Mwambao Coastal Community Network

What Mwambao Coastal Community Network does

Mwambao Coastal Community Network is a Tanzanian non-profit organization founded in 2010 and headquartered in Zanzibar, with additional offices in Pemba (Chake Chake/Mkoani), Tanga, and Pangani. Its mission is to maintain healthy marine ecosystems through improved sustainable coastal resource management and diversified community livelihoods, operating in the Tanga region and across the Zanzibar islands of Unguja and Pemba. The organization works directly with village-level Beach Management Units (BMUs) on mainland Tanzania and Shehia Fishers Committees (SFCs) in Zanzibar to implement community-led marine resource management, targeting problems of overexploitation, illegal blast fishing, and limited local governance capacity.

Mwambao delivers an integrated portfolio of eight core programs rather than discrete products: Community-led Collaborative Marine Management, Participatory Market System Development (PMSD) for value chain strengthening, the MKUBA Eco-Credit Model (a performance-based revolving loan fund tied to conservation actions), Community Films & Participatory Video for advocacy, Ecological Monitoring (community-collected octopus and fish catch data, plus reef biodiversity surveys), Ecological Restoration (reefball deployment and mangrove planting), Community Network & Advocacy, and National Policy & Planning informed by FAO Voluntary Guidelines. Operational metrics include 3,543 hectares of temporary closures, 1,132 reefballs deployed, 347 hectares of fisheries replenishment zones, 175 trained community data recorders, and 93 BMUs/SFCs participating in MKUBA. Technology use is modest: mobile-phone applications for blast fishing surveillance and octopus catch data recording, with no disclosed AI/ML or proprietary software platform.

Mwambao is a private, grant-funded NGO rather than a commercial entity. Revenue is sourced from international donors and foundations, including the Darwin Initiative (UK), EU/ZANSASP, USAID via WildAid, World Bank/SWIOfish, Swedish Research Council/Sida, Indian Ocean Commission, and partnerships with Blue Ventures, Fauna & Flora International, WWF Tanzania, and CORDIO East Africa, supplemented by individual donations. The organization employs a mix of full-time and part-time staff (9 full-time and 41 part-time as of 2018) and operates under board governance with no parent company, venture capital ownership, or equity funding rounds identified. An affiliated entity, MCCC Ltd, shares contact details but the exact relationship is undefined.

Name

Mwambao Coastal Community Network

Legal name

Mwambao Coastal Community Network

Website

https://mwambao.or.tz

Company type

Private

Founded year

2010

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Mwambao Coastal Community Network is a Tanzanian non-profit that empowers coastal fishing communities in Zanzibar and Tanga to sustainably manage marine resources through community-led fisheries governance, octopus and reef restoration, and the MKUBA eco-credit microfinance model.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Marine Conservation Services

NAICS

Environment, Conservation and Wildlife Organizations (813312), Animal Production and Aquaculture (112)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro primary industry

Oceans, Coastal & Marine Resource Management (BPADALAI)

akta.pro secondary industries

Marine & Freshwater Conservation (BPAGAGAE), Environmental Education, Capacity Building & Community Engagement (BPADALAO), Coastal & Marine Resources Administration (Oceans, Fisheries, Shorelines) (BPAIAMAI)

Keywords

• Marine conservation
• Coastal resource management
• Community fisheries
• Marine habitat restoration
• Eco-credit finance

Headquarters

HQ city

Zanzibar

HQ country

Tanzania

HQ region

Africa

Offices4 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Others

Revenue model

1. Grant Funding: Primary revenue from international donors and foundations supporting marine conservation projects, including Darwin Initiative, Blue Ventures, Fauna & Flora International, WWF, and EU-funded programs like ZANSASP
2. Donations: Charitable donations from individuals and organizations supporting coastal conservation and community livelihoods
3. Eco-credit Fund Management: MKUBA eco-credit model provides performance-based grants and small business training, with revolving loan funds managed by community groups

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Mwambao is a Tanzanian non-profit that empowers coastal fishing communities to manage their own marine resources through eight integrated programs: community-led collaborative fisheries co-management, participatory market system development for octopus value chains, the MKUBA eco-credit model, participatory video/film, ecological monitoring, reef and mangrove restoration, community network advocacy, and national fisheries policy engagement. Services are delivered directly to villages and BMUs/SFCs in partnership with the government and international NGOs.

