An Economic Analysis of Dependence of Coastal Community on Mangroves

Abstract

After Tsunami many of the developing countries today are increasingly facing a paradoxical situation in their attempts to seek solutions to the major problem associated with sustainable livelihood of the coastal community. In the Batticaloa district, Batticaloa lagoon has adversely affected due to natural disaster and unplanned human intervention. In spite of it uniqueness of biodiversity globally and contribution to the economy of Sri Lanka, there is an absence of research in conservation and the livelihood dependence of community on the coastal resources. Against this background, present study focuses on three important objectives are: to assess the economic value of the mangroves in the Batticaloa lagoon, to investigate the extent of dependence of coastal community on the Batticaloa lagoon and to assess the coastal community’s perception on participatory lagoon management for sustainable livelihood.