Nairobi Convention Engagement in Tanzania

In executing its projects, the Nairobi Convention is collaborating with governments and other stakeholders to implement the following demonstration projects in Tanzania: 

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Water resources in Tanzania are under pressure due to competing demands and climate change. According to the project proponents, enhanced management of river catchments and basins are needed to reverse harmful changes to river and sediment flows, degradations in water quality, and negative impacts on marine and coastal ecosystems. This project aims to conduct Environmental Flow Assessments (EFAs) in pilot river catchments in the Rufiji Basin—a pollution hotspot area—and evaluates the benefits provided by associated ecosystems. As a result of the project, stakeholders will have new resources and increased capacity to guide sustainable management of river flows. 

Proponents: National Environment Management Council, Sokoine University of Agriculture, Water Use Associations, and partners. 

Mangroves in the Rufiji Delta—which hosts about 50% of the country’s total mangrove cover — are under threat from traditional community dependence on the forest and governance issues related to community rights, access, and coordination, as underscored by the project proponents. Collaborative arrangements, including management planning and a restoration strategy, is therefore needed to safeguard the mangroves and the ecosystems they support. This project seeks to develop a sustainable, community-based harvesting and restoration model for the delta that will outline selective harvesting and permissible cut and rotation cycles. The project is also creating two nurseries for community-led natural and artificial mangrove restoration activities. 

Proponents: Institute of Marine Sciences- University of Dar es Salaam, Tanzania Forest Service, Wetlands International Africa, Kibiti District Council, and partners. 

For more on the WIOSAP demonstration projects, click here. 

Pemba Island, Tanzania is highly biodiverse and has important feeding and breeding areas and migratory routes for endangered marine mammals. Geographically, the island is dotted by islets, bays and deep braided channels. The island contains the only oceanic reefs in the Eastern African Marine Ecoregion (EAME) with high diversity and coral growth more than 64 meters deep. 

This project seeks to address the need for enhanced collaborative ICZM approaches in protecting key critical habitats that support artisanal fisheries and seaweed farming in the lagoons surrounding the Pemba Channel Conservation Area (PECCA). aimed at enhancing collaborative ICZM approaches in protecting key critical habitats that support artisanal fisheries and seaweed farming in the lagoons surrounding the Pemba Channel Conservation Area (PECCA) is ongoing.  

Project Proponents: The Department of Fisheries Development (DoFD), Community – Village Fishing Committees/ Shehia Fishermen’s Committees (VFCs/SFCs) 

In executing the SAPPHIRE project, the Nairobi Convention has initiated the updating of the Tanzania’s MEDA and the Transboundary Diagnosis Analyses (TDAs), developed under the ASCLME project. The MEDAs will provide each country with an updated assessment of their ecosystems within their Exclusive Economic Zones (EEZ) and also provide them with a baseline document upon which they can base their National Action Plans (NAP) for the sustainable management of marine resources.  

Moreover, the scope of the MEDAs will be expanded to include assessments of land-based sources of pollution—i.e. issues addressed by SAPPHIRE’s sister project, WIOSAP –meaning that countries will have their first-ever “Ridge to Reef” assessment of their marine ecosystems. The findings will be fed into an expanded regional Transboundary Diagnostic Analysis and prioritize areas of concern that can be addressed through a merged Strategic Action Programme (SAP).

The Tanzania National MEDA draft update is in progress. 

The world, including Tanzania, has committed to protecting at least 10% of its marine and coastal areas by 2020 under Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 14.5. 

Under the WIOSAP project, the Nairobi Convention and WIOMSA have released the Western Indian Ocean Marine Protected Areas Outlook, the first-ever publication to examine the progress, challenges, and opportunities faced by states in the WIO, including Tanzania, as they strive to achieve SDG 14.5. 

Click here for Tanzania’ chapter and here for a dashboard outlining Tanzania’ progress towards achieving SDG 14.5 

The Pemba Channel is under threat from adverse climate changes. The Institute of Marine Sciences in Tanzania is generating baseline data and information collected from Tanzania mainland and the Pemba channel to inform policy and management for sustainable management critical coastal ecosystems and habitats in the area.