This article was originally shared by The Ocean Decade
Africa’s ocean stretches far and wide – over 30,000 kilometers of coastline – cradling some of the world’s richest and most vibrant marine ecosystems. It supports coastal livelihoods, strengthens food security, and helps protect coastal zones from extreme weather. Yet today, it faces mounting threats from climate change, pollution, and overfishing – putting pressure on the millions who depend on it.
In this article, we highlight three initiatives endorsed by the UN Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development 2021-2030 (‘Ocean Decade’) that are pioneering innovative solutions through science, capacity building, and collaborations to develop a sustainable, inclusive, and equitable ocean economy for Africa.
In Medina Gounass, a neighborhood on the edge of Dakar, a figure in a suit of stitched plastic bags, bottles, and wrappers weaves through the morning crowd. Children call him the “Kankurang of Plastic,” a spirit who demands order and justice. This is Modou Fall, or “Mr. Plastic” – a Senegalese environmental activist whose grassroots efforts have brought attention to the urgent issue of plastic pollution along Africa’s coastlines. In Mozambique and Cape Verde, murals of giant whales, bleached corals, and fishing nets tangled with plastic bring abandoned walls to life – artists call it Artivism.
Coastal communities are often the first to see the impacts of ocean change – and the first to respond, take action, and lead efforts to protect and restore marine ecosystems. The three success stories below show how the Ocean Decade is empowering local communities through scientific knowledge and innovation to drive a resilient, sustainable ocean future for Africa.
How the Ghana Ocean Climate Innovations Hub is transforming ocean conservation across Africa
In the heart of West Africa, where ancient fishing traditions still shape daily life, the Ghana Ocean Climate Innovations Hub is developing innovative community-driven and digital solutions to help local communities and Indigenous peoples lead ocean and climate action.
In the fishing town of Kpong, the Hub teamed up with chiefs, assembly members, and fishermen to protect marine biodiversity and mangrove forests. At a lively gathering on Kpong Beach, the community came together to learn about the critical role mangroves and healthy ocean ecosystems play in fighting climate change.
Blending traditional knowledge with ocean technology, a smartphone-based GPS software maps mangroves, algae, and other blue carbon ecosystems. It also records their indigenous names to preserve generations of local knowledge.
“Integrating Indigenous and local knowledge is essential for developing sustainable and truly innovative solutions in Africa. In the vital marine carbon removal space, their historical connection to the environment offers invaluable insights,” - Peter Teye Busumprah, Project Lead at the Ghana Ocean Climate Innovations Hub
The Hub also compares changes in the nature-based carbon ecosystems over time with fishermen’s stories, helping to understand how climate change affects fisheries species diversity. What began in Ghana is now spreading across Africa.
How sustainable aquaculture is helping restore Africa’s marine food systems
Historically, Africa’s small-scale fishers have resisted aquaculture, viewing farmed fish as less nutritious and less desirable than wild-catch fish.
Supported by the AXA Research Fund, Dr. Nwamaka Okeke-Ogbuafor from Nigeria is contributing to redefining sustainable fisheries management to avert hunger in coastal African communities.
More and more wild fishers are beginning to accept fish farming – not as a replacement, but as a supplementary source of income that relieves pressure on their declining wild stocks and helps secure food for the future. To guide this transformation, Dr. Nwamaka Okeke-Ogbuafor developed the Complementary Fisheries–Aquaculture Integration Model (CFAIM) – a practical research-backed framework built on coordination, strong regulation, and collaboration across sectors. CFAIM offers a lifeline to countries like Sierra Leone, where marine fisheries bring in 150,000 tons of wild catch each year – while aquaculture produces barely 140 tons.
Recognizing that the nutritional composition of farmed fish depends on their feed, the project is testing fish feed formulated from locally sourced ingredients – and early results are promising. This solution meets wild fishers’ expectations for aquaculture uptake; it will improve access to high-quality, nutrient-rich feed and make aquaculture a viable livelihood option in coastal communities.
“By 2030, our vision is to see aquaculture fully integrated into Sierra Leone’s national food systems, not as a competitor to marine fishing but as a complementary pillar supporting nutrition, livelihoods, and sustainability. To scale up, we are mapping out practical plans to pilot the CFAIM model in other African countries,” - Dr. Nwamaka Okeke-Ogbuafor
How MARCOP unites communities and scientists to support sustainable management of the Western Indian Ocean’s marine resources
Stretching from the shores of Eastern Africa to the islands of the Seychelles, the Western Indian Ocean is a cradle of life – home to about 5% of the world’s mangroves, nearly 6% of all coral reefs, and more than 60 million people who rely on its waters every day. Yet this ocean is warming faster than any other on Earth, and today, less than 10% of it is under protection.
Led by the Western Indian Ocean Marine Science Association (WIOMSA) and Macquarie University, the Marine Conservation Program (MARCOP) unites governments, local and scientific communities, and the private sector to restore ecosystems, and strengthen marine protection and coastal resilience across the region from the ground up.
Launched under MARCOP, the Hifadhi Blu Programme is reimagining how marine conservation areas – from protected zones to community-led reserves – are managed across the Western Indian Ocean. Hifadhi Blu aims to support 16 marine conservation sites by tackling key challenges such as funding shortfalls and limited technical expertise.
“Area-based management, including Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) and Locally Managed Marine Areas (LMMAs), is gaining momentum across the WIO region as a core strategy to meet Target 3 of the Global Biodiversity Framework. Through MARCOP, science is being placed at the heart of this effort – supporting evidence-based management planning, improving the effectiveness of conservation areas, and advancing the legal recognition of LMMAs by integrating local knowledge and strengthening the capacity of communities and practitioners," - Arthur Tuda, Executive Director at WIOMSA.
Currently, MARCOP is working with governments and stakeholders to establish a transboundary marine conservation area spanning the coastal waters of Tanzania and Kenya. This new zone would protect vital ecosystems, including seagrass beds, mangroves, coral reefs, turtle nesting sites, and endangered fish species, and enhance the well-being of local coastal communities.
As these initiatives grow and inspire new action across the continent, they offer a powerful reminder that lasting ocean solutions must be rooted in science, guided by local knowledge, and driven by those most connected to the sea.
For more information, please contact:
Ocean Decade Communications Team ([email protected])
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