Socio-economics of mangrove ecosystem in South-eastern Ayeyarwady Delta area of Myanmar

Abstract

Coastal communities are dependent on the resources available in mangrove ecosystems. The loss of these ecosystems would mean local, national and global welfare losses. Healthy mangrove ecosystems were related with integrated ecological and economical processes by local people. In the present study, uses of mangroves, products and the fishery status of local areas have been studied. The mangrove forests from the study areas provide charcoal, firewood, food and some medicinal plants for local people. To assess the economic value of the regions, the local people from three villages who lived in and near the mangrove forest were questioned and documented. The households studied were categorized into three groups such as poor, middle and rich class and then their monthly income and kinds of jobs studied. The products and works based on mangrove forest and water ways of study areas were the production of Nipa thatches, dried fishes, dried shrimp, nga-pi, pickled shrimp, shrimp sauce and charcoals.