The programmes on Ecorestoration and Dryland Agriculture has been primarily designed to integrate sustainable management of natural resources with the livelihood security of the rural communities of the coastal regions. The major objective was to evolve models of sustainable development in the coastal regions through mutually reinforcing linkages among the livelihood security of the rural communities with ecological security of the coastal regions. Both Marine and Land-based alternative livelihoods were to be developed to reduce overexploitation of the already degraded coastal bioresources and thereby reconcile development with conservation in a harmonious and sustainable manner.

These programmes focus on developing appropriate technological interventions in costal regions both representing coastal wetland ecosystems and dryland ecosystems. The interventions in the coastal estuarine system were taken up in the coastal regions of TamilNadu and Puducherry. These programmes were also strengthened during the aftermath of Tsunami in providing ecological, economic and knowledge connectivity in the regions.

Coastal estuarine regions

1. Standardization of mangrove plants propagation protocols
2. Standardization of vegetative propagation protocols and mass multiplication
3. Establishment of Mangrove Genetic Resource Conservation Centre

Micropropagation protocols have been successfully developed for a number of mangrove and associated species (Intsia bijuga, Porteresia coarctata, Salicornia brachiata and Sesuvium portulacastrum. Both micro propagation and vegetative propagation protocols were standardized for almost all the mangrove plant species  (Acanthus illicifolius, Amoora cucullata, Avicennea marina, Avicennia officinalis, Bruguiera cylindrica, Bruguiera gymonorrhiza, Bruguiera parviflora, Bruguiera sexangula, Cerbera manghas, Cerbera odollam, Ceriops decandra, Excoecaria agallocha, Heritiera fomes, Heritiera littoralis, Intsia bijiuga, Kandelia candel, Rhizophora apicuata, Rhizophora apiculata, Rhizophora mucronata, Rhizophora x hybrid, Sesuvium portulacastrum, Sonneratia apetala, Xylocarpus granatum and Xylocarpus moluccenensis) for continuous supply of saplings for restoration and afforestation programmes. Above plant species were successfully introduced and established at Mangrove Genetic Resource Conservation Centre in Pichavaram area, Tamil Nadu.

The following mangrove plants were selected for coastal bioenergy programme viz. Avicennia marina, Avicennia officinalis, Bruguiera cylindrica, Ceriops decandra, Excoecaria agallocha, Jatropha curcas, Rhizophora apiculata, Rhizophora mucronata, Rhizophora hybrid, Salicornia brachiata. People were trained in selection of plus tree materials from mangrove forest, seed collection, maintaining nursery, vegetative propagation of the selected species. The low cost mist propagation facilities has been provided for vegetative propagation and hardening of tissue culture propagated plants. The local communities are now directly involved activities for identification of suitable coastal site for mangrove plantation, plantation and after care plantation areas. 

Cultivation of Salicornia brachiata, a mangrove associate species, is important for economic benefits for both human and livestock. Farmers in and around coastal lagoons, mangrove areas, and hyper saline areas are being involved cultivation of Salicornia for harvest salts from land and biomass production. Young shoots can be harvested for salad preparation yields 3600kg/acre (2-3 months old plants). Half matured shoots can be utilized for salt extraction yields 600kg/acre (3-5 months old plants). Matured plants (completely turned to yellow) can be used for oil extraction (40kg seeds/acre) and remaining husk good for fodder yield 2700kg/acre (5-8 month old plants). 6500 to 9787 kg fresh biomass/acre from 3rd to 6th month.

Nursery raised and propagated mangrove plants were successfully field transferred into mangrove forest area in Tamil Nadu and Union Territory of Puducherry. The conservation programme at MSSRF, SHGs and local peoples were trained on nursery techniques, mist propagation, plantation and plantation maintenance practices for mangrove plant species.   

Women SHGs bioshield nurseries

Kizhavanjur Magalir Sathuppu Nila Kaadu Valarppu Kuzhu (KMSNKVK) - (Federation of MSSRF Women Self Help Groups, Karikal). Five Women SHGs (WSHGs) (each group 15 members) were trained on mangrove nursery techniques, mist propagation, plantation and plantation maintenance practices. The KMSNKVK play a major role in raising nursery and plantation in their respective areas through which they have employment opportunities. KMSNKVK at Keezhavanjore have raised about 4, 00,000 mangrove saplings of Rhizophora, Avicennia, Ceriops, Bruguiera and Excoecaria species which were transferred to Kelavelzhi field and supplied to Puducherry government. KMSNKVK main activities are management and monitoring of all the WSHG’s income generation activities and, bringing jobs on mangrove afforestation from Government Departments, NGOs and others.

