Reliance Foundation and INCOIS sign MoU to empower coastal communities

• The two entities join forces for collaborations on leveraging ocean data, enhancing climate resilience and disaster mitigation 
• Aim to empower coastal communities across India
• Reliance Foundation and INCOIS have been partnering in information dissemination for several years for coastal fishers; the MoU takes this partnership another step forward

Mumbai: The Indian National Centre for Ocean Information Services (INCOIS) and Reliance Foundation signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to empower coastal communities with vital oceanographic information and tools. This collaboration aims to enhance the safety, livelihoods, and resilience of those who depend on the ocean.

Mr. Jagannatha Kumar, CEO, Reliance Foundation, Dr Srinivasa Kumar, Director, INCOIS and other officials participated in the MOU signing event, held at INCOIS, Hyderabad and discussed various aspects of collaboration. This partnership between INCOIS and Reliance Foundation represents a significant step towards a future where coastal communities can not only survive but thrive alongside a healthy and resilient ocean.

The opportunities for collaboration included translating scientific data into actionable plans for community resilience such as:

• Predictive Impact Analysis – Utilizing ocean data to forecast potential issues, such as how rising sea temperatures might impact fish catch, allowing communities to develop alternative livelihood strategies
• Science-Driven Community Resilience – Translating scientific findings into actionable policies and community-level measures to build resilience against future challenges
• Ocean Literacy Awareness – Developing educational materials for coastal youth, focusing on ocean literacy and safety, as part of existing school safety programs
• Strengthening Lab-to-Land Linkages – Bridging the gap between research and practical applications, particularly in the context of climate resilience
• Enhancing Data and Implementation – importance of improving data collection for AI and machine learning models. Additionally, the focus will shift from basic forecasting to advanced applications and large-scale implementation.
• Blue Economy – promoting sustainable practices for ocean resource utilization. INCOIS’s multi-hazard vulnerability maps will be linked with potential resilience livelihood activities
• Tsunami Ready Villages – India has a vast coastline and is vulnerable to tsunamis triggered by earthquakes or undersea volcanic eruptions. The “Tsunami Ready Villages” programme offers a proactive approach to mitigate future disasters and safeguard coastal communities.

It is worth mentioning that Reliance Foundation has been engaging with communities across the nation for over a decade. In collaboration with INCOIS, an autonomous body under Govt. of India’s Ministry of Earth Sciences, Reliance Foundation reaches nearly 25% of India’s active marine fisherperson families, mainly across eight states. For marine fisherpersons, Reliance Foundation translates complex scientific information into locally relevant advisories to provide life-saving information, and identify fishing zones. Reliance Foundation supports women in linkage and availing of schemes to increase returns from fish production and other high-value fishing activities. Working with fishing communities on the ground, Reliance Foundation partners holistically with scientific institutions providing feedback on advisories to institutions to enhance information generation.