Blue carbon road map needs to go grassroots

“GO to the ground” or see directly the situations that are affecting the growth of mangroves in the country.

Going to the community level will enable the government “to craft more responsive action, steps forward, and even revisit and adapt existing policies to new situations, taking into account the urgent need for more climate-resilient fishpond designs and fishpond aquaculture technologies” which can be converted into mangrove sites.

This was one suggestion given by Yasmin Primavera-Tirol, dean, College of Fisheries and Marine Science, Aklan State University, during the Mangrove Blue Carbon road map to 2030 and Beyond Forum held on June 18.

The event had multi-sectoral stakeholders like scientists and community leaders discussing the progress of the national blue carbon road map which prioritizes the protection and cultivation of mangroves in national climate strategies. Developed by the National Blue Carbon Action Partnership (NBCAP), which is the Philippine arm of World Economic Forum’s global Blue Carbon Action, the road map seeks to incorporate blue carbon strategies into national and local policies, enhancing coastal resilience and economic opportunities for coastal communities.

The Philippines ranks among the top countries in the world most affected by mangrove loss. Only 62 percent of its original mangrove cover remains, with land conversion for aquaculture, illegal logging, reclamation and climate impacts as key threats.

According to Primavera-Tirol, mangrove loss is a direct threat to food security, livelihoods and even cultural identity in coastal communities that depend on gleaned mangrove resources for daily sustenance. Without mangroves, many families lose access to “food you don’t have to buy if you have something to glean,” highlighting the urgent need to conserve and restore mangroves for climate resilience, and social and economic survival.

In Pedada, Ajuy, Iloilo, fisherfolk transport mangrove seedlings that are ready to be planted. PHOTO FROM ZSL/RALoma

Germaine De Ruña, project manager at NBCAP-Zoological Society of London (ZSL) Philippines, highlighted the role of local communities in blue carbon ecosystem restoration, conservation and protection. Efforts to “capacitate local communities through training and capacity-building initiatives” must continue. Conservation and mangrove rehabilitation organization ZSL Philippines functions as the NBCAP’s secretariat.

One group that has successfully led in expanding mangroves in the country is the Kapunungan sa Gagmay Ng Mangingisda sa Concepcion (KGMC), or Association of Small Fisherfolk of Concepcion, in Kabasalan, Zamboanga Sibugay province. KGMC’s original group of 30 fishermen in 1986 has now grown to 5,000 members.

Coastal communities

According to its president, Roberto Ballon, KGMC has planted and protected 12,000 hectares of mangroves in their province, resulting in the revival of the ecosystem and improving productivity. In the past, fishermen caught just 3 to 5 kilograms (kg) of fish during eight- to 12-hour trips. Now, they are able to haul in 10 to 15 kg in only five to eight hours.

Life improved in their community significantly, Ballon said. With higher incomes, families are able to build sturdier houses that can withstand the strong waves. Those who used to paddle boats now have motorized ones. “We can now afford to send our children to school,” he shared.

KGMC also set up fish farming initiatives — to cultivate oysters, crabs, lapulapu — and other small enterprises that have helped the community to diversify and generate additional income. A model for community-based mangrove conservation and sustainable fishing practices, it has received international recognition, including the Asean Rural Development for Poverty Eradication Program Leadership Award and the United Nations Development Program Equator Prize.

“Because the Philippines is made up of many islands, we have more bodies of water than land. Fisheries products or seafood are our primary food source. We have plenty of shrimp, crabs, shells and fish because of our mangroves,” Ballon said in Tagalog. Mangroves also serve as natural barriers, protecting coastal communities from strong winds, typhoons and waves, making them an invaluable resource, he added.

The Mangrove Blue Carbon road map to 2030 and Beyond press conference. (From left) Yasmin Primavera-Tirol, dean, College of Fisheries and Marine Science, Aklan State University; Dixon Gevaña, director, UPLB FDC; Roberto Ballon, chairman, KGMC, Kabasalan, Zamboanga Sibugay; Severino Salmo II, professor and university scientist, UP Diliman; and Germaine De Ruña, project manager, National Blue Carbon Action Partnership, ZSL Philippines. PHOTO FROM DOST-PCAARD

He reiterated the importance of local communities in crafting the blue carbon road map: “They are the ones who know which policies should be sustainable and will allow the community to benefit more from the mangroves.”

Meanwhile, Department of Environment and Natural Resources-Biodiversity Management Bureau (DENR-BMB) Assistant Director Mariglo Rosaida Laririt, on behalf of keynote speaker DENR-BMB Assistant Secretary Marcial Amaro Jr., said that the government is “strengthening policies, mobilizing resources and forging new partnerships from global platforms to citizen-led initiatives across barangay.”

Investments are being made not only in data and technology but also in grassroots capacity, she said. “… The real champions of mangrove conservation are our local communities, organizations and agencies, from fisherfolk and leaders to youth volunteers and Indigenous peoples.”

Laririt reiterated the need for “bold steps” toward the development of the national blue carbon road map. “It must be one that is not only grounded in science but also rooted in equity, resilience and sustainability. Mangroves stand at the intersection of science, policy and community action.”