Mangroves can absorb salinity from water
How much awareness is there about how healthy Mangroves in the Sundarbans are for humans and animals? In the African country of Gambia, innovative mangrove recovery efforts are underway to protect multiple livelihoods, including farming.
Each week, Kadiatu collects environmental information from the Ecosystem above and below the water at six locations on the Quiet and Adesina David Gambia River . Each change document accurately.
Kadiatu said, “Right now, I’m collecting data on temperature, humidity, wind speed, air temperature, altitude, dew point, and wind direction. Climate change is making life difficult for many people along the river.
For many centuries they lived on small-scale fishing and farming. They would do so by removing salt from mangrove water. Nevertheless, due to rising sea levels and more frequent droughts, the salt level in the river has increased to the point where many shoreline trees have died. “
Many farmers like Fatumata Barrow have lost their lives. Fatumata Barrow said, “We used to cultivate paddy here, but the yield has gone down. When the mangroves were fresh, there were no problems. However, now that they are dead, there is no good harvest. “
There is limited research on Gambia’s biodiversity and environment. As a result, the potential impact of climate change on the local ecosystem is more difficult to predict. Ten young scientists inspire by an initiative called ‘GEMS’ to change that situation.
Betty Jahte, GREAT Institute , said, “The Gambia Environmental Monitoring System abbreviates as ‘GEMS.’ This is a research project where we are collecting information about the environment along the Gambia River. We try to understand the differences between seasons and years. “
However, with the waterways about 1,200 kilometers long, the organization has to rely on community-based groups and local people. Although CD Derbo is a journalist by profession, he is active as a civic scientist, 20 km from the capital Banjul.
According to CD, “As a citizen data collector, it is my responsibility to collect information and send it to them every week. At the same time, I have to train some students regarding collecting information. I wanted to take part in this project.
Because, looking at this place, it looks like it is already dead. There are signs of extensive damage in the lower part of the river. In the almost empty desert, the tip of the mangrove has risen. As a result, the coast is no longer protected.”
There is no opportunity for irrigation through the tides of the river. The loss of mangroves has also led to the loss of habitat and breeding grounds for fish and other aquatic animals. Freshwater fish have moved towards the source of the river.
With the help of international NGOs and volunteers, Ansumana Darbo hopes to restore mangrove forests. Nevertheless, he wants to use different and robust mangrove species this time.
“The data collected in collaboration with the Great Institute can use to determine the level of salt in water. Second, we have been able to identify species of mangroves within our Ecosystem. They absorb much salt.
Before, when there were no plants, much salt would enter. Now with the control and absorption of mangrove salt, the salt content of rice has come down drastically,” Dabro added.
More than 1.5 million mangrove saplings have been planted in the Gambia River Basin since August 2021 to conserve the ecosystem. The benefits of combining scientific knowledge and local initiatives are seeing the light.
