USAID HESHIMU BAHARI ACTIVITY Annual Work Plan

in partnership with The Nature Conservancy and the Wildlife Conservation Society. The project aims to improve the ecological resilience and productivity of Tanzania's high marine biodiversity areas. Tanzania's coral reefs are among the world's fifty most climate-resilient reefs, and the country's marine and coastal ecosystems support a diverse range of coral reefs, seagrasses, open-ocean pelagic habitats, and mangroves. The project has four integrated objectives: (1) to strengthen an enabling framework for a network of Marine Managed Areas (MMAs) and fishery replenishment zones (FRZs) for resilient biodiversity conservation, climate resilient communities, and enhanced wild-caught fisheries production; (2) to community co-management of MMAs/wild-caught fisheries and climate resilience strengthened; (3) to private sector investment in MMAs and wild-caught fisheries expanded; and (4) to integrate relevant science to MMA and fisheries policy and management improved. To achieve its objectives, the project aims to achieve performance outcomes, including the protection of 425,000 hectares of biologically significant areas, improvement of 20,000 hectares of biologically significant areas, and economic benefits for 60,000 people derived from sustainable natural resource management and/or biodiversity conservation. The project also aims to train 14,000 people in sustainable natural resources management and/or biodiversity conservation, 14,000 people in climate change adaptation, and 450 people to advance outcomes consistent with gender equality or female empowerment. The project's theory of change is based on the idea that if enabled policy frameworks and government capacities to implement diverse pathways for marine conservation and fisheries management exist, and if communities are empowered in MMA and fisheries management, and if barriers to private sector investment are lowered, and if scientific capacity, information, and influence is strengthened, then a diverse MMA network can be created and sustained to conserve biodiversity, enhance ecological resilience to climate change, and improve livelihoods and food security. The project is implemented in Tanzania, with a geographic coverage of Unguja, Pemba, Tanga, Pwani, Dar es Salaam, Kilwa, and Mtwara. The project is expected to achieve its performance outcomes by the end of the Activity's Period of Performance, which is August 16, 2027. The project's Results Chain (RC) diagram describes key results the Activity will achieve and the progression from initial results to more complex results and eventually biodiversity outcomes. The project's strategic approaches and theory of change are reflected in the Results Chain (RC) diagram, which describes key results the Activity will achieve and the progression from initial results to more complex results and eventually biodiversity outcomes. The Whole of Program (WOP) RC includes and links together Strategic Actions (SAs) that aid the overarching goal of the Activity through different results. The project's implementation is led by Chemonics International Inc. (Prime Contractor) in partnership with consortium subcontractors The Nature Conservancy (TNC) and the Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS). The project's implementation is expected to be completed by August 16, 2027, and the project's performance outcomes are expected to be achieved by the end of the Activity's Period of Performance. The project's geographic coverage includes Tanzania, with a focus on Unguja, Pemba, Tanga, Pwani, Dar es Salaam, Kilwa, and Mtwara. The project's implementation is expected to be completed by August 16, 2027, and the project's performance outcomes are expected to be achieved by the end of the Activity's Period of Performance.