Pamoja Tuhifadhi Bahari Yetu Grant Summary
Explore the Grant Summary for the Pamoja Tuhifadhi Bahari Yetu Project. With €11.4 million in support from the European Union, IUCN and partners are implementing the Pamoja Tuhifadhi Bahari Yetu Project to strengthen coastal and marine conservation in Tanzania. The initiative focuses on protecting biodiversity, reducing marine pollution, and empowering communities to sustainably manage coastal resources, contributing to a resilient and inclusive blue economy across Mainland Tanzania and Zanzibar.
The European Union (EU) Delegation and the Government of the United Republic of Tanzania share a strong commitment to advancing a sustainable and inclusive Blue Economy. This aligns with global priorities under the UN Decade of Ocean Science, the Global Biodiversity Framework (GBF), the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)—particularly SDG 12 (Responsible Consumption and Production), SDG 13 (Climate Action), and SDG 14 (Life Below Water), as well as regional frameworks such as the Nairobi Convention and the African Union Agenda 2063.
Through these global and national commitments, the EU has established a €110 million "Blue Economy for Job Creation and Climate Change Adaptation Programme" to strengthen Tanzania’s marine governance, environmental protection, circular economy development, and community resilience.
Within this context, the Pamoja Tuhifadhi Bahari Yetu (BY) Project a four-year initiative (2024–2028) is implemented by IUCN, TNC, WCS, WWF, FORUMCC, and government counterparts in Mainland Tanzania (through the Ministry of Livestock and Fisheries-MLF) and Zanzibar (through the Ministry of Blue Economy and Fisheries-MOBEF).
The project aims to:
Improve environmental protection and biodiversity conservation of coastal and marine ecosystems.
Strengthen community-led coastal forest resource management.
Reduce plastic pollution in rivers, estuaries, and the marine environment; and
Enhance institutional and research capacity for coastal and marine resource management.
The project is structured around five work packages (WP), each of which is implemented by a distinct partner, and, when necessary, by two partners, to achieve the outcomes. The WP are in the following areas: the protection of marine resources and biodiversity (WP1), the strengthening of community-led management of coastal forests (WP2), the prevention of plastic litter in marine and estuary water bodies (WP3), the enhancement of institutional capacities for the research, monitoring, surveillance, and management of coastal and marine resources (WP4), and the last project management, coordination, and acceleration of impact (WP5).