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Agriculture
Gujarat Villagers Expand Mangrove Cover to Over 1,177 sq km, Boosting Coastal Defense
✍️ TOI India
🗓 13 Sep 2026, 06:40 PM
👁 4
Community‑driven planting programmes have more than doubled Gujarat's mangrove area to 1,177 sq km by 2026, creating a natural shield for the coastline.
Gujarat's mangrove cover has risen sharply from 427 square kilometres in 1987 to over 1,177 square kilometres in 2026, according to a recent Times of India report. The surge is credited to coordinated village‑level participation and large‑scale plantation drives that began in the early 2000s.
The dense mangrove belts act as a natural barrier against storm surges and erosion, while also nurturing marine biodiversity and providing livelihood options such as fishing and eco‑tourism for local residents.
Building on this success, the state government has incorporated the model into the nationwide MISHTI (Mangrove Integrated Sustainable Habitat and Tourism Initiative) programme, encouraging other coastal regions to replicate Gujarat's community‑centric approach.
Experts say the Gujarat experience demonstrates how nature‑based solutions can serve as cost‑effective infrastructure for coastal defence, reducing reliance on expensive engineered structures.
The continued expansion of mangroves is expected to further stabilise the coastline and support the socio‑economic fabric of coastal villages across the state.
The dense mangrove belts act as a natural barrier against storm surges and erosion, while also nurturing marine biodiversity and providing livelihood options such as fishing and eco‑tourism for local residents.
Building on this success, the state government has incorporated the model into the nationwide MISHTI (Mangrove Integrated Sustainable Habitat and Tourism Initiative) programme, encouraging other coastal regions to replicate Gujarat's community‑centric approach.
Experts say the Gujarat experience demonstrates how nature‑based solutions can serve as cost‑effective infrastructure for coastal defence, reducing reliance on expensive engineered structures.
The continued expansion of mangroves is expected to further stabilise the coastline and support the socio‑economic fabric of coastal villages across the state.