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Blue Carbon Zambezi Delta

Silvestrum

By Blue Forests Project

August 8^th, 2016

Blue Carbon Project Zambezi Delta: Pre-Feasibility Assessment

Silvestrum just finalised its pre-feasibility assessment for a blue carbon project in the Zambezi Delta, Mozambique. The assessment was commissioned by WWF Mozambique and formed part of the activities under the framework of the GEF Blue Forests program.

Mozambique boasts the largest swaths of mangrove forests in the Western Indian Ocean, with extremely high fish diversity, intact coral reefs, and notable turtle and shark populations. Yet, the country's coastal resources are under pressure from both human - induced by deforestation for wood products, urban development, aquaculture, saltpans - and natural causes such as strong winds, floods and cyclones.

Silvestrum and WWF Mozambique organised a two-day workshop in Maputo on 7 and 8 June 2016, bringing together government officials, community representatives and civil society.

We found that pursuing a mangrove-based, community-focused blue carbon project in the Zambezi delta offers a great opportunity. Despite rampant deforestation, the policy situation is favourable, and the recent creation of fishery co-management committees - Conselhos Comuniários de Pasca, "CCP" - at the local level, has produced on-the-ground partners for sustainable mangrove management. The protection framework at the national level is still fragile, but the government is increasingly vocal about long-term development of blue carbon interventions.

Initial activities should focus on the community outreach, and scientific measurements, while actual project preparations should follow once a sufficient number of communities shows interest in long-term project development.