Initiative and Project Overview:
The natural assets of the Northern Mozambique Channel (NMC) area include diverse and valuable coastal and pelagic ecosystems (coral reefs, mangroves, seagrasses, etc.) and harbors high biodiversity, estimated to be second only to the Coral Triangle (Indonesia – Malaysia area). Such rich ecosystems support productive fisheries, important for the livelihoods of coastal communities, and a potential for greater output in pelagic fisheries.
The natural gas fields in the NMC are among the largest globally, and with production horizons of 40-50 years can fuel the region’s development over multiple generations. The economic assets of the region build on the natural assets, many of which are only at early stages of exploitation – hydrocarbon and other mining sectors are set to expand exponentially; the Mozambique Channel is a strategic maritime highway of both regional and global significance, and coastal/urban development and tourism are already growing.
For this reason, the Northern Mozambique Channel initiative (NMCi) looks for sound political buy-ins that will set the bases and apply concrete measures (in terms of policies, plans and practices) for sustainable management of this highly important transfrontier area (between Comoros, Madagascar, Mozambique, and Tanzania). This area is a high priority one for the Nairobi Convention, World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF), Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS), Conservation International (CI), Coastal Oceans Research and Development in the Indian Ocean (CORDIO), as it has a high potential to deliver broader economic benefits sustainably while its natural capital can be maintained healthy.
Start date: Initiative starting in 2012
End date: open-ended
Countries covered: Comoros, Madagascar, Mozambique, Tanzania
Donor(s): FFEM, Sida, MACP
Principal Lead: Harifidy Ralison (horalison@wwf.mg)
NOCAMO program (funded by the FFEM) is a key means to reach the objectives of the NMCi
(NOCAMO program start in late 2019)
(NOCAMO ending in 2023)
Website:
https://cordioea.net/category/northern-mozambique-channel/
http://www.wwf.mg/en/our_work/priority_places/nmc_seascape/index.cfm
Aim/Objectives:
Goal: By 2030, the Northern Mozambique Channel’s (NMC) high biodiversity value coral reef and associated ecosystems are maintained and enhanced through effective spatial management of marine uses to secure a sustainable future for coastal communities and economies.
By 2023,
Key activities:
In collaboration with relevant regional projects:
Component 1 – MSP
Component 2 – Oil & Gas
Component 3 – Community management best practices
Component 3 – CSOs
Main outputs:
Partners involved:
For NOCAMO: Nairobi Convention Secretariat, BV, CORDIO, AMA Mozambique, FFI, WCS, WWF, CI, TNC
For NMCi in general (in addition to NOCAMO implementing partners): WIO-C, SWIOTUNA, FOSCAMC, MOSC, CNPE, TuNA, MRENGO, Dahari