MAIS ECO in collaboration with MAIS Trading and EcoFriend World have been working together since 2022 in this region of West Africa to build trust and strong partnerships with the Chiefs and local communities who are the landowners in the coastal areas of Benin. So far MAIS ECO have signed agreements with 3 local communities in an area of about 2750 hectares of degraded coastal land for developing a mangrove restoration project. This translates into around 7 million trees to be planted and approximately 3.5 million tonnes of CO2 sequestered over the 30 years duration of the project, generating an equivalent number of blue carbon credits.
On one hand, cutting mangroves exposes communities to increased health risks, including malaria, diarrhoea and other communicable diseases. On the other hand, abandoning this traditional practice jeopardises their food security and means of living. In Togbin Adouko, a fishing village just a few kilometres from the port city of Cotonou, residents have learned to deeply value mangroves. They did not fully grasp the significance of mangroves before but now they recognise their role in nurturing young fish and combating certain diseases.
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