Enhancing socio-ecological resilience and mangrove conservation in coastal Tanzania

The East African coastline of Tanzania and Zanzibar contains extensive mangrove systems which support coastal community livelihoods and provide important ecological functions, from fish breeding grounds to coastal protection. However, the mangroves are becoming rapidly depleted due to anthropogenic activities including expanding salt extraction, the processing of small fish (sardines) through boiling and drying using firewood, and seaweed processing, which contributes 0.4% of global seaweed production.

The loss of mangroves, combined with sea level rise due to global warming, is leading to saltwater intrusion, threatening inland agricultural productivity and water quality. Mangrove restoration is urgently needed, but requires action to make these current livelihood activities more sustainable, and develop alternative incomes.

Aims and Objectives

This project aims to address these interdisciplinary challenges within a large grant proposal through a new collaboration between the University of York (UK) and the University of Dodoma (Tanzania). Dr Eleanor Jew and Dr Kalista Higini will travel to Zanzibar and Tanga to meet local communities, NGOs, government and research institutions to foster wider relationships and enable co-development of the research proposal.

Through oral histories, focus groups and interviews with local communities and government we will collect baseline data on livelihood activities, challenges and opportunities along the coastline. This will help us to understand where more research is needed, and where other stakeholders and researchers can be engaged.

Dr Higini will visit York in October and together we will complete a journal article and finalise the research proposal, which we aim to submit to a relevant targeted call or the ESRC's responsive mode.

University of York Collaborator

Dr Eleanor Jew, Environment and Geography Department

Bio: Dr Eleanor Jew's research interests focus on livelihoods and biodiversity in social-ecological systems in a wide range of environments. She is interested in the barriers and opportunities to adoption of different livelihood opportunities, from different income streams to new technologies, and how these can be addressed or leveraged to encourage adoption. Eleanor is particularly interested in agriculture, and how different technologies can improve livelihoods and biodiversity outcomes through increased yield and resilience while also mitigating climate change by lowering emissions.

International Collaborator

Dr Kalista Higini, University of Dodoma, Tanzania

Bio: Dr. Kalista Higini Peter is a senior lecturer and researcher at the University of Dodoma. She has a PhD in climate change and resources management. Her areas of research interest include natural resource assessment, climate change adaptation for smallholder farmers, vulnerability assessment and livelihood, the blue economy, and poverty analysis. With over 14 years of experience, she collaborates with local and international organizations and has published multiple scientific works. She applies a critical lens in her research by integrating environmental, social, and economic factors to promote sustainable resource use. Link to staff webpage (https://surl.li/aawnqu) link to Google scholar (https://surl.li/zizfal)

Project Partner

University of Dodoma, Tanzania