This region includes 68 discrete land parcels of participating Community Forest Management Areas (COFMAs) with high forests and mangrove forests totaling 97,483 ha. However, Zanzibar’s forests have been subject to widespread exploitation, being lost at more than 1% pa.
Unlocking Blue Carbon Potential Through Mangrove Restoration in Zanzibar, Tanzania
Restoring Zanzibar’s Mangroves for Climate, Biodiversity, and Community
Forests are vital ecosystems for local communities' livelihoods on the islands of Unguja and Pemba in Zanzibar off the coast of Tanzania.
Project Info
Location
BNC focus
Blue carbon – mangrove restoration
Funding duration
12 months (2020 – 2021)
Project Partner
More information
Podcast
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Conserving Zanzibar’s mangroves for climate, communities, and biodiversity
Terra Global runs the HIMA REDD+ Program alongside the Government’s Department of Forestry, the Community Association Jumuiya ya Uhifadhi Misitu ya Jamii Zanzibar, and Community Forestry Groups. This program aims to conserve around 17,000 ha of mangrove forests on the Pemba and Unguja Zanzibar islands.
This program reaches environmental, social, and financial sustainability through accessing climate finance.
The main objectives of the program are:
- Mitigate climate change by reducing carbon dioxide emissions from land use activities that result in deforestation and mangrove degradation.
- Improve community livelihoods, especially for women, by strengthening community land use rights and through alternative livelihood activities and carbon finance; and
- Protect standing mangroves, assist in the natural regeneration of forests, and improve wildlife habitats and estuaries in the project area to contribute to biodiversity conservation.
How BNCFF supports this endeavour
The Blue Natural Capital Financing Facility (BNCFF) has been instrumental in revitalizing the HIMA REDD+ Program in Zanzibar. By supporting Terra Global, BNCFF facilitated the planning and preparation needed to secure upfront climate finance investors. Key activities included rebuilding the JUMIJAZA Community Association, refining the Implementation Plan, updating budgets and cash flow assessments, and reassessing carbon potential. This effort also strengthened community engagement, bringing 23 new communities into the program. The grant’s impact extends beyond funding, driving widespread interest and collaboration for sustainable mangrove conservation.
Impacts created
Nature
The program enhances mangrove ecosystems, bolstering resilience against climate change for communities and biodiversity. It mitigates biodiversity loss, reduces salinity in drinking water, and lessens the effects of sea level rise, beach erosion, and tidal waves, ensuring healthier and more stable ecosystems.
People
This initiative addresses poverty and gender inequality by equitably sharing the benefits of forest management and empowering women. Training in conservation and alternative livelihoods enhances women’s roles in forest management, fostering leadership, business skills, and community development.
Business
By integrating carbon credits with Tanzania’s NDC, the program ensures alignment with national goals. It also promotes alternative income sources, such as micro-enterprises and forest-based activities like beekeeping and fire prevention, which create jobs and provide sustainable financial benefits for local communities.
Calls for Proposals
There are no open calls for proposals. Sign up for email alerts to be notified of the next call and receive updates on BNCFF and BCAF projects, lessons learned, and more, or email us at bluenaturalcapital@iucn.org.
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