Special Call for Proposal
Sustainable Management of Artisanal Fisheries along the coast of Mozambique (Phase 2)

The PDF version of this call is available here.

Context:

Fondation Ensemble is a French private foundation, state-approved since it was created in 2004. Its Mission is to promote a sustainable human development, i.e. integrating environmental protection. The Foundation is involved in 4 focus sectors, all of them on line with the dominant theme of Sustainable Development: Sustainable Agriculture, Sustainable Fishing, Biodiversity Conservation (marine and terrestrial) and Sustainable technologies. It supports projects in 6 focus countries: Mozambique, Ecuador, Peru, Cambodia, Laos and Myanmar.

In Mozambique, artisanal landings are, on average, responsible for almost 90% of the total national fisheries production. 60% of this take is maritime, along its 2700 Km long coastline. This sector has a high social importance since it is the main source of food and employment for the coastal communities, which represent more than two-thirds of the population of Mozambique. According to the last census of artisanal fisheries conducted in 2012, there were about 343,000 fishermen and other professionals involved in this sector, of which 18% were women, all depending directly or indirectly on activities related to fishing. Fish makes up 50% of the population’s protein consumption in Mozambique. Almost all fisheries are overexploited and facing crisis due to a declining productivity and increasing operating costs. Fisheries may be further at risk due to the impacts of climate change on the marine species and environment.

Despite the paramount social and ecological importance of this sector, it is also widely recognized that it is poorly monitored, data is insufficient or lacking and fisheries legislation is inadequate and poorly enforced with damaging and unsustainable practices on catch sizes, fishing methods, species, no take periods, etc…). Also, critical coastal and marine habitats may be at risk due to poor fishing techniques, destructive gear and other exploitation activities (mangrove wood, algae and seagrass harvesting), urban development, industry, tourism, oil & gas extraction, leading to further degradations.

This analysis is partially based on the findings and recommendations of the report entitled “Mozambique Marine Ecosystems review” by Pereira et al. (Dec. 2014), available on our website. Despite it being slightly outdated, this report and its findings remain relevant. Applicants are invited to read this report.

Following a first Special Call for Proposal on “Sustainable management of artisanal fisheries along the coast of Mozambique” launched by Fondation Ensemble in December 2014, 3 projects have been funded (considered as Phase 1):

We aim now within this 2nd phase (2018-2021) to strengthen, replicate and scale up policy work and the geographical scope of the interventions. In order to achieve this, Fondation Ensemble wishes to work further with existing and new partners who, based on field work and experience, are addressing or aim to address these challenges, with the ambition to pave the way to country wide approaches.

We also aim to have a global evaluation of the initiative and improve the synergies among the selected project partners, leading to a common learning, capitalization and advocacy dynamic.

Therefore, this initiative has 3 distinct but interrelated components, for which 3 different calls are published:

  • Projects to address sustainability of artisanal fisheries with several priority objectives and through different approaches, as described in this Special Call for Proposal;
  • Global evaluation of the initiative to support sustainable management of Artisanal Fisheries along the coast of Mozambique;
  • Capitalization and advocacy for improved support to sustainable management of Artisanal Fisheries along the coast of Mozambique.

The below guidelines are based on the best practices and lessons learnt from the projects supported up to now.

Priority objectives of the Special Call for Proposal:

The projects will aim to sustainably scale up and improve artisanal fisheries management, in line with relevant SDGs, mainly SDG 14, but also SDGs 1, 2, 8, 12, 13 by:

  • Reducing damaging and unsustainable fishing practices and improving fisheries management and enforcement around fishing methods, protected species, conservation/protected areas or equivalent (see below);
  • In identified biodiversity or fishing key areas, establishing or improving legally recognized and financially sustainable Locally Managed Marines Areas or equivalent, with permanent and/or temporary closures such as sanctuaries, replenishment zones, etc.;
  • Raising awareness, capacity and leadership of community and public institutions involved in small-scale fisheries management (CCPs, other CBOs, District and Provincial governments, Fisheries Research Institute, Institute for Development of Fisheries and Aquaculture, and all other relevant agencies at district, provincial and national level);
  • Increasing and diversifying income of coastal communities by promoting sustainable income generating activities (for example, mariculture, aquaculture, agriculture, ecotourism, small businesses…). These economic activities will contribute to build local buy-in to marine conservation and reduce pressure on marine resources;
  • Identifying and working on solutions to overcome any other problems which are the cause of, or contribute to illegal/unsustainable fishing, and/or to environmental degradation;
  • Increase and improve data collection and scientific knowledge on Mozambican fisheries and flagship species, ensuring sustainable fisheries data collection;
  • Establish and promote an advocacy strategy at district, provincial and national level, to improve the legal framework on sustainable fisheries management and its implementation.

