Strategic
Plan
2026 — 2030
A five-year roadmap to restore Tanzania's marine ecosystems, strengthen community stewardship, and build the institutional foundations for ocean conservation at scale.
Community-led ocean conservation, built from within
Action For Ocean (AFO) is a Tanzania-based, youth-led non-profit dedicated to advancing marine conservation while enhancing the livelihoods of coastal communities. Founded in 2016 by 13 passionate university graduates, we operate across four seascapes — Tanga, Kilwa, Dar es salaam and Mtwara
This Strategic Plan 2026–2030 charts our next chapter: scaling proven models, deepening institutional strength, and positioning AFO as a recognised regional force in Western Indian Ocean conservation. It was developed through a rigorous participatory process facilitated by Maliasili.
Compact
Rules & rights — agreements that define ownership and benefit sharing
Custodianship
Care & restoration — community-led protection, monitoring, and stewardship
Capital
Income & resilience — livelihoods that make conservation financially sustainable
Theory of Change
Our 3C Model — Compact, Custodianship, Capital — is the backbone of a seascape governance approach that links ecological recovery to economic resilience.
Community Institutions
Strengthen CFMAs, BMUs, and village governance to co-manage marine resources with accountability and local legitimacy
Ecosystem Restoration
Restore coral, mangrove, and seagrass habitats through community-led science and monitoring to rebuild biodiversity
Livelihood Enterprises
Build conservation-aligned income streams — seaweed, eco-tourism, fisheries — generating the CLEAR Model's 5x return
Evidence & Influence
Produce rigorous MEL data that builds credibility, attracts diversified funding, and informs national blue economy policy
Thriving Seascapes
Coastal communities prospering alongside healthy marine ecosystems — a replicable model for the WIO region
"Tanzania's coastal communities have always been the stewards of these seas. This Strategic Plan doesn't just support their role — it formally enshrines it at the centre of how marine conservation works. When communities own the outcome, ecosystems recover."
Four Goals. One Ocean.
Each goal addresses a distinct dimension of our mission — from ecosystems and governance to livelihoods and institutional strength — with clear objectives and measurable 2030 targets.
Degraded marine ecosystems restored and biodiversity strengthened
Ecosystem RestorationRestore 20 km² of degraded marine habitat and protect five endangered species by delivering large-scale, community-led coral, mangrove, and seagrass restoration across all four seascapes.
- 1Restore critical marine habitats and strengthen ecosystem resilience
- 2Protect and recover endangered and threatened marine species
- 3Promote climate-smart ocean restoration approaches that generate blue carbon value
Governance and community stewardship of Marine Managed Areas strengthened
MMA Governance & Co-ManagementBy 2030, 13 Marine Managed Areas will demonstrate inclusive governance, active Fisheries Replenishment Zones with at least 15% increase in fish biomass, and sustainable financing covering 30% of annual management costs.
- 1Build inclusive, knowledgeable, and accountable community institutions for MMA co-management
- 2Establish and operationalize Fisheries Replenishment Zones as ecological anchors
- 3Strengthen sustainable financing mechanisms for community-led MMAs
Resilient coastal communities built through scalable, conservation-friendly livelihoods
Livelihoods & Blue EconomyEconomic transformation of 1,000 community groups — particularly women and youth — through enterprises that make conservation financially rewarding: seaweed, eco-tourism, sustainable fisheries, and VSLAs.
- 1Scale conservation-aligned enterprises and eco-credit access for coastal communities
- 2Provide equipment financing, matching grants, and VSLA linkages to 70% of groups by 2030
- 3Strengthen market access and value chain linkages for community enterprises
A resilient, high-performing organisation built to deliver ocean conservation at scale
Organisational ResilienceAFO will be financially diversified with 70% forward funding, no single donor exceeding 30% of revenue, and earned income at 20% of total revenues — triple the 2025 baseline — by 2030.
- 1Strengthen organisational resilience, governance, and leadership
- 2Achieve financial diversification and long-term funding predictability
- 3Enhance strategic influence, communications, and partnerships
- 4Build staff capacity, systems, and digital infrastructure for scale
- 5Establish a robust, evidence-driven MEL system
Where We Work
AFO operates across four strategically selected seascapes in Tanzania, chosen for ecological importance, community readiness, and potential to demonstrate scalable conservation models.
Dar es Salaam
Coast Region · Urban marine conservation
Kilwa
Lindi Region · Coral & mangroves
Tanga
Tanga Region · Seagrass & fisheries
Mtwara
Mtwara Region · Transboundary MPA zone
Ready to Explore the Full Plan?
Download the complete Strategic Plan 2026–2030 document and join the conversation about AFO's next chapter for Tanzania's coastal future.