ITP Success case - Tanzania

From awareness to ownership of marine spatial planning

Through an individual change project, James Chuyi from the Vice President’s Office has worked to strengthen institutional ownership of MSP in Tanzania. By focusing on awareness, dialogue and practical engagement across institutions, the initiative contributes to moving MSP from a policy concept toward a governance tool used in everyday planning processes.

“Marine Spatial Planning becomes meaningful when institutions understand it and integrate it into their policies, plans, programs and strategies.”

Uneven understanding limiting coordination

In Tanzania, MSP is increasingly recognized as a key tool for promoting coordinated, sustainable use of marine space. However, while national MSP processes are advancing, institutional awareness and practical understanding of MSP have remained uneven, limiting effective coordination among stakeholders. Many institutions have viewed MSP as a technical or stand-alone planning exercise, rather than a cross-cutting governance tool. As a result, coordination between agencies remains limited, stakeholder engagement varies, and MSP principles are rarely reflected in routine institutional practice, policies and plans. Without targeted awareness and capacity development, MSP risks remaining disconnected from everyday governance and planning processes.

Raising awareness across institutions

During the ITP MSP programme, James Chuyi developed a change project aimed to:

• Strengthening institutional awareness and understanding of MSP among key stakeholders.
• Promoting the integration of MSP principles into institutional policies, plans, and programs.
• Enhancing inter-agency dialogue and coordination in support of sustainable marine and freshwater resource governance.

Using knowledge and tools gained through the programme, he facilitated awareness sessions for government institutions, local authorities and community representatives. He also supported stakeholder workshops and inter-agency dialogue and contributed to the establishment of a National Technical Working Group for MSP.

From concept to practical governance tool

• Stakeholders demonstrated improved understanding of MSP principles and their relevance to sustainable marine governance and they showed increased willingness to participate in MSP related discussions and activities
• The project enhanced inter agency dialogue, highlighting the importance of coordination in marine planning.
• The process helped identify where MSP could be integrated into policies, plans and programmes, clarifying pathways for implementation.

Conditions that enabled the change

Personal leadership and facilitation

The initiative was driven by continuous engagement from the participant within and across institutions.

Learning-by-doing approach

Knowledge from the programme was applied directly through MSP awareness and capacity building activities.

Institutional dialogue platforms

The Technical Working Group, stakeholder meetings and inter agency dialogues created regular opportunities for coordination and promoting shared understanding of MSP.

Emerging ownership

Increased awareness supported the development of MSP champions within their institutions.

Strengthening MSP for the future

The work provides a basis for continued awareness-raising, improved coordination and greater institutional ownership of MSP. Continued engagement across institutions is expected to support gradual integration of MSP principles into policies, plans and strategies and contribute to the long-term institutionalisation of MSP in Tanzania.