GUJARAT (India CSR): UPL Ltd., a global leader in sustainable agriculture solutions, organized the 4th Sarus Crane Festival at the Pariej Wetland in Kheda district to mark World Wetlands Day, celebrated this year under the theme, “Wetlands and Traditional Knowledge: Celebrating Cultural Heritage”.
This year’s festival highlighted how generations of farmers and local communities have played a pivotal role in conserving wetland ecosystems through their traditional ecological knowledge, seasonal land-use practices, and cultural reverence for the Sarus Crane.
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.India is home to an estimated 15,000-20,000 Sarus Cranes.
Once threatened by habitat loss and wetland degradation, the Sarus Crane has witnessed a remarkable revival in Kheda and Anand districts of Gujarat. This turnaround has been driven by UPL’s Sarus Conservation Project, launched in 2015, which works closely with local farmers to dispel misconceptions and promote sustainable, on-ground conservation practices. As a result,the Sarus Crane population has increased from about 500 birds in 2015-16 to 1,477 in 2024-25, nearly a 3X rise.
The event was graced by Suraj Barot, Prant Adhikari Sub-Divisional Magistrate for Kheda Division; Anirudh Vasava: Executive Director, VNC (Voluntary Nature Conservancy); Dr. Lima Roslind, IUCN Regional Councillor, South and East Asia, Abhisek Samaria, IFS, DCF, SocialForestry Division – Nadiad; Dr. Jatinder Kaur, Program Manager – UPL Sarus Conservation, along with other representatives from UPL Ltd. andenthusiastic participants from 15 schools and 3 colleges.
A series of interactive activities, including student performances illustrating the Sarus Crane life cycle, a photography competition, bird-watching sessions, a photo exhibition, quizzes, and poster-making contests, engaged attendees in learning about the importance of wetlands and their vital role in supporting Sarus Cranes. Experts also conducted hands-on training for students and volunteers, highlighting how native plant species help attract birds, butterflies, and bees, thereby sustaining ecological balance.
At the festival, Chief Guest Suraj Barot, Prant Adhikari Sub-Divisional Magistrate for Kheda Division, said,“Wetlands are essential for maintaining biodiversity and environmental sustainability. The work done by UPL and local communities to protect the Sarus Crane and its habitat deserves recognition. Such initiatives are vital for protecting our natural resources.”
Dr. Lima Roslind,IUCN Regional Councillor, South and East Asia,“The Sarus Crane Festival is a testament to UPL’s commitment for species conservation. Encouraging community involvement, this year’s festival expanded its reach by engaging young students, volunteers and local communities in biodiversity conservation and climate action.”
Rakesh Kumar, Senior Lead – CSR, UPL Ltd., said, “Conservation is acollective responsibility, and through the Sarus Crane Festival, at UPL, we aim to involve localcommunities, especially the younger generation, in protecting these magnificent birds and theirhabitat.”
The Sarus Conservation program has created a network of 90 Rural Sarus Protection Group volunteers from 40 villages who are engaged in protecting nests, eggs and juveniles from poaching and predation. Additionally, students and the community have been sensitized to Sarus Crane conservation.
A special recognition program honoured villagers as “Friends of Nature” with Sarus trophies for recording the highest number of Sarus Crane sightings and nesting sites, fostering community-led conservation efforts. The program also recognized Voluntary Nature Conservancy (VNC) as a supporting organization. Their dedicated efforts and partnership have contributed significantly to advancing community-based conservation initiatives.
(India CSR)
