Overall objective / activities to be implemented under the grant:
Jirsar-e-Baqer Khaleh Village, Choukahm County, Rasht, Gilan Province, is located on the outskirts of the Anzali Lagoon. The village preserves its traditional architecture, is close to the tourist markets of Rasht and Anzali Port and has a large meadow at the end. It is also considered part of the Anzali Lagoon and one of the major pastures of the province. Moreover, the native and migratory birds and a river that allows boating in the village meadow and Anzali Lagoon provide high potential for tourism. In the COVID-19 pandemic, not only has the potential been threatened, but also hunting of native and migratory birds has increased due to the lack of awareness among locals and their declining income. Over the last two years, local communities have lost their incomes due to COVID-19 and a decline in tourism.
Some specific achievements of the project includes, developing an participatory action plan, empowering the local community in terms of tourist attraction jobs such as empowering the local community regarding kayak and Anzali Lagoon tours, development of bird watching activities, establishment of a local fund, branding of rural products, creating an online website, empowering locals to sell rural products online, develop guidelines, and a 5-year participatory action plan for continued activities by the villagers after the project.