Bioshield establishment and maintenance in the coastal areas:

The coastal bio-shield programme facilitates both ecological and economical benefits to the coastal communities.  The bioshield aims to conserve the bund; sand dunes in the coastal areas from natural disasters like Tsunami, cyclone, heavy coastal wind, control soil erosion etc. Thus it would protect the soil erosion and also save coastal hamlets. Additionally, mangrove plantation will help increase the aquatic biodiversity in the river and river mouth.

3½ year old bioshield plantations are being managed by traditional leaders and SHGs at Sadras (Mangrove 2 ha and 3 ha Non-mangrove) and 2½ year old mangroves (8 hac) Karaikal; two year old non mangrove (5 hac) at Chandrapadi; 2½ year old (2.2 hac) sand dune vegetation and 3 hac of non-mangrove at Pudukupam; Nagai Dist. and 1½ year old sand dune vegetation (3hac) at Pazayar.

Coastal Dryland

These initiatives were undertaken in the Kudankulam region of TamilNadu, a region characterised by extremely low rainfall and harsh climatic conditions. The rain-shadow, water-scarce regions (e.g. Kudankulam) were considered as uncultivable and left barren. The soil and natural resources degradation and accentuating poverty formed a vicious spiral.

The initiatives over the last 8 years by MSSRF focused on developing models for sustainable livelihood and food security. Agri- horticultural crops have been successfully cultivated and green-belting with neem and tamarind trees demonstrated.

The primary objectives of the programme were to:

• address the problems of effective sustainable management of natural resources on one hand and the livelihood security of the coastal rural communities on the other
• introduce the nuclear and biotechnological tools for the sustainable development of agriculture, fisheries and animal husbandry in these regions
• evolve grassroot root level institutions, sustainable eco-enterprises and strengthen them through capacity building and knowledge empowerment and facilitate these institutions to play a major role in spreading the sustainable development process to the various parts of the coastal regions.

Substantial progress has been made in achieving the above mentioned objectives. The following are among some of the major achievements of the project:

• Green belt with economically important species (neem, tamarind) were developed in 48 acres along the periphery of the nuclear power plant.
• An experimental cum demonstration plot in about 8 acres was developed specifically for rainfed agricultural crops based on the model of Integrated Intensive Farming model that emphasizes on critical water use efficiency, forward- backward linkages, organic farming and low-input agriculture. Demonstration and testing the local adaptation and yield performance of the BARC developed mutant varieties in groundnut (TG24, TG26), blackgram (TU–1) and greengram (TARM-1) proved significant. Over the years this demo plot has served as a model for training and capacity building of the local farming community.
• A detailed soil survey was undertaken in the three villages in Kudankulam region covering an area of 10,000 ha.
• Three rain water harvesting repositories based on contour mapping have been developed along the demo plot and green belt.
• A genetic garden for horticultural species was developed with more than 60 varieties of fruit crops.
• Training programmes on rainwater harvesting and crop management under rain fed condition was conducted as a capacity building exercise.
• 15 self-help groups (SHGs) have been formed and efforts have been initiated to link them with eco-friendly and economically viable, and socially equitable enterprises.
• A number of coastal village women have been trained in fish pickling and dry fish production with concurrent attention to developing market linkages in order to provide livelihood security for them.
• Two rural knowledge centers were established in Kudankulam and Idinthakarai and more than 50 women volunteers were trained in location specific data collection, database development and knowledge dissemination.
• A model demonstration cum experimental plot was developed in 1998 at Kudankulam

Biofuel Crops

Biofuel crops development is an alternative source for energy production and India has millions of waste lands it can be utilized for bio fuel crops cultivation. DBT Jatropha micro mission programme (2004 onwards) aims to achieve identification of elite planting materials for uniform seed production. The key achievements of the programmes are as follows:

1. Seed collection- 404 accessions were collected from various climatic conditions in Tamil Nadu 
2. Identification of specific characters - seed yield, diseases resistance, drought resistance, oil yield 
3. Genetic garden establishment- 234 accessions were selected from 404 accessions and three places Jatropha genetic gardens were established in Tamil Nadu (1.5 hac), Orissa (1 hac) and Puducherry (0.5 hac)  
4. Mass multiplication- seed, standardized tissue culture and vegetative propagation protocols utilized for mass scale up 
5. Seed production orchards- 35 ha seed production orchards were established in three states for evaluation 
6. Network trails- 7 accessions were selected from MSSRF out off 20 accessions for national network trails. Network trails are under 5 hac. 
7. Half SIB trails- National accessions are under half sib trails (2 hac) 

Future prospects

Achievement in Jatropha curcas will be a feedstock for national biofuel mission programme. Developed technology and methodology will be adapted large-scale utilization of this crop for economic development. 

