FREDA has spent over a decade reforesting mangroves in the Irrawaddy Delta region Learn More
Wildlife Protection
FREDA works with scientists and governments to identify and protect endangered species Learn More
Community Development
In Myanmar the environment is closely linked to rural livelihoods and FREDA works hand in hand with communities to bring protect the environment and fight poverty. Learn More
Community Development
Recognizing the need to adopt integrated approach for sustainable development of rural community and natural environment conservation, promotion of improved land use in hilly regions subjected to shifting cultivation has been initiated by FREDA with the co-operation of JOFCA since 1998.
The objectives include reforestation of barren steep slopes in the form of community forests, introduction of appropriate agro-forestry technology, growing of leguminous plants for fodder and fruit trees for sustainable income generation.
A series of formal and informal meetings with the farmers and leaders of the target villages were sponsored by FREDA and JOFCA at the initial stage as well as in the
process of implementation. Awareness has increased and farmers were stimulated to participate in the project. Based on their aspiration, introduction of appropriate land use activities, formation of community forests, introduction of fast growing fodder grasses, production of natural compost with new technique and improvement of the infrastructure like up- grading of the village road and water supply system were undertaken jointly under the project.
Participatory approach was thus achieved and the project has been on-going since 1998 in Peyintaung village tract of Kalaw Township in Southern Shan State. It is expected that increased productivity would lead to the sustainable development of the rural community and the practice of shifting cultivation would be reduced in the target areas of the project.
A similar programme was also implemented in Peinnepin village tract of Kalaw Township by FREDA to promote the establishment of orange orchards for income generation and alleviation of poverty. The programme was supported by GFE of Germany. Co-financing is needed for the replication of
successful activities on a much wider scale.
Watershed Management
Considering that the effective protection and resotration of the natural ecosystems with the participation of local community is essential along the Ayeyarwady river basin, a watershed management project is ongoing in the upper, central and lower watershed units of the Ayeyarwady drainage. The main objective is to implement such activities like sustainable management of the natural forests at the village level, promotion of agro-forestry and introduction of slope agriculture, land technology and other infrastructure developmevt measures against Tsunamis, cyclones, landslides, floods and drought.
Since it is becoming more and more important to involve the community in the environmental conservation and sustainable forest management, multi-disciplinary and integrated approach is deployed with the concerted effort of the relevant INGO like Diakonie Katastrophenhilfe(DKH), local NGO like FREDA, and the voluntary participation of the local communities to address the issue of environmental degradation in the river basin.
Emergency relief and Rehabilitation works for cyclone Nargis afftected people in Ayeyarwady Delta
During the first week of May 2008, the Nargis Cyclone brought massive destruction in the Ayeyarwady Delta and Yangon Division killing more more than 84,000 people , missing over 53,000 people and leaving 2.5 million people in need of humanitarian assistance. FREDA, with the financial assistance of Diakonie Katastrophenhilfe (DKH) of Germany, distributed immediate emergency relief for Nargis cyclone affected people living in 26 villages around pyindaye reserved forest where mangrove plantations were formed as Community Forest (CF) with people participation sinc 1999. Under the emergency relief progrmme , FREDA had distributed 14508 rice bags (containing 1.5 baskets of rice) , 22,000 viss of cooking oil, 20700 viss of salt, 200 rolls of tarpaulin (91 meter/roll), 4000 bottles of drinking water and 240 T-shirt during the period form May to December 2008.
Under the "Food security-related relief and rhabiliation projuct after Cyclone Nargis, Myanmar a total of 5350 baskets of paddy seed, 25 power tillers and 5902 gallons of disel were distributed during the period form June to November 2008 in 6 villages, in Bogale township, Phyapon district, Ayeyarwady Delta.
Under the projuct of "Rehabilitation and disaster preparendness in Nargis affected area of Myanmar through sustainable landuse and renewable energy" about 42,000 grafted fruit trees seedlings were distributed to assist the livelihood security of the Narggis-hit community and about (16) ha (40 acres) of windbreak forest was established in some villages close to the seashore. In addition, renewable energy like, solar energy, wind energy and wood/ rice husk gasification were introduced in some villages as the pilot feasibiltiy studies.
After cylone Nargis, the maijority of the people in the cyclone -affected areas have to stay in the temporary bamboo huts and tents. Hence there was the need of permanent wooden houses and cyclone shelters in case of occurance of natural disaster in future. Based on the population density and vulnerability of natural disaster, 4 School-Cum-Cyclone Shelter (SCCS) were constructed in Te-pin-seik, Okpho-kwin chaung, Kun-thee-chaung and Kon-tan-pauk villages. Similarly about 500 houses were also constructed in Kon-tan Pauk, Padekaw and Htaw -Paing (Shwe-Pyi-Aye) villages in 2009-10 under the "Rehabilitation of Houses and Construction of Cylone Shelter in Ayeyarwady Dalta" project.
In cooperation with the Diakonie Katastrophenhilfe (DKH) of Germany, FREDA has planned to implement the project "Disaster Risk Reduction and Sustainable Land use in the Ayeyarwady Delta after the Cylone Nargis" for 3 years starting from 1st January 2010 up to the end of December 2012. The project activities mainly include construction of smaller School -Cum- Cyclone Shelters, formation of high ground -cum-pond, provision of school furnitures, water harvesting scheme, training courses etc.
Human
Resource Development
In partnership with NEF, FREDA has been supporting the outstanding scholars of local universities leading to M.Sc. and Ph.D. degrees in various fields related to Botany, Biology, Ecology, Environmental Science, Forestry and Zoology. Since 1998, a total of 19 M.Sc. students and 29 Ph.D. candidates have been selected by FREDA for NEF scholarship awards.
FREDA has also awarded scholarships to outstanding undergraduate forestry students of every class studying at the Forestry University at Yezin and stipends to promising high school graduates who are financially handicapped to study forestry at the University. Support is also given to the outstanding students of the Myanmar Forest School at Pyin Oo Lwin every year. A total of forty undergraduates in forestry have been awarded scholarships and stipends since 1999 academic year.
Support to students in the academic field of environmental scinece is one of the avenues that FREDA is processing for increasing awareness, motivation and experience of the younger generation. It aims to promote effective conservation of the natural environment in Myanmar.