The idea evolved out of Tisss experience after the 2004 tsunami in the Andaman & Nicobar Islands where the institute was involved in capacity building of local and indigenous tribal communities.
Tisss post-tsunami work in the islands provided us with invaluable insights. A key concern for A&N administrators was the lack of critical research for policy decisions. Again, a course of this nature doesnt exist anywhere in India and this will be a unique initiative, said Professor Janki Andharia, JTCDM chairperson.
The rationale for M.Sc programme in Island Ecology/ Economy evolved out of the experience of diploma and certificate programmes in sustainable growth organised by Jtcdm in Port Blair during 2006-07, said Andharia.
Currently, the Tiss is engaged in the process of initiating community research centres in remote villages of Nicobar Islands.
It will take anything between one year and a year-and-a-half to develop the complete programme and implement it, she said. A steering committee has also been set up to conceptualise, develop and implement the proposed programme.
The M.Sc programme aims to create a resource base of people who are well-equipped to design, implement and monitor island eco-systems and deal with relief and rehabilitation work.
Critical capacities in planning for island eco-systems are lacking. And in India, we tend to reproduce mainland strategies, which are inherently insensitive and in fact destructive for the fragile island ecologies. Hence, we felt the need for such a programme, explained Andharia.
The programme also looks at integration of planning and progress of islands within the ambit of education and creating technology for biodiversity conservation.
The objective is to widen the scope of the project and make it applicable globally by incorporating different aspects of growth for island economies. This can be subsequently used for creating appropriate management strategies for sustainable development.
As a programme, which would also invite international participation, it will explore funding opportunities from UNEP, UNDP and/or Unesco, said Andharia.
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