By, John Kabambala
"As the official opening of the 12th Conference of the Parties to the NairobiConvention (COP12) brought together 10 member countries, representatives, and various environmental and development stakeholders to protect ocean health, Minister Hamad Yussuf Masauni emphasized the importance of transparency, actionable plans, and strong community engagement. Alongside the main conference, a side event organized by IUCN and Mission inclusion highlighted the successes, lessons learned and chart the way forward of the Regenerative Seascapes for People, Climate & Nature (ReSea) project, implemented by Mission inclusion and IUCN at a cost of 31.4 million Canadian dollars across five countries in the Western Indian Ocean. This project has demonstrated how nature conservation, the promotion of the blue economy, and the empowerment of women and youth can go hand in hand in addressing climate change."
Foundations and Successes of the ReSea Project in the Western Indian Ocean
The Regenerative Seascapes for People, Climate and Nature (ReSea) project, implemented over four years across five countries in the Western Indian Ocean at a cost of 31.4 million Canadian dollars, has proven that thriving marine reserves and the well-being of coastal communities are inseparable. These results and lessons were presented at the 12th Conference of the Parties to the Nairobi Convention (COP12) in Nairobi, utilizing its three core pillars of Blue Planet, Blue Nature, and Blue People to manage areas spanning 41,700 square kilometers and benefiting over 527,788 people. The project enabled the creation of 45 women-led Blue Economy entrepreneurship groups across eight value chains, while ReSea Project Director Andreanne Martel emphasized that women and participants are not just beneficiaries but key leaders and decision-makers transforming ocean governance, with IUCN Assistant Representative in Tanzania Anthony Mhagama warning that marine environments and sustainable economies can be developed together.
For the people of Zanzibar, especially Pemba, the ocean is not merely an economic zone or government sector, but a source of food, income, and the foundation of everyday life. Fishers, seaweed farmers, and women depend on healthy marine ecosystems, yet coral reefs, seagrasses, and mangrove forests face severe pressure from rising sea levels, ocean warming, and degradation. As Dr. Salim Mohamed Hamza explains, this situation increases the vulnerability of coastal communities every year, and the project was built on the philosophy that you cannot protect the ocean without involving the people who depend on it. In Pemba, communities began managing their marine areas in cooperation with relevant ministries and Shehia Fishery Committees, restoring mangroves and leading savings and credit groups.
Government and Community Collaboration, and Economic Opportunities for Women and Youth
The work carried out by ReSea did not operate outside government plans, as it supported the 2022 Zanzibar Blue Economy Policy, Zanzibar Vision 2050, and international commitments including the Nairobi Convention, the Kunming-Montreal Framework, the Paris Agreement, and the Great Blue Wall Initiative. However, the main question following the project is who will carry on the work? On behalf of the governments of Mainland Tanzania and Zanzibar, three main commitments were made: first, integrating participatory management experience into fisheries planning; second, keeping communities, Shehia Committees, and groups of women and youth at the core of conservation; and third, seeking deeper collaboration with the private sector and development partners to expand these successes.
Canada's High Commissioner to Tanzania, Ms. Emily Burns, witnessed these changes firsthand when she visited the people of Pemba in June, observing communities utilizing new economic opportunities, youth launching initiatives through aquaculture, and women crafting innovative products. She emphasized that ReSea did more than just boost incomes it linked economic development with environmental conservation without external imposition, proving that local residents should determine how their resources are managed. When communities are empowered to participate and local knowledge is respected, women and youth gain leadership opportunities, and communities become more resilient to climate change.
Nature-Based Solutions and the Future of Conservation After ReSea
To yield even greater positive outcomes, the successes of ReSea should be scaled up by connecting lessons learned across the five seascapes, while keeping women and youth central to these efforts. Denise Nicolau, Regional Manager for Coastal and Marine Ecosystems at IUCN ESARO, notes that a project's legacy is measured not just by what is left behind, but by what it inspires others to continue through an understanding and appreciation of local resources. Nicolau highlights the importance of nature-based solutions, such as mangrove restoration, which helps protect coasts and provide habitats for marine life, built within local contexts and respecting gender equality.
Overall, closing ReSea is not the end of the journey, but a transition from the project phase to a period of sustaining, expanding, and strengthening what worked through the Great Blue Wall. The overarching message of these addresses concludes that the ocean cannot be protected without safeguarding the lives of the people who depend on it, and those lives cannot be protected without protecting the ocean itself. ReSea has shown that conservation, community empowerment, women and youth, the blue economy, and climate adaptation can go hand in hand when communities are placed at the center of decision-making. The major challenge after ReSea is ensuring these successes do not fade, but are integrated into policies, plans, and new investments across Mainland Tanzania, Zanzibar, and the wider Western Indian Ocean region.
Post a Comment