The project will address these priority objectives by:

  • Being implemented by or through national/local NGOs/organizations whose capacity (technical, administrative, governance) will be strengthened if needed within the project, in order to build the civil society network that will lead conservation awareness and efforts all along the Mozambican coastline;
  • If possible, and when relevant, having project technicians working and living within the communities, particularly if they are very isolated: in those, having occasional working visits is not as efficient and impactful as having a technician who lives among them, ideally speaking the local dialect and sharing common socio-cultural values;
  • Establishing if missing, working through and strengthening CCPs and other CBOs (Village Savings and Loan Associations, Resource User Groups…) in order to reach conservation and community representation objectives. Depending on priorities, capacity building, in particular of CCPs, should include environmental and conservation awareness and management, legal information, business and administrative skills, empowerment, and governance reforms if needed, to ensure a sound representation of community members. Representation of women, youth and of the relevant various “Resource User groups” (deep sea, shallow water, intertidal, mangrove, etc.) is essential;
  • Village Savings and Loans Associations or equivalent, should be seen as a livelihoods and resilience tool, but should also be used for empowerment, particularly of women, awareness raising, and training in multiple potential fields (environment, but also health, education, accounting, literacy, etc.). They are also a powerful tool for introducing more sustainable behavior, as they build trust, social capital and resilience;
  • Working with local and national agencies and authorities (conservation, fisheries, research, etc.): within the decentralization dynamic taking place in Mozambique, effective cooperation and implementation, networking, information sharing, awareness raising at district, provincial and national levels are essential, not only to facilitate and achieve expected outcomes (legal recognition of CCPs, LMMAs…), but also for information sharing/advocacy;
  • When relevant and possible, based on identified needs and demand, improve capacity of local authorities (at district and provincial level) in areas such as fisheries, marine biodiversity, conservation, sustainable development, leadership, interacting with civil society (CCPs, other CBOs, NGOs), project financial management…;
  • Establishing and monitoring sustainable mechanisms capable of delivering the financial resources required to fulfill the protection/conservation mandates assigned to the CCPs (or other CBOs with similar mandates). This may be achieved for example through “Payments for Environmental Services” schemes with contributions from various stakeholders (businesses, enterprises, environmental funds, public institutions, VSLAs), or effective and transparent collection of fines (depending on the legal framework), biodiversity offsets, etc.;
  • Finding a compromise between data collecting as required by the Directorate for Studies, Projects and Investments (IDPPE, previously by IIP), and simple and relevant data collection for fishermen’s interest, through for instance, mobile open software applications (ODK);
  • Liaising, exchanging, working with and coordinating with other NGOs (among which those funded through this initiatives), universities, research institutes and other stakeholders involved in marine conservation and fisheries in Mozambique, in particular in shared geographical grounds, for project implementation, but also for information sharing and advocacy.

It is expected that projects will address all the described priority objectives, working in an established geographical area (field based project).

However, Fondation Ensemble will also review with interest proposals addressing one or several of the cross-cutting objectives (i.e. for instance financial sustainability of LMMA’s and/or CCP’s, fisheries catch data solutions, etc.) on a broad scale (national, provincial), working on this/these topic(s) with at least the different field based projects which will be funded following this Special Call for Proposal (5-6 projects), or more.

If it wishes so, and has the capacity to do so, a same organization may submit different concept notes, for a field based project, and for a transversal project to address cross-cutting objectives on a broad scale.

Call for Proposal criteria:

For Fondation Ensemble’s general project selection criteria, please consult our website.

Specific criteria for this call:

  • Geographical area: the project area covered may vary from district to provincial level, or on a wider scale, in Mozambique. It may be a protected area, or not.
  • Duration: the submitted project should have a 3 to 4 years duration, and can have already started, but should end by December 2021 latest.

Please be aware that because of Fondation Ensemble’s selection process, formal funding approval of selected projects is unlikely to be given before July 2018, and funding agreements to be signed before September/October 2018.

  • Maximum contribution: Fondation Ensemble may contribute between €150,000 and €300,000, for the whole 3 to 4 years project. As usual, Fondation Ensemble will not fund more than 50% of the overall budget.

To allow the implementation of the Global Evaluation and Capitalization/Advocacy components planned within this initiative, all the selected NGOs will have to be committed to work in a participatory and collaborative way together. Specifically, the Capitalization/Advocacy effort is intended to allow for sharing of experience, practice and challenges between the NGOs working in Mozambique on this topic, to promote joint learning and a coordinated practical and policy response to challenges (See the related Call for Tenders mentioned above for further details). As such project budgets will have to include also sufficient provisions to allow:

  • A mid-term evaluation (internal or external) and a final external evaluation;
  • Domestic travel costs (tickets, accommodation, breakfast/dinner) for one or two persons (including partners) to participate in 2-3 days working group meetings to be held at any funded project site in Mozambique, twice a year (6 meetings from 2019 to 2021) and 2 days capitalization workshops in Maputo (around October 2020 and March 2022).
  • For field based projects, hosting once locally a working group meeting for a maximum of 20 persons, including field visits. The Budget will cover for instance a meeting facility, lunch/coffee breaks, local transportation means (boat, cars/vans) to the field sites and insurance. Domestic transportation to the meeting venue, accommodation, and meals will be covered by each participant’s budget.

It will be possible for an applicant organization to submit both a concept note to answer this Special Call for Proposal, and an offer to answer the Call for Tender “Capitalization and advocacy for improved Sustainable management of Artisanal Fisheries along the coast of Mozambique”.

Project proposals, and if selected, project reporting will be solely in English (no French nor Portuguese for this special initiative).

Concept note format to submit a proposal must be downloaded here.

Applications will be submitted by e-mail at the following address: mozambique@fondationensemble.org

Heading of the e-mail will comply with the following format: “Special Call for Proposal – Applicant organization name”

The deadline for submitting the concept notes is February the 2nd, 2018.

If you wish further explanations, please contact us through our website contact page.

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