From shrimp farming, to providing lotus flowers, to acting as flood and filtering systems, wetlands are indispensable resources to achieving the new Sustainable Development Goals. With the theme of Wetlands for the Future: Sustainable Livelihoods in mind, this World Wetlands Day, IWMI showcases how communities interact with their wetlands every day.
“Wetlands are vital for peoples’ livelihoods but as the pressures of modern living grow they are increasingly under threat. In the context of sustainable development, IWMI is working with partners to better understand who uses wetlands, how they benefit from them, and how the vital services that they provide can be protected.”
— Matthew McCartney, principal researcher in water resources, wetland and hydro-ecological studies at IWMI
Photo credit: Shaoyu Liu
Find out more:
Silva, E.I.L.; Katupotha, J.; Amarasinghe, O.; Manthrithilake, H.; Ariyaratne, R. 2013. Lagoons of Sri Lanka: From the origins to the present. Colombo, Sri Lanka: International Water Management Institute (IWMI). 116p.
