had the opportunity to earn a better living through alternative income-generating activities such as the cloth bag cottage industry and craft-making. Equipping the women with new knowledge and skills helped build their confidence and standing in the community. Fishermen benefitted from improved fisheries, and the community as a whole enjoyed the positive results of healthy ocean waters and a protective mangrove lagoon.

Scaling up

The project was covered by local, national, and international media, helping spread its success. The Government of Mauritius earmarked $60,000 in a public fund for replication of this project in other coastal regions of the island. Private sector actors also showed interest in funding similar projects through corporate responsibility programs.