Agartala, October 7: Tripura Forest Minister Animesh Debbarma on Wednesday launched the official website of the World Bank-backed ELEMENT (Enhancing Landscape and Ecosystem Management) project, which aims to promote sustainable forest management and improve livelihood opportunities for forest-dependent communities.
The website was inaugurated at Prakriti Bhavan in Gandhigram here in the presence of Principal Chief Conservator of Forests (PCCF) R K Shyamol and senior officials of the Forest Department.
The portal will provide information on the project’s activities, implementation progress and initiatives related to landscape and ecosystem management, besides highlighting measures for forest and biodiversity conservation, officials said.
Speaking to reporters, Debbarma said the project was aimed at promoting entrepreneurship among communities dependent on forest resources and helping them make sustainable use of those resources.
He said the initiative would also work towards connecting enterprises run by forest-dependent communities with wider markets and creating additional livelihood opportunities.
“The Tripura Forest Department and the World Bank are working together on various aspects of the project, including livelihood development and sustainable forest management,” the minister said.
Representatives of the World Bank also participated in discussions with Forest Department officials during the programme.
Debbarma said the newly launched website would enable people to access information about the project’s activities and progress.
“Through this website, people across the world will be able to see what we are doing for forest conservation, biodiversity protection and the livelihoods of people living in forest areas,” he said.
The minister said the project seeks to combine conservation with livelihood development by encouraging communities to adopt sustainable practices in the use of forest resources.
Officials said the ELEMENT project focuses on landscape and ecosystem management while supporting communities whose livelihoods are closely linked to forests.
The website is expected to serve as an information platform containing details of project activities, implementation progress and initiatives being undertaken in different parts of Tripura.
The Forest Department and the World Bank are collaborating on measures aimed at strengthening sustainable forest management and expanding livelihood opportunities for forest-dependent communities.
Debbarma said the initiative was expected to open new avenues for sustainable forest management and livelihood development in the state.
Officials said the website would also help improve public awareness of conservation measures and community-based livelihood initiatives being undertaken under the project.
The initiative seeks to promote sustainable use of forest resources while supporting communities dependent on them, they said.
The Forest Department will continue implementing activities under the project with focus on forest conservation, biodiversity protection, sustainable resource use and strengthening livelihoods in forest-dependent communities.