Integrated Programmes on Inventorisation, Characterization and Enhancement of Coastal Bioresources

MSSRF was the nodal agency for preparation of the status reports for selected coastal regions of the country those included Andaman and Nicobar Islands; Lakshwadeep Islands; Gulf of Kutch, Gujarat; Bitarkanika, Orissa; Malvan, Maharashtra; Chilka Lake, Orissa; Pulicat Lake, Andra Pradesh & Tamil Nadu and Vembanad Lake, Kerela

Preparation of status report and development of action plan was based on following hypothesis (a) Coastal bio resources are under threat due to increasing anthropogenic activities and (b) Socio economic factors play a major role in conserving the coastal bio resources. A detailed status report for each of the locations has been prepared.

Conservation of rare, endangered, medicinal and mangrove plants

Successful action to conserve biodiversity must address the full range of causes of its current loss and embrace the opportunities that genes, species and ecosystems provide for sustainable development. Because the goal of biodiversity conservation and supporting sustainable development by protecting and using biological resources in ways that do not diminish the worlds variety of genes and species or destroy important habitats and ecosystems. But the campaign can be broken down into three basic elements: saving biodiversity, studying it, and using it sustainably and equitably.

In India, Botanical Survey of India has listed numerous endemic plant species that are rare, endangered and threatened. These are published in three volumes of 'Red Data Book'. MSSRFhas given priority to these plants species for conservation and sustainable
utilization. The approach (land to lab to land programmes) is used for effective implementation of the conservation programme involving multi stakeholders.

Conservation of rare, endangered and medicinal plants

In vitro protocols has been developed and standardised for large scale multiplication of medicinal plants like Aegle mannelos, Bacopa monniera, Curculigo orchioides, Eupatorium triplinerve, Gymnema sylvestris, Hemidesmus indicus, Jatropha curcas, Sauropus androgtjnous, Tinospora cordifolia, Tylophora indica. MSSRF also undertook a comprehensive genetic fidelity analysis of the micropropagated plants to confirm their genetic uniformity with the parent material and also assess their stability in the field. MSSRF has also developed protocols for the propagation of rare, endangered, threatened plants like Casearia rubescens, Ceropegia bullbosa var lishii, Ceropegia jaini, Crotolaria logipes, Freria indica, Kaempjeria galanga, Myxopyrum serratulum, Piper barberi, Rauwolfia micrantha, Rauwolfia tetraphylla, Syzygium travancoricum and Uraria picta.

Propagated materials have been successfully rehabilitated at Tropical Gene pool Reserve, Nadugani, Gudalur, the Nilgiris.

Mangrove plant species conservation programme

MSSRF successfully developed micropropagation protocols for Excoecaria agallocha, Avicennia marina, Avicennia ojficinalis, Heritiera, Acanthus, Intsia bijuga, Porteresia coarctata, Salicornia brachiata and Sesuvium portulacastrum. Large scale propagation of vegetative propagation protocols were also developed for almost all the mangrove plant species like Acanthus illicifolius, Amoora cucullata, Avicennea marina, Avicennia officinalis, Bruguiera cylindrica, Bruguiera lljmonorrhiza, Bruguiera parviflora, Bruguiera sexangula, Cerbera manghas, Cerbera odollam, Ceriops decandra, Excoecaria agallocha, Heritiera fornes, Heritiera littoral is, Intsia bijiuga, Kandelia candel, Rhizophora apicuata, Rhizophora apiculata, Rhizophora mucronata, Rhizophora x hybrid, Sesuvium portulacastrum, Sonneratia apetala, Xylocarpus granatum and Xylocarpus moluccenensis. Particularly Rhizophora hybrid (sterile) was for the first time successfully propagated and established at the field. Most of the above plant species were successfully introduced and established at Mangrove Genetic Resource Conservation Centre in Pichavaram area, Tamil Nadu.

The following mangrove plants were selected for coastal bioenergy programme viz. Avicennia marina, Avicennia ojficinalis, Bruguiera cylindrica, Ceriops decandra, Excoecaria agallocha, Jatropha curcas, Rhizophora apiculata, Rhizophora mucronata, Rhizophora hybrid, Salicornia brachiata. The local community was trained in selection of plus tree materials from mangrove forest, seed collection, maintaining nursery, vegetative propagation of the selected species. The low cost mist propagation facilities has been provided for vegetative propagation and hardening of tissue culture propagated plants. The people are directly involved for identification of suitable coastal site for mangrove plantation, plantation and after care plantation areas.

Cultivation of Salicornia brachiata is an economically important plant species. Farmers
in and around coastal lagoons, mangrove areas, and hyper saline areas are trained in
cultivation of Salicornia to harvest salts and for biomass production.