IUCN Mozambique designed and started implementing the Knowledge Hubs with the MTA. The Knowledge Hibs, transversal to all IUCN´s projects in Mozambique, and installed in partnership with MTA and local Governments, in Government premisses, are a knowledge center to share IUCN´s website in portuguese as well as a deposit of manuals, knowledge tools and courses (e.g. ACADEMY) to scale-up the number of beneficiaries that may access conservation tools, while also to expand IUCN outreach, with a focus on those in rural areas and on women and youth.

Having a set of manuals and tools (e.g. NBS, OECMs, mangrove restoration, etc) from IUCN, complimented with tailored manuals for projects and communities in Mozambique, uploaded to a web platform, allows the youth and the communities in general, from conservation and buffer areas, as well as from coastal areas where IUCN operates, to have a systematic and open access to knowledge, resulting in a sustainable empowerment and transforming them in full fledge conservation and adaptation actors.

The knowledge hubs are a cost-efficient training tool as they are based on existing facilities and only dependant on a web and internet capacity. As possible, the knowledge program includes physical community exchange as well as in-person training of trainers.

Applicable knowledge solutions deployed to teams were the Blue Training in Practise, that trained over 20 professors and MTA staff, in mainstreaming coastal and marine management into local development plans and projects, as a  long-term cross-sectoral process on integration across biodiversity, climate and development plans; the training on the application of nature based solutions into local activities, which included the translation of IUCN course and manual into portuguese, allowing all to access the online official training and certified course.

The Knowledge Hubs, installed as open public spaces, have motivated other development and conservation actors to join and support with a diversity of in-kind and financial support, hence the knowledge hubs also play the partnerships and awareness raising role.

Playing the role of a membership union, of which the Government of Mozambique is a partner, was the guiding principle for IUCN´s intervention. Mozambique hosts key IUCN members, such as Peace Parks Foundation, WCS, WWF as well as it is a beneficiary of the EU funded PANORAMA program. This was the basis for IUCN to assess interest and possible engagement and support to a knowledge and information sharing platform such as the Dialogue Platform.

Together with the Ministry of Land and Environment, via ANAC, Cooperation and Climate Change Directorates, IUCN initiated the approach to members as well as to local organisation and local governments, as a means to identify key thematic areas and key policy guidelines that were important to be discussed and obtain streamlined approaches and manuals and that required conservation and environment actors' engagement and agreement. 

The first edition of the Dialogue Platform was a success as it provide the floor to an open dialogue with Government on key biodiversity and conservation aspects as well as it was the forum where nationwide actors were able to meet and jointly appreciate best ways to work and to apply development funds. The first event also accommodated SOMN´s mangroves champion awards, which were jointly delivered by IUCN representative, the German Embassy representative and the MTA Permanent Secretary.

Important therefore to add that as partnerships play a key role to build joint voices and influence improved policy decisions, including those related to mainstreaming biodiversity and ecosystems based adaptation into ALL development projects, this activity further contributed to ensure that the key principles and priorities were shared and the voice is kept alive as the Dialogue maintains its activities, unfolded into thematic and specific sub themes such as land uses and concorrencial land uses.