UPL Hosts 3rd Sarus Crane Festival to Promote Awareness on World Wetlands Day

BILKULONLINE

Ahmedabad, Feb 3: UPL Ltd., a global leader in sustainable agriculture solutions, organized the 3rd Sarus Crane Festival at Pariej Wetland in Kheda district to mark World Wetlands Day. This year’s theme, ‘Protecting Wetlands for Our Common Future,’ highlighted the connection between wetland conservation and a sustainable future, emphasizing to maintain ecological balance and supporting biodiversity.

The Indian Sarus Crane, the world’s tallest flying bird and classified as vulnerable on the IUCN Red List, traditionally inhabits wetlands and agricultural fields for feeding and breeding. However, habitat loss and wetland degradation have led to its decline.

To address this, UPL launched the Sarus Conservation Programin 2015, working closely with farmers to correct misconceptions and encourage conservation efforts. As a result, the Sarus Crane population has grown from 500 in 2015-16 to 1,431 in 2023-24, achieving nearly 3X growth.

The event was graced by  Amit Prakash Yadav, I.A.S, Collector and DM, Kheda;  Kalpeshbhai Parmar, Member of Legislative Assembly, Matar Constituency;  Abhisek Samaria, DCF, Social Forestry Division – Nadiad; Dr. Jatinder Kaur, Program Manager – UPL Sarus Conservation,  Elena Iliashenko, Director and Scientist, Crane Working Group, Academy of Science, Russia; Retd. Forest ACF  Dilip Singh Dabhi; Nadezhda Dorofeeva, Wildlife Photographer, Russia along with other representatives from UPL Ltd. and enthusiastic participants from 10 schools and 4 colleges. A series of interactive activities, including bird watching, butterfly identification, a photo exhibition, and poster-making competitions, engaged attendees in learning about the importance of wetlands and their role in supporting Sarus Cranes.

At the festival, Chief Guest Amit Prakash Yadav, I.A.S, Collector and DM, Kheda, said, “Wetlands play a crucial role in preserving biodiversity and ensuring sustainability. The efforts taken by UPL and the local communities in conserving the Sarus Crane and its habitat are commendable. We need more such initiatives to safeguard our natural heritage.“

Sharing his experience,  Rishi Pathania, Vice President – CSR, UPL Ltd., said, “Conservation is a collective responsibility, and through the Sarus Crane Festival, at UPL, we aim to involve local communities, especially the younger generation, in protecting these magnificent birds and their habitat.”

 “The Sarus Conservation program has created an umbrella network of 90 Rural Sarus Protection Group volunteers from 40 villages engaged in protecting nests, eggs, and juveniles from poaching and predation. Additionally, students and the community have been sensitized to Sarus Crane Conservation and educated on the need for and importance of conserving the Sarus Crane. The Sarus Crane Festival is a testament to UPL’s commitment for species conservation,”  Pathania added.

Encouraging community involvement, this year’s festival expanded its reach by engaging young students, volunteers, and local communities in biodiversity conservation and climate action. A special recognition program honoured villages as “Friends of Nature” with Sarus trophies for recording the highest number of Sarus Crane sightings and nesting sites, fostering community-led conservation efforts.

Experts provided hands-on training to students and volunteers, helping them understand the importance of native plants in attracting birds, butterflies, and bees to maintain ecological balance.

In addition to its conservation impact, UPL has received widespread recognition for its Sarus initiative, earning accolades such as the ACEF Asian Leaders Forum & Awards 2017, India CSR Leadership Summit 2017, Coffee for Cause: Conversation on Sustainability & CSR 2018, Dainik Jagran CSR Awards 2019, 17th Federation of Gujarat Industries (FGI) Awards 2021, 5th Indian Chamber of Commerce, Social Impact Awards 2023, and an Appreciation Plaque in 2023.