Dates / Project duration
January 2024 - December 2026 / 3 years
Field of action :
Combating deforestation Increase knowledge of biodiversity Conservation of endangered species
Branch : 
Monaco
Location :
Benin
Project sponsor(s) :
Louvain Coopération au développement ASBL
?According to the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations, Africa has lost nearly 500,000 hectares of mangroves over the last twenty-five years. Mangrove areas represent a fundamental biological wealth and play a major role in the economy, given the resources they provide to local populations. Mangroves are in fact special ecosystems because they are among the most fragile and most important tropical forest ecosystems, providing several essential resources and services and playing a major role in the resilience of aquatic and coastal ecosystems.
This wealth is declining due to the combined effect of natural factors, climate change and human activity. The factors of degradation include salinity, drought, overexploitation of resources, hydro-agricultural activities (rice paddies), aggressive tourist activities and the lack of local initiatives for the protection, conservation and restoration of mangroves. The basic needs of the population (food, income-generating activities from the exploitation of wood and non-wood products, fishing, pharmacopoeia, etc.) are therefore impacted by the decline of the mangrove. Moreover, the poorest and most vulnerable groups tend to be the most dependent on these ecosystem services.
In the south of Benin, the mangroves have lost almost a third of their surface area in two decades, mainly due to the use of mangroves for fishing and salt production, but other threats require urgent action.
The Socio-ecological Resilience of Mangroves in Benin project aims to improve the well-being of local communities living near mangrove ecosystems and help them preserve their environment.
The expected results focus on improving rights, favourable policies and the governance of mangrove ecosystems. Awareness-raising and improving knowledge and skills concerning mangrove ecosystems are also planned. Finally, the focus will be on the conservation and restoration of mangrove ecosystems and strengthening the technical, financial, economic, social, environmental and institutional capacities of local partners.
The implementation of these various results is based on five approaches: i) community action, awareness-raising and empowerment; ii) lobbying and advocacy; iii) research and knowledge management; iv) design and implementation of best practices for mangrove conservation and restoration; and v) mutual capacity building.
This wealth is declining due to the combined effect of natural factors, climate change and human activity. The factors of degradation include salinity, drought, overexploitation of resources, hydro-agricultural activities (rice paddies), aggressive tourist activities and the lack of local initiatives for the protection, conservation and restoration of mangroves. The basic needs of the population (food, income-generating activities from the exploitation of wood and non-wood products, fishing, pharmacopoeia, etc.) are therefore impacted by the decline of the mangrove. Moreover, the poorest and most vulnerable groups tend to be the most dependent on these ecosystem services.
In the south of Benin, the mangroves have lost almost a third of their surface area in two decades, mainly due to the use of mangroves for fishing and salt production, but other threats require urgent action.
The Socio-ecological Resilience of Mangroves in Benin project aims to improve the well-being of local communities living near mangrove ecosystems and help them preserve their environment.
The expected results focus on improving rights, favourable policies and the governance of mangrove ecosystems. Awareness-raising and improving knowledge and skills concerning mangrove ecosystems are also planned. Finally, the focus will be on the conservation and restoration of mangrove ecosystems and strengthening the technical, financial, economic, social, environmental and institutional capacities of local partners.
The implementation of these various results is based on five approaches: i) community action, awareness-raising and empowerment; ii) lobbying and advocacy; iii) research and knowledge management; iv) design and implementation of best practices for mangrove conservation and restoration; and v) mutual capacity building.