Product overview

Mwambao Coastal Community Network is a conservation NGO that operates as an integrated portfolio of interconnected community-based marine conservation programs, not a software platform. The core offerings include: Community-led Collaborative Marine Management (the central program for fisheries governance), Participatory Market System Development (PMSD) for value chain strengthening, the MKUBA Eco-Credit Model for conservation-linked microfinance, Community Films & Participatory Video for advocacy, Ecological Monitoring for data-driven management, Ecological Restoration (reefballs and mangroves), Community Network & Advocacy for knowledge sharing, and National Policy & Planning for governance influence. These eight programmatic products work together as a holistic approach to sustainable coastal resource management.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• MKUBA: Eco-credit model program meaning 'Mfuko wa Kutunza Bahari' or 'Fund to care for the sea'. A performance-based grant accompanied by small business training and mentorship to help communities set up revolving loan funds with environmental actions included in loan terms.

Products and services

• Community-led Collaborative Marine Management Core program empowering coastal fishing communities in Zanzibar and mainland Tanga to manage and benefit from local marine resources, including building village committee (BMU/SFC) capacity to implement temporary and permanent fishery closures.
• Participatory Market System Development (PMSD) Stakeholder engagement approach bringing together octopus fishery value chain participants through workshops to promote fairer pricing, improved marketing, and equitable revenue sharing for small-scale fishers.
• MKUBA Eco-Credit Model Performance-based grant and revolving loan fund model requiring environmental restoration or conservation activities as loan terms, supporting 122 community groups with $153,419 in distributed funds.
• Community Films & Participatory Video Participatory video production used for community voice, awareness raising, capacity building, and advocacy on topics from dynamite fishing to mangrove restoration.
• Ecological Monitoring Community-led collection and analysis of octopus catch, fish catch, and coral reef biodiversity data, including a mobile catch-monitoring application for blast fishing surveillance, to inform evidence-based adaptive management.
• Ecological Restoration Active and passive restoration of marine habitats including artificial reef (reefball) construction for coral reefs and mangrove restoration planting for coastal forests, with 130 ha under biomonitoring.
• Community Network & Advocacy Network platform for knowledge sharing, collective action, community voice, communications, conflict resolution, and linking scientists with local communities for sustainable coastal management.
• National Policy & Planning Policy contributions to national fisheries legislation and planning, guided by FAO Voluntary Guidelines for Securing Sustainable Small-Scale Fisheries and delivered in collaboration with the Department of Fisheries Development.

Quantifiable outcome

• 2000-4000% increase in octopus catch after 3-month closures (from 10-20kg/day to 361-400kg on opening day)
• +6 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature2 records

Partnerships

16 partnerships are on record, tiered major, core and minor.

