Agartala, October 7:** Tripura Forest Minister Animesh Debbarma on Wednesday launched the official website of the World Bank-supported ELEMENT (Enhancing Landscape and Ecosystem Management) project, aimed at promoting sustainable forest management and improving livelihood opportunities for forest-dependent communities.
The website was inaugurated at Prakriti Bhavan in Gandhigram here in the presence of Principal Chief Conservator of Forests (PCCF) R K Shyamol and senior officials of the Forest Department.
The portal will provide information on the project’s activities, implementation progress and initiatives related to landscape and ecosystem management, besides highlighting efforts towards forest and biodiversity conservation, officials said.
Speaking to reporters, Debbarma said the project was working to promote entrepreneurship among communities dependent on forest resources and encourage sustainable utilisation of such resources.
He said the initiative would also help connect enterprises run by forest-dependent communities with wider markets and create new opportunities for livelihood development.
“The Tripura Forest Department and the World Bank are working together on various aspects of the project, including livelihood development and sustainable forest management,” the minister said.
Representatives of the World Bank also participated in discussions with Forest Department officials during the programme.
Debbarma said the newly launched website would enable people to access information about the conservation and livelihood-related activities being undertaken under the project.
“Through this website, people across the world will be able to see what we are doing for forest conservation, biodiversity protection and the livelihoods of people living in forest areas,” he said.
The minister said the initiative seeks to balance environmental conservation with livelihood development by encouraging communities to make sustainable use of forest resources.
Officials said the ELEMENT project focuses on landscape and ecosystem management while supporting communities whose livelihoods are closely linked to forests.
The website is expected to serve as a central platform for sharing information on project activities, progress and initiatives being implemented across Tripura.
The Forest Department and the World Bank are collaborating on measures aimed at strengthening sustainable forest management and expanding livelihood opportunities for forest-dependent communities.
Debbarma said the World Bank-supported project could open new avenues for conservation as well as economic development in forest-dependent areas of the state.
Officials said the website would also improve public access to information and enhance awareness about conservation initiatives and community-based livelihood programmes.
The Forest Department will continue implementing activities under the project with focus on forest conservation, biodiversity protection, sustainable resource use and strengthening community livelihoods, they said.
