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Home > News > Integrated Coastal Management in Rekawa: focus group discussions |
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Integrated Coastal Management in Rekawa: focus group discussions
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Due to its environmental sensitivity, Rekawa was brought under a Special Area Management process by the Coast Conservation Department. The University of Ruhuna is currently undertaking various studies in that area and is, with the support of AGSL, establishing a Coordinating Committee to deal with multi-stakeholder issues in the zone.
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Two students have done their research in Rekawa: Jayani Krsishanti focused on the contribution of women towards sustainable livelihoods in small-scale fisheries, while K.N. Yasini’s study focused on the potential of eco-tourism in the area. AGSL has supported the focus group discussions which were organized by the students. The outcome of the studies will be important for the establishment of the CC as well as further development initiatives undertaken in the area.
The focus group discussion on women’s contribution towards sustainable livelihood in small scale fisheries was conducted on 8th August in National Aquatic Research Agency (NARA). A survey was carried out prior to the discussion identifying the particular stakeholders including women who are engaged in self employment as well as to identify the potential sources of livelihoods of the entire SAM area (in all seven Grama Niladhari (GN) divisions). The objectives of the workshop were to find out household responsibilities of women and the strategies that they adopt to earn supplementary incomes, identify issues related to women’s engagement in income generating activities and to suggest measures that could improve their contribution towards household welfare and sustainable livelihoods. At the end of the session, the women established a committee to work together for sustainable livelihood and even to engage in local economic development. They identified different alterative income generating activities to be further developed together such as fish processing, coir rope and carpet making, brick making, home gardening, shoe making, sewing (making ready-made garments), producing Batik clothing, etc.
The findings of the study carried out by the University have been presented to RUEDA (Ruhuna Economic Development Agency) and AGSL will have further meetings with the women’s committee to identify activities to strengthen women’s engagement in this process.
The second discussion was held on Eco-tourism development through effective coordination of stakeholder groups, the 11th of September. The main focus of the workshop was to find out the eco-tourism services and the diverse issues associated with the provision of such services. A stakeholder coordinating committee aiming at developing an integrated eco-tourism plan for the zone (within the common coastal development plan, which will be developed with the support of RUEDA and AGSL) was established. A lecture on the importance and potential for eco-tourism in Rekawa was given by Mr. Anil Koththegoda, an eco-tourism expert. The initiatives on eco-tourism in Rekawa will be supported and included in the broader initiatives on tourism already ongoing within AGSL.
The findings of these two studies carried out by the University will be included in the overall project which is the establishment of the CC to deal with multi-stakeholder issues in the zone of Rekawa. The first workshop to bring together all the relevant stakeholders and potential members of the CC will be held on 24th of September.
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