Mangrove Project

The research project

Background and objectives

The mangrove restoration research project in Bonthe, Sierra Leone, funded by the ACF Foundation, adopts a Planetary Health approach to guide programmatic strategies and support the initial pilot project funded by Irish Aid. Launched in 2022, this climate change adaptation and mitigation project aims to improve access to weather information, promote sustainable ecosystem management, and encourage climate-resilient agricultural practices, thereby supporting local communities, many of whom depend on farming and fishing. Mangroves play a key role for these communities by providing firewood, construction materials, and marine resources, while also serving as a natural barrier against storms and reducing coastal erosion. Their preservation is therefore essential, yet restoration projects often fail due to insufficient community involvement in managing this resource. Our research focuses on community engagement, the promotion of Nature-Based Solutions, early warning systems (EWS), and identifying the actions needed for sustainable scaling up. 

Ranked as the 3rd most climate-vulnerable country in 2014 (Maplecroft), Sierra Leone remains among the most exposed according to recent indices such as ND-GAIN, due in particular to rising temperatures, sea-level rise, coastal erosion, and altered and unpredictable rainfall patterns. In this context of high climate vulnerability, the preservation and restoration of natural ecosystems, such as mangroves, appear as essential levers for adaptation and resilience. 

Mangroves are tropical coastal ecosystems characterized by vegetation adapted to the saline conditions of intertidal zones, providing a wide range of ecosystem services that are crucial for the health of the planet and the well-being of the human populations that depend on them. Their presence is considered a nature-based solution to address multiple environmental and social challenges. Thanks to their complex root systems, mangroves act as a natural barrier against storms, help stabilize the soil, and reduce erosion, thereby protecting coastal communities from damage caused by extreme weather events. Mangroves also serve as a refuge for biodiversity and provide important natural resources for local communities, such as firewood, construction materials, and seafood. Another key benefit of mangroves is their high carbon sequestration capacity, contributing to climate change mitigation by reducing atmospheric carbon dioxide concentrations. 

This ecosystem exists in over 120 countries worldwide, including many countries where Action Against Hunger operates. Many mangrove protection projects fail because they do not sufficiently take into account the livelihoods of the communities that depend on them. It is therefore urgent to understand the relationship between communities and this ecosystem to better address the challenges of its protection and to act effectively for both the populations and the environment. The duration of projects also explains these failures: sufficient time is required for successful implementation, along with proper monitoring and a clear understanding of the issues. To address this, the Sierra Leone country office successfully extended its funding from Irish Aid until 2028 and has also planned to develop community-level committees to ensure the continuity of the project. 

A field visit is planned for October 2025 to carry out the research project. The overall objectives of this visit are to: 

• Assess the efficacy of the interventions taken (lessons learned, results, changes to methodology, etc) in relation to mangrove restoration 

• Assess the scalability and replicability in other areas including inland afforestation activities  (with a focus on Planetary Health concepts) 

• Identify needs going forward along with recommendations (methodology, good practices…)  

Methods

Using qualitative methodology and tools, a review will be conducted on current and planned project activities (mangrove restoration and monitoring), as well as on community engagement and participatory research related to mangrove preservation and restoration (i.e. acceptability, community involvement, understanding, and potential areas of conflict, such as overuse and access). This will be done by:  

• Mapping the context in Bonthe: identifying potential sources of conflict and activities/actions to be taken, including a) existing land management and ownership in mangrove restoration areas, b) existing access to and use of mangroves (firewood, fishing, land clearing for rice and other cultivation, land clearing for aquaculture, etc) – who, restrictions on access (if any), areas of conflict, etc 

• Assessing community mobilization regarding mangrove restoration and protection / social impact / social dynamics / effects on vulnerable groups (poorest, women, youth) 

• Evaluating improvement pathways for future project activities (e.g. sustainability of project, community involvement, ecological indicators…) 

• Connecting with existing and potential future partners, and project beneficiaries 

Findings

To date, over 25,000 mangrove seedlings have been transplanted, mangrove conservation action plans have been developed, and 180 farmers have been trained in sustainable practices. The project has exceeded its target by rehabilitating 6 hectares of degraded mangrove areas. A training manual on mangrove ecology has also been created in collaboration with Njala University. 

A field visit is planned for October 2025 to carry out the research project. The expected results are: 

• Assessment of the mangrove project through a Planetary Health lens: 
  • Programmatic orientations for Sierra Leone 

• Valorization and capitalization of the project along two main axes: 
  • Community approach: 
    • Need to engage communities in discussions not only on climate change, but also on local environmental degradation caused by anthropogenic pressures 
  • Environment: 
    • High consumption of mangrove wood for smoking fish, leading to ocular and respiratory diseases (need for improved cookstoves for smoking fish? potential for community-based improved cookstoves?) 
    • Fishing-related challenges 

• Valorization and capitalization of Early Warning Systems (weather station) and advocacy 

• Identification of improvement pathways and missing activities with a view to scaling up 

• Development of tools to support the implementation of Planetary Health projects within ACF (e.g., short training modules on concrete Planetary Health challenges) 

Discussion and recommendations  

This section will be completed once the first results of the research are obtained.  

Project-related publications

This section will be completed once the first results of the research are obtained.