• CORDIO East AfricamajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 December 2019Partnership for biodiversity monitoring. CORDIO's Dr David Obura led coral reef monitoring workshop. 4-year project to build community biodiversity monitoring team with methodologies for fish, macro-invertebrates, sea urchins and benthic cover surveys.
• Stockholm Resilience CentrecoreTechnology or Integration · 4 October 2019OctoPINTS project (2019-2022) - transdisciplinary research funded by Swedish Research Council and Sida. Aims to understand short- and long-term outcomes of octopus closures through expert knowledge and participatory empirical research combined with agent-based modelling.
• WildAidmajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 24 September 2019TzProtect programme funded by USAID. Project 'Reversing biodiversity degradation and improving fisheries management through Community engagement, Pragmatic protection and Private sector participation within PECCA.
• Rustic PathwaysminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 23 May 2019Partnership for artificial reef project constructing and deploying reefballs with Boma Subutuni village. Involves international students in critical marine conservation issues and reefball construction training.
• Greenfi SystemscoreTechnology or Integration · 1 January 2018Co-developed eco-credit concept for coastal communities in 2018. Greenfi Systems (Conservation Finance Alliance Incubator) devised the MKUBA model that includes ecological actions in loan terms.
• Fauna & Flora InternationalcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 6 May 2017Joint successful Darwin Initiative application for 4-year project strengthening collaborative fisheries management in PECCA (Pemba Channel Conservation Area). FFI has provided initial support for MKUBA eco-credit model and ongoing capacity building programs.
• Blue VenturescoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 5 October 2016Formal partnership with award-winning UK-based organization sharing mission for locally-managed healthy marine ecosystems. Blue Ventures provides funding and technical support, extending Mwambao's octopus management work to three new sites on Unguja (Matemwe, Mtende, Tumbatu). Partnership extended for additional 1.5 years in 2019.
• WWF TanzaniamajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerRuMaKi seascape programme partnership for learning exchanges and collaborative fisheries co-management. Supported study tours to Kilwa district where communities have been working together for over 10 years.
• Dorobo FoundationminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLong-time supporter of Maziwe island Marine Reserve conservation through 'Friends of Maziwe' tourism-funded ranger and patrol financing. Now supporting Mwambao work with Ushongo BMU.
• Indian Ocean CommissionmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerBiodiversity programme partnership. Fundo Island communities project for sustainable fisheries management plan implementation with two 3-month closures completed.
• SeaSenseminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerJoint project with WWF and SeaSense for blast fishing monitoring covering 24 locations along the coast. Data helped government pinpoint areas needing protection by Multi-Agency Task Team.
• MaliasiliminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerOrganizational development support including building and training of admin and finance team. Also supporting communications strategy development.
• International Institute for Environment and Development (IIED)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCommissioned PhotoVoice workshop for Mwambao staff to improve communication through intentional photography and captions.
• Marine CulturesminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFirst Reef Ball project in Africa conducted in Jambiani, Zanzibar in 2015 alongside Marine Cultures and Honey Hollow Foundation.
• Community Action for Nature Conservation (CANCO)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerKenyan partner for women's study tour to Kenya. Facilitated 4-day exchange for 9 women from 7 districts in Tanzania to learn from Kenyan fisheries practices.
• Department of Fisheries DevelopmentcoreOthersKey government partner for all community fisheries work in Zanzibar and mainland Tanzania. Mwambao works with DFD on enforcement training, data presentation, and SOP development for SFCs and CMGs.

Scale indicators18 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Blue Ventures: UK-based marine conservation organization that pioneered community-led octopus closures in Madagascar and is a core Mwambao partner. Both organizations deploy temporary fisheries closures, community-led monitoring, and PMSD approaches in coastal communities.
• WildAid: USAID-funded TzProtect partner implementing marine biodiversity protection in PECCA. Shares the community engagement and fisheries management emphasis with Mwambao, with a broader focus on illegal wildlife trade.
• Rare: Global behavior-change conservation organization that uses community-led campaigns and fisheries management approaches. Operates similar community empowerment models with measurable fisheries outcomes in multiple countries.
• Fauna & Flora International: Global conservation NGO with active small-scale fisheries co-management programs. Joint Darwin Initiative applicant with Mwambao on the PECCA project and supports the MKUBA eco-credit model.
• SeaSense: Tanzania-focused marine conservation NGO working on blast fishing monitoring and coastal community engagement. Direct programmatic overlap with Mwambao on blast fishing surveillance across 24 coastal locations.
• CORDIO East Africa: Regional marine research and conservation organization operating in the Western Indian Ocean. Conducts coral reef monitoring and biodiversity training in partnership with Mwambao, with overlapping geographic and programmatic scope.

Broad incumbents

• Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS): Large global conservation organization with active Western Indian Ocean fisheries programs. Much broader geographic and species portfolio but overlapping community-based marine management in Tanzania.
• Conservation International: Global conservation NGO with significant blue economy and coastal community programs across Africa. Much larger portfolio scale; shares emphasis on community-led fisheries and marine protected areas.
• WWF Tanzania: RuMaKi seascape programme partner operating across Tanzania's broader coastal landscape. A larger, more diversified organization with overlapping fisheries co-management work but a much broader portfolio.

Regional players

• ICFI (Indian Ocean Commission Fisheries Initiative): Regional intergovernmental body fostering cooperation across SWIO island states on fisheries governance. Shares Mwambao's geographic mandate in the Western Indian Ocean with a regional policy and coordination focus rather than direct community engagement.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/MwambaoCCN
• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/MwambaoNetwork/featured
• Facebookfacebook.com/MwambaoCCN
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/mwambao-coastal-community-network-tanzania
• Instagraminstagram.com/mwambao_tz

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 records

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Mwambao Coastal Community Network