President Ranil Wickremesinghe received an update on the progress of the Green Entrepreneurship for Mangroves Program. This ambitious initiative aims to develop over 6,400 “Green Entrepreneurs” along Sri Lanka’s coastline, focusing on mangrove restoration and development.
The program briefing comes after Sri Lanka’s impressive achievement of being selected as one of the UN World Restoration Flagships. This recognition highlights Sri Lanka’s pioneering efforts in restoring and expanding its mangrove cover by over 50%.
However, challenges remain, particularly in sustaining these efforts in the long term. The Green Entrepreneurship for Mangroves Program addresses this by establishing institutional mechanisms, starting at the community level and extending to the national level.
This program represents a significant step forward in realizing the vision of President’s Senior Advisor on Climate Change, Ruwan Wijewardene. His vision emphasizes the importance of achieving development and environmental conservation in a way that works together, rather than against each other.
The program’s architect, Ravi Pratap Singh, Managing Director of iLEAD International Academy, brings a proven track record of youth empowerment. Mr. Singh has successfully mobilized over 12,500 young Sri Lankans and a staggering 2.5 lakh youth across South Asia to become successful entrepreneurs.
The Green Entrepreneurship for Mangroves Program aspires to unite all stakeholders, both domestic and international, in a collaborative effort to achieve mangrove restoration and empower Sri Lankan youth. This program holds immense promise for Sri Lanka’s environmental and economic future.