Mikoko Pamoja harnesses the ‘unsung heroes’ of the fight against climate change
The world’s first community-led mangrove conservation and restoration project supported through carbon credits is marking 10 years since it began on the south coast of Kenya.
Mikoko Pamoja, which translates as ‘mangroves together’, was set up in partnership with Edinburgh Napier University and the Kenya Marine and Fisheries Research Institute. It is run by a democratically elected committee.
It manages 117 hectares of mangrove forests in Gazi Bay, which support the livelihoods of local people by protecting the shoreline, supplying fuel, wood and fish and offering a habitat for wildlife.
Mangrove trees are of global importance as they are such powerful natural carbon sinks, storing around five times more carbon per hectare than other forests. The capture and storage of carbon in this way is sold on the global markets as carbon credits.
Over the last decade, the protection and replanting of mangrove trees through Mikoko Pamoja has avoided deforestation and saved more than 14,000 tonnes of CO2 emissions. Meanwhile, selling carbon credits has raised $119,000 for conservation and local development projects such as sanitation and education in the local villages of Gazi and Makongeni – funding new wells, school rooms, sports facilities and books.
Edinburgh Napier University Professor Mark Huxham, who co-founded the project, said: “Mikoko Pamoja shows how communities, scientists and governments can work together to make a difference to conservation and to improve lives.
“Conserving our natural carbon sinks, such as mangrove forests, is essential if we are to overcome the climate emergency.
“When controlled by local people, and meeting high scientific standards, money from the carbon market provides one way to help achieve this.”
The 10-year milestone comes as the COP27 environmental conference concludes in Egypt. Representatives of Mikoko Pamoja addressed delegates during last year’s event in Glasgow.
The project was recently visited by ITV News as part of its COP27 coverage – with the report describing mangroves as the ‘unsung heroes’ of the climate crisis.
It has been supported and managed by Scottish Charity the Association for Coastal Ecosystem Services, which works closely with Edinburgh Napier University.
In 2019 the charity went on to launch the Vanga Blue Forest project, following the success of Mikoko Pamoja – taking a similar model to a larger scale.