ReSea

Regenerating seascapes for people,
climate and nature

Description

ReSea is enhancing the physical, social and economic resilience in coastal communities across five countries of the Western Indian Ocean (WIO) region: Kenya, Tanzania, Mozambique, Comoros, and Madagascar, with a particular focus on women and youth. Through Nature-based Solutions (NbS) and gender-responsive conservation, ReSea preserves marine ecosystems while strengthening livelihoods of coastal communities through nature-based value chains in the blue economy sector.

Context

ReSea addresses escalating regional threats, urbanization, resource exploitation, and climate change, that exacerbate the vulnerability of coastal populations through ecosystem degradation, flooding, and sea-level rise. Operating within the Great Blue Wall initiative, ReSea integrates ecosystem restoration with sustainable economic development, particularly benefiting women and young people through nature-based value chains.

Documentary: ReSea on Screen!

Mission inclusion and BBC StoryWorks bring a ReSea project community to the screen.

This documentary is part of Living Legacy, an IUCN and BBC StoryWorks series revealing initiatives that transform our relationship with nature conservation

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A just Blue Economy requires women and youth as active leaders—not passive beneficiaries. They are already driving innovation and environmental stewardship in coastal communities. ReSea recognizes their leadership and strives to provide the tools to expand their impact.

A just Blue Economy requires women and youth as active leaders—not passive beneficiaries. They are already driving innovation and environmental stewardship in coastal communities. ReSea recognizes their leadership and strives to provide the tools to expand their impact.

Our approach

ReSea implements a transformative three-pillar holistic framework: Blue Planet, Blue Nature, and Blue People. Blue Planet supports community-centered marine conservation, Blue Nature advances gender-responsive nature-based solutions, and Blue People strengthens women’s economic leadership through nature-based enterprises.

Blue Partnership serves as a cross-cutting foundation that integrates traditional ecological knowledge with scientific research through extensive community collaboration, ensuring all solutions are co-created, culturally appropriate, and locally owned.

Objectives

Blue Planet

Supporting community-led governance of marine protected areas

ReSea strengthens inclusive governance by integrating local knowledge with conservation techniques, enhancing both ecosystem health and climate resilience.

Blue Nature

Advancing gender-responsive nature-based solutions for climate adaptation

ReSea supports community-led implementation of nature-based climate solutions by building capacity and strengthening knowledge systems among partner organizations for sustainable practices that enhance community resilience using locally available resources.

Femme souriante cueillant des fruits sur un arbre.

Blue people

Strengthening women’s economic leadership in the blue economy

ReSea supports women in all their diversity in developing economic leadership through blue economy enterprises, nature-based value chains that provide skills development and market access for economic activities enhancing both livelihoods and ecosystem health.

Project Target Population

The ReSea project directly supports 71,087 people living in coastal communities across Kenya, Tanzania, Mozambique, Comoros, and Madagascar, regions facing severe climate impacts. Over time, the project’s positive ripple effects could benefit up to 2 million residents throughout the Western Indian Ocean region.

Implementation

ReSea is being implemented by Mission inclusion in partnership with the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), with support from the Government of Canada. The project brings together local women’s groups, conservation organizations, and regional technical specialists.

Budget and funding

The project operates with a total budget of CAD $31,475,815. The Government of Canada contributes $30 million, while the implementing partners will fundraise an additional $1,475,815