April 22, 2026
Landesa announces expansion to the Coastal Livelihoods and Mangroves Project
GLOBAL—In celebration of Earth Day, Landesa is announcing an expansion to its Coastal Livelihoods and Mangroves Project, an ambitious effort to strengthen coastal land and tenure rights for millions of people, protect fragile mangrove ecosystems, and mitigate climate change.
With funding support from longtime partner King Philanthropies, Landesa is beginning work in four geographies, including new country activities in Kenya, Tanzania, and Malaysia, and an expansion of nascent work in the Indonesian province of Papua. Alongside existing work in Bangladesh, Cambodia, India, Indonesia, Myanmar, and Thailand, the project seeks to strengthen the coastal tenure rights of more than 119 million people while protecting 4.9 million hectares of mangrove forest.
Launched in 2022, Landesa’s Coastal Livelihoods and Mangroves Project aims to improve equitable and sustainable outcomes for people and planet in some of the world’s most vital – and vulnerable – mangrove areas. Mangrove forests are among the planet’s most productive ecosystems, supporting livelihoods for hundreds of millions of coastal people while storing vast amounts of carbon critical for mitigating climate change – four times more than a tropical rainforest of similar size. These nurseries of the sea are also teeming with life, their intricate root systems sheltering 800 billion young fish and crustaceans globally each year.
“Mangrove forests are a crucial lifeline for people and planet. These unique ecosystems provide security and nourishment for millions of people; serve as habitat for hundreds of species of fish, invertebrates, birds, and other fauna; and store massive amounts of carbon, critical for mitigating climate change,” said Landesa CEO Chris Jochnick. “When equipped with land tenure and resource rights, coastal communities can more effectively govern and steward these forests while cultivating more sustainable livelihoods – a win-win for people and planet.”
To learn more about the Coastal Livelihoods and Mangroves Project, download our project factsheet (PDF).
About Landesa
Landesa is a non-profit organization that works at scale to create opportunities that help people and communities lift themselves out of poverty. Landesa does this by working side by side with governments and other organizations to strengthen land rights for men and women experiencing poverty. Enhanced tenure security leads to positive outcomes such as improved agricultural productivity, increased access to credit, improved health and nutrition of children, and overall sustainable development in a country. Founded in 1981, Landesa has worked in more than 65 countries on strengthening land rights for more than 720 million people. More at www.landesa.org.
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Media Contact:
Tyler Roush | tylerr@landesa.org | 206.257.6135
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