MAASIN CITY, Southern Leyte (PIA) — Some 423 poor families in seven municipalities and one city in Southern Leyte are ensured with incomes in at least the next eight months by propagating and planting varied species of mangroves.

This has been one of the main objectives of the short-term Southern Leyte Mangrove Greenbelt Project (SLMGP) which is expected to start this month to last till the end of the year, according to Eva Abad, head of the provincial government’s Coastal Fisheries Resource Unit.

During the SLMGP launch and signing of documents held at the RK Kangleon Function House here last Friday, Abad gave the project brief that started in 2007, in which the green mangrove concept was introduced by German organization, German Organization for Technical Cooperation (GTZ), now called the GIZ, or the Deutsche Gesellschaft fur Internationale Zusammenarbeit.

The change of name of GTZ into GIZ, a long-time partner of the province in agriculture, health, and environment concerns, also coincided with an additional program last month, the Enhancement of Food Security (EFOS) in the Visayas, under which the SLGMP would operate.

Aside from insuring money for poor households here that would be directly involved with the project, communities concerned would also be empowered by their awareness in the importance of the mangrove environment, Abad said.

The anticipated output is even more challenging for a higher purpose, that is, to improve fish activity, achieve food security, protect vulnerable communities against the ill effects of climate change, and promote biodiversity conservation in mangrove forests with an estimated 90,000 live trees growing, and at least 24 hectares of expansion.

Covered in the mangrove greenbelt project are Maasin City, Macrohon, Padre Burgos, Bontoc, Sogod, San Francisco, Saint Bernard, and Silago.

Alex Tabbada, GIZ-EFOS Coordinator, revealed that the German organization poured R1.3 million to fund the project in close coordination with the local government units of the province, municipalities/city, and 14 barangays.

Gov. Damian Mercado, for his part, thanked GIZ for always being supportive of the many projects that benefit the province, adding that for the SLMGP, the provincial government put up a counterpart fund of P 200,000.00 while all other local government units (LGUs) involved are also expected to give their share.