Mek Flora & Awang Kraf

Vendor Biography

SETIU WETLAND ECOTOURISM DISCOVERY INITIATIVE PLT (ECOSWED INITIATIVE) is a local-based Non-Governmental Organization (NGO) and social enterprise initiative, committed to empowering the local community towards promoting sustainable ecotourism, nature & culture conservation in Setiu Wetlands, Terengganu.

The ecosystem of the Setiu Wetlands supports over 3000 households that rely on the wetlands for income both directly and indirectly. While artisanal and small-scale fisheries are the main economic activities, aquaculture, captured fisheries, seafood-based product production, and wetland handicrafts also contributed to the communities’ livelihood.

Aside from the ecosystem’s uniqueness and biodiversity richness, Setiu Wetlands is endowed with priceless Traditional Ecological Knowledge, Skills, and expertise accumulated by local communities over years of living in harmony with nature.

Mek Flora & Awang Kraf Ganu is a project that engages in traditional handicraft weaving activities from wetland flora on a small scale at their own home-based workshop. Each of them possesses unique skills, expertise, knowledge, and local wisdom.

This also helped to raise public awareness of global environmental issues such as climate change, biodiversity conservation, land degradation, and so on.

Aim:
• implemented in order to empower the local community, produce community ecotourism entrepreneurs in the state of Terengganu, and drive local economic development in rural areas.
• Highlighting the potential strength of Community Based Ecotourism as a distinct identity and attraction of the tourism sector in Setiu District and Terengganu State.