Zanzibar blue economy: Leveraging water resources for growth

Zanzibar has an ambitious plan to become the leading hub for blue economy in the East African Community (EAC).
However, adverse impact of climate change is affecting the establishment of blue economy systems in the Island.
To counter the challenges, the AfDB is supporting human development in Zanzibar as basis to setting up blue economy.

Zanzibar aims to be the leading hub for blue economy activities in the Western Indian Ocean region even as adverse impacts of climate change threaten to derail the island’s plan to tap into the emerging sector. At the moment, Zanzibar recognises the role of the blue economy in promoting socio-economic development through better stewardship of the sea and related resources.

This affirmation is made in the introduction of the Zanzibar blue economy policy by the Minister of Finance and Planning, Ambassador Mohamed Ramia Abdiwawa.

The policy holds that the sector will prioritize fisheries and aquaculture, maritime trade and infrastructure, energy, tourism and marine and maritime governance.

“Through the implementation of this policy, Zanzibar has the opportunity to increase employment, improve the balance of trade, promote food and nutritional security and maintain environmental resilience,” the ambassador said.

According to the policy statement, utilisation of maritime and marine resources will help the island to develop an inclusive and sustainable approach to its national economic growth plans.

“By reaping the economic potential of the sea without depleting the ecosystem, the initiative aims to protect the marine environment through the sustainable use of biodiversity, carbon sequestration and coastal resilience,” the ambassador notes.

Challenges to establishing a blue economy

Having a blue economy policy is only natural for Zanzibar, as an island, the nation relies heavily on marine life for both social and economic activities. However, climate change and traditional human economic activities pose a threat to the potential of setting up a blue economy and reaping benefits from it.

For example, the policy report highlights that, modern development activities like shipping, fishing and tourism are increasingly adding pressure to the marine life. Compound these economic activities with ongoing oil and gas exploration, and you have an island excerpting great strain on its marine resources.

Then you have other development factors such as rapid population growth, climate change and overall maritime insecurity.

“Zanzibar’s strategic geographical position gives it a comparative advantage in harnessing the benefits of the sea-based economy,” the ambassador asserts but in the same thought, admits that there is a tug-of-war between development and implementation of the blue economy policy.

“Moving forward, the blue economy presents vast opportunities for socio-economic development in Zanzibar,” Amb. Abdiwawa, the government executive remains positive and calls on for joint action to realize the island’s blue economy potential.

“This requires joint efforts for all stakeholders to support the Government in order to take the economy to greater heights. The Zanzibar Development Vision 2050 regards the blue economy as a priority area for the next 30 years, serving as an effective and sustainable means of improving livelihoods and transforming the economy,” he asserted.

Climate change is part of the global 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and Sustainable Development Goal 13, specifically addresses climate change issues. As such, climate change is a national agenda and is included in the Zanzibar Strategy for Growth and Reduction of Poverty that focuses on environmental sustainability and climate resilience.

In a recent report titled ‘climate change adaptation in Zanzibar and the implications for evaluation,’ the Zanzibar Commissioner for Monitoring and Evaluation, Zanzibar Planning Commission, Mr. Mashavu Khamis Omar, acknowledges that Zanzibar, being an island archipelago, already suffers from the threats posed by climate change.

“In recent decades, Zanzibar has experienced rising temperatures, increased rainfall variability, higher wind speeds and excessive high-tide levels, and an increase in extreme events of climate variability…it has had various effects including droughts and floods which have had major socioeconomic impacts on Zanzibar’s development,” he decried in the report.

AfDB support for Zanzibar blue economy

The African Development Bank Group (AfDB) is one of the key stakeholders for the development of the blue economy in Zanzibar. In partnership with the government, the AfDB issued $48.65 million for a Skills Development for Youth Employability in a blue economy environment.

“This is a project that will enable Zanzibari youth to find well-paying maritime and other blue economy jobs,” the government press communique said at the release of the funds.

The project will benefit about 43,000 youth (40 per cent of them female) and prepare over 1,500 of them to start their own enterprises, detailed the press release issued at the time.

The government of Zanzibar and AfDB believe that the project and the related funding will serve to improve youth livelihoods through ocean-based activities and contribute more than 29 per cent of Zanzibar’s gross domestic product and employ about 33 per cent of its work force.

Dr. Hussein Mwinyi, President of Zanzibar, thanked the African Development Bank Group (AfDB) for what he described as “timely support, which would enhance youth employability and job creation in tourism and in the maritime, and oil and gas industries.”

Known as the ‘Skills Development for Youth Employability in Blue Economy’ the project is aimed at supporting the expansion of the State University of Zanzibar (SUZA) and construction of a technology and business incubator in Unguja, the island’s main business center.

“The incubator will offer training and mentorship to young entrepreneurs, bolstering job creation in tourism, the maritime sectors, and the oil and gas industry,” the reported details.

Through the project, approximately 400 SUZA academics and lecturers will receive new skills and training and further still, the project will also help upgrade the Karume Institute of Science and Technology (KIST) to offer courses related to the oil and gas industries.

African Development Bank Group Tanzania Country Manager Patricia Laverley said the Bank’s presence at the launch ceremony was evidence of its commitment to human capital development in Zanzibar and is an important element to its overall economic development.

Developing human capital is vital to fighting climate change and to establishing a blue economy. Most all modern sustainable green technologies that are vital to climate change mitigation require high skilled labour.

As such, the AfDB initiative goes a long way to supporting the long-term development goals of Zanzibar. It is by developing human capital that the island can hope to successfully fight climate change and successfully set up a blue economy.