Awareness to Village Liaison Committees(VLC)
Mafia Island Marine Park
Inclusive governance and participatory management
The MIMP is managed by the Marine Parks and Reserves Unit (MPRU), which is the government office in charge of marine protected areas, together with the Village Liaison Offices, that were put in place in each of the 11 villages of the Park.
The participatory management approach applied by both parties, has built a strong foundation for communities members to participate in the decision-making. Different methods were applied to foster broad participation, such as meetings with VLO and other stakeholders, focus group discussions with different resource user groups, special interviews and discussions with key and influential people.
- Good leadership among MPRU staff and village representatives.
- Transparency and consistent sharing of information for combating illegal fishing.
- Environmental education and awareness raising.
- Trust built with communities members.
- Communities needs taken in account by the management bodies.
- Communities need to see impacts, and visible actions. Once we fulfilled their needs, trust will araise. From there, everything is possible.
- Most of communities understand about the park's action, and engaged with the MPRU, in raising awareness and management activities. Community members inform and raise consciousness among their peers.
- Trust goes both ways. MPRU needs to trust the community members as well (e.g. permits delivery for mangrove wood use).