admin | July 4, 2025
News Brief
Along the Northern Mozambique Channel, coastal communities are restoring mangroves and rebuilding their connection to the sea. Once degraded by overfishing, deforestation, and climate change, this biologically rich region is now the focus of a major restoration effort led by WWF and local residents. In Mozambique’s Quiterajo village, Amina Langa leads mangrove planting efforts, nurturing thousands of seedlings to bring fish and protection back to the shoreline. Recognized by the UN as a World Restoration Flagship, the project spans five countries and aims to restore 4.8 million hectares by 2030—supporting both ecosystems and livelihoods.
In northern Mozambique, along the shores of the Northern Mozambique Channel, communities are restoring mangroves and rebuilding their connection to the sea.
The Northern Mozambique Channel is one of the most biologically rich areas of the Indian Ocean. It stretches along the coasts of Mozambique, Comoros, Madagascar, Tanzania, and the Seychelles. The region is home to 35% of the Indian Ocean’s coral reefs, and it provides food, income, and protection to over 10 million coastal residents.
But in recent decades, this ecosystem has been under pressure. Climate change, oil drilling, overfishing, and mangrove deforestation have damaged marine life and coastal livelihoods.
In response, a regional restoration effort—led by WWF and local communities—aims to protect and restore mangroves, coral reefs, and seagrass meadows. In June 2025, the project was recognized by the United Nations as a World Restoration Flagship, part of the global Decade on Ecosystem Restoration.
In the village of Quiterajo, 38-year-old Amina Langa bends in ankle-deep water, planting red mangrove saplings with steady hands. She says, “Back then, the nets came back heavy every time. Now we are bringing that time back.”
Years of cutting mangroves for wood and clearing land for shrimp farms left the coastline exposed. Without roots to hold the soil, the coast began to erode, and the fish disappeared. But things are changing.
With support from WWF, Mrs. Langa and other villagers built nurseries, cared for seedlings, and replanted mangroves. In the past year, Langa’s nursery raised over 10,000 mangrove seedlings. This year, with help from 30 fishers from nearby communities, she expects to triple that number.
She says, “These are hope,” watching schools of tiny fish flicker through the young roots. “You just sit by the water in the morning. Watch. It’s already changing.”
Across the region, similar efforts are underway. Community stewardship committees in Tanzania, coral nurseries in the Seychelles, and coastal planning in Madagascar are helping protect the environment while supporting livelihoods.
By 2030, the regional plan aims to restore over 4.8 million hectares of coastal ecosystems. With proper funding, the project could create over 2,000 jobs and increase household incomes by 30%.
Mrs. Langa, like many others, is hopeful. She says, “For my daughter—and for this channel—we’re bringing back what we lost.”
Photo: Amina Langa planting mangrove seedling on the Indian Ocean’s coast. Credit: WWF
This story is based on an article written by Kizito Makoye for Interpress News Service, titled “Reviving Mangroves at the Edge of Mozambique Channel” To read the full story, go to: https://www.ipsnews.net/2025/06/reviving-mangroves-at-the-edge-of-mozambique-channel/