Unguja. Zanzibar has launched a three-year project to restore mangrove ecosystems and strengthen livelihoods and climate resilience among coastal communities in Chwaka Bay and Menai Bay.
The Community Resilience and Livelihoods through Mangrove Restoration and Agroforestry project, known as Mikoko Hai, will be implemented across 15 shehias.
The initiative was launched on September 3, 2026, by South Unguja Regional Commissioner Hamida Mussa Khamis. It is being implemented by STAWI Africa Foundation in partnership with Graine de Vie Luxembourg (GdVL) and the Department of Forestry of the Revolutionary Government of Zanzibar, with co-financing from the Government of Luxembourg.
Mikoko Hai, meaning “Living and Thriving Mangroves”, combines mangrove restoration with income-generating activities aimed at reducing pressure on coastal ecosystems.
STAWI Africa Foundation chairperson Eva Wasonga said communities would be central to the project.
“Mikoko Hai is, first and foremost, a community project. Our mangroves have always sustained the people who live alongside them, and today we begin the work of giving that relationship a future,” she said.
Eco Credit Groups will be the main beneficiaries and will participate in mangrove restoration, protection and monitoring while receiving training to develop alternative sources of income.
Activities will include beekeeping, crab fattening, seaweed farming, coconut management, agroforestry and eco-agriculture. The project will also support fruit drying, tree nurseries, energy-efficient cookstoves and a seaweed and youth community centre.
Communities will also take part in mangrove patrols, environmental monitoring and awareness campaigns.
Mangroves provide breeding and feeding grounds for marine life, support biodiversity and help protect coastlines from erosion and other climate-related impacts. They also support communities dependent on coastal resources.
The partnership with the Department of Forestry is expected to strengthen technical support and local ownership of restoration activities beyond the three-year project period.
STAWI Africa said the project would seek to demonstrate how ecosystem restoration can be combined with livelihood development to strengthen resilience among coastal communities.
Over the next three years, the partners will work with communities in the 15 shehias to restore mangroves, diversify livelihoods and improve environmental management in the two coastal areas.
