Download Grassrootts, Issue: June 2009

Grassroots, Issue: June 2009
Livelihood and the ecosystem
By : Sangeetha Rajeesh
Tamil Nadu
Kappaphycus Alvarezii is a source of livelihood in the Gulf of Mannar region, but with
speculation that it might be bio-invasive, the onus lies with the Government of
TamilNadu to strike the right balance
A weather-beaten display board just before the Pamban Bridge while proceeding
towards Rameswaram gives a rough indication of what I was looking for, but
Prabhakar tells me figures have changed. He was my guide and we travelled through
fishing hamlets all along the Palk Bay coastline. Information on the board said that
sea-weed cultivation that launched on Feb 1, 2006 for a project amount of Rs 67
lakhs would benefit 333 families and was sponsored by the State Bank of India,
Ramanathapuram, Department of Bio-technology, Aquaculture Foundation of India,
Ramnad District Development Agency and the TamilNadu Reconstruction Movement
My mission – to find out how sea-weed cultivation changed the lives of the fishing
community and to seek their reaction if this occupation needed to be abandoned.
Our first stop was Thonithurai, a fishing village. Muthu and Nameswari were standing
in chest-deep tending to their bamboo raft as we approached, and I could hear
Jayalakshmi call out to them. The blazing sun notwithstanding, they walked to the
shore where we sat, under a thatched-roof. Both Nameswari and Muthu had worked
for a company before and having found Kappaphycus Alvarezii cultivation quite
profitable, decided to quit their jobs and started sea-weed farming.
“I own 50 rafts,” Muthu tells me proudly, pointing towards the sea, “and I have just
put in the seed-plant.” Looking in the direction, I see many such bamboo rafts
floating. It is the same scene along the coastline with people, mostly women tending
to the young sea-weed. “We can cultivate up to 1.5 kms inside the sea, you know,”
he informs, “and till a depth of seven feet. Beyond that, we will begin to hamper
fishing.”
“I too was given 50 rafts, but most of mine got washed away during the cyclone and
some are damaged,” laments Jayalakshmi, not wanting to be left out of the
conversation. “I have asked for some replacements of nylon ropes and the sponsors
have promised to provide.” There are some 32 villagers who have taken up
Kappaphycus Alvarezii farming from Thonithurai fishing village, but the most talked
of cultivator is sixty-year-old Panchavarnan and his wife Lalitha. “I have 100 rafts
and earn three times of what the others earn,” he grins, “but that’s because my wife
and I toil all day whether rain or sun without a break.”
“I used to be a home-maker,” smiles Jayalakshmi, “but ever since I have begun to
earn Rs 5, 000 a month by cultivating sea-weed, I have been able to live a better
life; I don’t want to go back to doing and earning nothing.” This she says, responding
to what she would do if she could not continue to cultivate Kappaphycus Alvarezii
along Palk Bay. “How can that be since we have been doing just this since 2002,”
retorts Nameswari. “We have been surviving only because of sea-weed farming. Our
husbands work as labourers on the trawlers. With no regular work or pay, we will not
be able to make ends meet. Why will anyone want to put a stop to our livelihood?”
she asks.
There are some moments of silence. I try and explain that certain research has
shown that though Kappaphycus Alvarezii has economic value, it poses a threat to
the coral reefs in the region. But somehow, these villagers did not seem to
understand what the hue and cry was all about. To them, their daily bread was more
important. “We only earn enough to live with bare necessities; we have no savings,”
Jayalakshmi shrugs, “and we work hard all day in the sun, in the sea and unless we
are given an alternative occupation, we will suffer.”
I decide to visit another village and this time we stop at T. Nagar, where I meet
three women from the same group – Selvi, Nageswari and Shanthi. I learn that each
group has a name and consists of five members from the same village, and that each
of these groups receives 250 rafts for 50% loan and 50% subsidy.
The ‘Roja Group’ has been cultivating Kappaphycus Alvarezii for almost a year now
and has earned enough to repay their loan. Selvi rushes inside the hut and comes
out with as much pinkish see-weed she can carry, “We have just started drying our
first batch for the season, but most of the weeds are decaying because of the hot
sun,” she tells me. Depressed Shanthi adds, “All those rafts are ours, but this month
we won’t be able to make any profits.” The group makes at least Rs 6, 000 every
month, enough to repay the loan and keep something for themselves.
