Ministry of Crab joins UNDP to advance Mangrove Conservation
View(s):Ministry of Crab restaurant partners with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in Sri Lanka through the Global Environment Facility funded Small Grants Programme (SGP) in the Mannar Landscape, in the form of an 18-month project that will empower communities in the area, with a strong focus on mangrove restoration.
Working together with GEF-SGP Community Based Organisations and Grantees, the programme participants will lead their communities in mangrove propagation, reforestation, and protection.
To mark the occasion, Chef Dharshan Munidasa, Founder, Ministry of Crab and Ms. Azusa Kubota, Resident Representative, UNDP in Sri Lanka ceremoniously signed a letter of agreement.
The project will work with two grassroots organisations, the Human Development Organisation (HDO) and WeCAN, who will plant 1,000 mangrove plants with community participation, forming youth groups for the maintenance and monitoring of planted mangroves. This will be carried out through creating tree bands on 5 hectares of saline land and supported by constructions of a storage pond by low-lying areas to capture rainwater as well as the establishment of a plant nursery.
Mangrove forests play a critical role in Sri Lanka’s ecological system; however, they are rapidly degrading due to climate change and pollution. Mangrove forests thrive along the border between land and sea and are the first line of defense for coastlines, reducing erosion from storm surges, currents, waves, and tides. They can absorb up to five times more carbon than forest trees and improve water quality by filtering out sediments. As an important source of livelihood and food for thousands of small communities in Sri Lanka, protecting its mangroves will make coastal communities more resilient by promoting improved fishing and agriculture, fostering sustainable livelihoods that can withstand shocks and stresses, and ensuring a healthier environment in which communities can thrive.
Mangroves are a biodiversity hotspot, providing a home to many birds, crustaceans, reptiles, and mammals to thrive at the junction between land and sea, and is home to Sri Lanka’s iconic mud crabs.
Chef Dharshan Munidasa, Founder, Ministry of Crab noted, ‘Mangroves are a vital part of Ministry of Crab’s journey, as well as for everyone in Sri Lanka who takes pride in our crabs and the ecosystems that sustain them. We are one entity, and it will take much more involvement from communities and corporations to help preserve both the mangroves and our heritage’.
Ministry of Crab places high value in sustainably sourcing seafood and has worked with suppliers who have sustainable sourcing practices and supporting the livelihoods of local fishing communities. From its inception, the restaurant has been an advocate for the sustainable harvesting of Mud Crab, by not serving crabs below 500 grams, emphasizing that their commitment and respect for ingredients and sustainability have always been paramount.
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