Calcutta: The Mudialy Fishermen's Cooperative Society

The case study presents an account of the processes leading to the reclamation of a vast area of marshland through the combination of indigenous knowledge, and initiative with scientific technical knowledge, by a community of fishermen in Mudialy, a rural community near Calcutta, India.

Sewage and organic waste from the vast population of urban Calcutta is transformed into a nutrient source which is then fed into the marshes for fish farming and vegetable production.

The case study illustrates how indigenous knowledge systems and technical knowledge could be integrated to achieve environmentally sustainable and at the same time economically viable development projects building on community participation.