Stakeholders converge towards a common goal of protecting Kenya’s seagrass ecosystem

MOMBASA, Kenya, 1 March 2025 (IUCN) – As the world marks World Seagrass Day 2025, Kenya joins the global community in recognizing the critical role of seagrass ecosystems in climate mitigation, biodiversity, and livelihoods. Among the most productive yet vulnerable, these marine habitats are increasingly threatened by human activities such as destructive fishing methods and pollution, and climate-related risks including extreme weather events, marine heat waves. Unlocking the full potential of seagrass ecosystems is vital to ensuring resilient coastal environments and sustainable communities.

Kenya’s interest in seagrass conservation has grown significantly in recent years. The Kenya Marine and Fisheries Research Institute (KMFRI) has been at the forefront of implementing interventions along the country’s coastline to protect and restore seagrass habitats. Currently, KMFRI is collaborating with the University of Oxford on the Large-Scale Seagrass Mapping and Management Initiative (LaSMMI), supported by the Pew Charitable Trusts. This initiative aims to develop a field-verified map of Kenya’s seagrass ecosystems to enhance protection efforts and integrate seagrass conservation into national policies, including the country’s Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) under the Paris Agreement. The project is also being implemented in mainland Tanzania, Zanzibar, Mozambique, and Madagascar, with key partners such as Fauna & Flora, the East African Wild Life Society, and the National Environment Management Authority (NEMA).

Another significant initiative, the Vanga Blue Forest (VBF) project, drives community-based conservation efforts in Kenya’s Vanga Bay. The project promotes protecting and restoring seagrass meadows and mangrove forests while generating income by selling nature-based credits from ecosystem services like carbon sequestration and biodiversity conservation. The Vanga Seagrass Project, supported by international organizations, is expected to enhance biodiversity, improve climate regulation, and provide sustainable livelihoods for coastal communities. KMFRI is also concluding the Go-Blue Project, which has assessed the vulnerability of marine ecosystems, including seagrass, to climate change impacts such as extreme temperatures and climate variability. 

Another key player, the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), is leading the Regenerative Seascapes (ReSea) for People, Climate, and Nature Program, a regional project that works with youth, women, and vulnerable populations to co-create locally tailored solutions for preserving, restoring, and sustainably managing marine ecosystems, including seagrass meadows. Another initiative by the IUCN, The Western Indian Ocean Coastal and Ocean Resilience (WIOCOR) project under the Great Blue Wall Initiative, is expected to carry out economic valuation of seagrass ecosystem, enhance capacity of research scientists through grants, develop regional report of status of seagrass to inform management interventions, and support locally-driven projects and actions on seagrass and blue economy in Kenya.

“Seagrass, the ‘savannas of the sea’, contribute to that fish on your plate, the nice sandy beaches that you enjoy and ecological balance. Loved by marine life but receiving little attention from humans who are big beneficiaries. Let’s change the narrative!” – Francis Okalo, International Union for Conservation of Nature, Eastern and Southern Africa Region

“Celebrating the World Seagrass Day 2025 marks the fulfilment of a long journey of working to put seagrasses on the Kenyan and global map. I look forward to developing partnerships that will help us make meaningful progress in the conservation and management of these critical habitats.” – Dr. Jacqueline Uku, Kenya Marine and Fisheries Research Institute

“Seagrass – the forgotten middle child of marine ecosystems–quietly sustains fisheries, protects coasts and captures carbon. It’s time we all pool together, leaving no one behind, to safeguard this nature’s silent guardian” – Lenice Ojwang’, Fauna and Flora

Kenya’s seagrass ecosystems are a vital part of its marine heritage and a cornerstone for sustainable coastal development. There is also an opportunity to include seagrass ecosystems in its next national greenhouse gas inventory (GHGi), which in turn would enable integration of these emissions and removals into Kenya’s headline NDC mitigation targets and achievement of more ambitious mitigation targets. On World Seagrass Day 2025, let us commit to safeguarding these ecosystems for generations to come.