Chorao Island: A Place, its People and a Project

Chorao Island, located in Goa’s Mandovi River, has a unique ecological and cultural history, involving many changes to its land and ecology. In 2014, a project titled "Conservation and Sustainable Management of Coastal and Marine Protected Areas (CMPA)" was initiated at Dr. Salim Ali Bird Sanctuary. Jointly implemented by MoEFCC, Goa Forest Department and GIZ. By involving the island’s community, the CMPA project seeks to create an environmental and economic balance for this ecosystem and its people. 

The main objective of the CMPA project is to show ways and means to improve the conservation and sustainable use of biological diversity along the coast. Taking into consideration the economic importance of the coastal zone for large segments of the population the project’s approach is people?centred, thus ensuring the acceptance of conservation by those directly affected. 

The three main components of the CMPA project are participatory process, human capacity development, and communication and awareness. The project uses a variety of tools to achieve its objectives. The project sites for the CMPA project are as follows: 

1.        Khijadiya Bird Sanctuary, Gujarat

2.        Gosabara Wetland Complex & Madhavpur, Gujarat

3.        Thane Creek, Maharashtra

4.        Velas Dabhol Coast, Maharashtra

5.        Ansure Creek, Maharashtra

6.        Dr. Salim Ali Bird Sanctuary & Chorao Island, Goa

7.        Palk Bay, Tamil Nadu

The film titled "Chorao Island: A Place, its People and a Project" was made under the project titled ‘Conservation and Sustainable Management of Coastal and Marine Protected Areas (CMPA)’ of the Indo-German Biodiversity Programme.  The CMPA Project is commissioned by the German Federal Ministry for Environment, Nature Conservation, Building and Nuclear Safety (BMUB), under the International Climate Initiative (IKI). It is implemented by the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC), Government of India, and the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH on behalf of BMUB.