Nageswari says that there are fights in the village for want of space off the shores to
cultivate the seaweed. “Every villager has to cultivate along the coastline of his or
her village and cannot trespass,” she clarifies, “because everyone wants to earn
better by growing Kappaphycus Alvarezii having seen us do well.” All three women
used to work as daily wage labourers. They had no idea about the perils of
cultivating this seaweed or about it endangering the flora and fauna of the Gulf of
Mannar.
Benefits of Kappaphycus cultivation
Kappaphycus Alvarezii is totally organic and is among the largest tropical marine red
alga that is yellowish orange, is firm yet fleshy and can grow up to 2 meters tall.
Those cultivated are usually harvested after 45 days, dried and thrashed, packed and
sent to the factory. The Carrageenan extracted from the seaweed has numerous
applications in food, chemical, pharmaceutical, textile, breweries and cosmetics.
Moreover, the application of Kappaphycus sap extracted from the wet weed is used
as a bio-fertilizer in various terrestrial plants such as rice, sugarcane, fruits,
vegetables etc., and has improved yield from 15% to 40%.
“Economic uplifting of the fisher-folk is a priority and as a result a sea farming
programme was started with this intention,” Dr M Sakthivel, President – Aquaculture
Foundation of India, Chennai enlightens. Explaining that Kappaphycus Alvarezii
requires a simple 200 metres depth, sunlight and nutrients from sea water to grow,
he expresses that there is some confusion between bio-invasion and occurrence in
relation to a report published in the Current Science paper recently.
“In the Gulf of Mannar region around 5000 women from 25 villages are dependent
on wild seaweed collection for a livelihood,” he tells me, adding that out of this, 1000
families have been rehabilitated very successfully using the Kappaphycus seaweed
cultivation programme with monthly earnings between Rs10,000 and Rs15,000 per
family. “Women who have been collecting wild seaweed in the coral area of the
National Marine Park have been diverted to Kappaphycus cultivation and thus the
damage to the corals by the wild seaweed collectors has been stopped,” he informs.
Kappaphycus Alvarezii may be an alien species from the Philippines and fortunately
or unfortunately, in the last decade, the introduction of this seaweed has become a
source of livelihood for the coastal villages in the Gulf of Mannar region. While much
research is required to determine it as invasive species and a threat to bio-diversity,
the onus therefore, lies with the Government of TamilNadu to strike the right balance
between a means of livelihood and ecosystem.
Permission to cultivate Kappaphycus
It had been approved by the National Biodiversity Authority as per section 20 of the
Biological Diversity Act, 2002 and Rule 19 of the Biological Diversity Rules 2004, and
grant approval for access of 1000 tonnes of dried Echeuma cottoni (Kappaphycus
alvarezii) and in form 4 for export of dry seaweed echeuma cottoni (kappaphycus
alvarezii) to Malaysia was received.
After witnessing the success of economic rehabilitation of the coastal poor,
Government of Tamil Nadu in G.O.Ms.No.229 dated 20.12.2005 issued orders on
seaweed cultivation in the sea waters North of Palk Bay and South of Tuticorin coast.
The G.O. also states that the Director of Environment was informed that if individual
SHGs applies for seaweed cultivations in the seawaters North of Palk Bay and South
of Tuticorin coast, it can be processed on regular basis, as the general clearance for
the Palk Bay area is available.
No objection certificate was issued for procurement and export of Dry Seaweed
Kappaphycus Alvarezii by M/s Pepsico India Holding Pvt Ltd, Gurgaon from SHGs that
was cultivated by them. SHGs have been permitted cultivation of Kappaphycus
Alvarezii in the sea water of North of Palk Bay as per G.O. MS.No.229 E&F (EC3)
Department dated 20.12.2005. The Director of Environment, Government of Tamil
Nadu had had no objection for seaweed cultivation since it is carried out inside the
sea and does not fall under CRZ rules.
The Central Salt and Marine Chemicals Research Institute (CSMCRI), Mandapam
Camp, TamilNadu expressed its views in a certified letter dated 12.02.2004 that they
had been cultivating red algae called Eucheuma cottonii (now called Kappaphycus
Alverazii) for R&D purposes for more than 15 years and that the cultivation of the
eco-friendly algae is through vegetative propagation only. “It does not release or
exudes any poisonous chemicals, which may be harmful to flora and fauna. It has
also been noticed the biodiversity of flora and fauna in and around the cultivation
area of this alga increased year by year. We are monitoring the nutrients of sea
water of our cultivation area and it is maintained well before and after initiating
cultivation and no depletion of nutrients of seawater was observed. Among Indian
coastal areas, the Palk Bay and Gulf of Mannar water columns are found more
suitable for cultivation of Eucheuma Cottonii algae.”