Mono Transboundary Biosphere Reserve
Overview
The unprecedented degradation of mangrove ecosystems marks a dreadful turning point in the global quest for sustainability. Creating a future with indigenous knowledge to restore the degraded ecosystems in Africa is crucial, as this could help bring about the transformative changes necessary to move humanity toward a more sustainable society. In this research, we used Indigenous and Local Knowledge (ILK) as a starting point grounded in the Nature Futures Framework in exploring the desirable futures for the Mono Transboundary Biosphere Reserve (MTBR) in Benin and Togo, West Africa. Stakeholders associated with the development of narratives and scenarios in supporting the desirable futures of the MTBR are Indigenous and local peoples, researchers, government officials, local and regional NGOs, private sectors, artists, and a writer.
The MTBR is a transboundary reserve situated in the south-west of Benin and Togo, covering an area of 346,285 ha with 12,257 ha of total marine area. The reserve shelters a population of about two million inhabitants and is part of the international treaty for the conservation and sustainable use of wetlands. One of the primary reasons for creating the MTBR in 2017 was to protect and sustainably manage coastal resources to enhance coastal resilience, with a particular focus on mangroves.
The reserve was strategically selected as a case study as it is well-known for its diversity of indigenous groups that use their local deities and cultural practices for mangrove ecosystem sustainability. Such a diverse array of indigenous groups share culture and a way of life that are passed down from one generation to another in conservation practices. The reserve is locally managed by the Association for Community Biodiversity Conservation Area (ACCB) in collaboration with the government of the Benin Republic and Togo.
Narratives
Three narratives were developed using the framework’s three value perspectives:
Nature for Nature – Vision “Reigne des Mangroves”: La prise de conscience une connexion durable avec la nature.
Nature for Society – Vision “Mikplé Alodo”: Les femmes au service de la société à travers la nature.
Nature as Culture – Vision “Djowamon Kpo Houeto”: Quand les divinités locales assurent la conservation des mangroves.
Community quotes:
Quote 1: “Zangbéto Gbèta is the oldest initiative since I was born in this community. Since then, what I can say is the unique indigenous capacity to solve conflicts over lands and restore peace. We are now living in harmony with people around us and the environment.”
Quote 2: “Most of the indigenous and cultural practices that you will observe in our community are an accumulation of what our grandfathers have been doing for decades. They taught us how to do it, and this is strongly linked to spirituality and beliefs. I am a cultural guardian, and all my indigenous interest is centered around Vodoun beliefs and practices.”
Quote 3: “The deep belief in indigenous knowledge systems and practices has been turned to the advantage of mangrove conservation to prevent further cutting of mangrove trees for different household purposes.”
Quote 4: “In case of non-compliance, the person will encounter all sorts of difficulties in life until the appropriate sacrifices are made. For fishermen, for instance, their fishing net can get stuck in the water and no longer come out. Women cannot even draw water from the well in our village, or can no longer sell in the village.“
Quote 5: “The respect and applicability of the decision made by consulting the water spirit is important to us as we know when and where to do fishing to ensure the availability of fish throughout the year.”
Key findings
- Indigenous knowledge and the associated threats in mangrove conservation practices in the MTBR are documented for the first time in Benin Republic and Togo.
- The contribution of indigenous practices in solving the Food-Climate-Biodiversity nexus in the MTBR is recorded.
- Map of the different indigenous led initiatives that are driving positive social and environmental change in the MTBR.
- Scenarios of the use of ILK in the desirable futures for the relationship between IPLCs and the MTBR Pathways.
Videos and articles
Benin enlists voodoo to protect its precious mangroves – Read the article here
Reports and Publications
Indigenous and Local Knowledge in Exploring Desirable Futures for the Mono Transboundary Biosphere Reserve in Benin and Togo, West Africa. –Read the full report here here
Photos from fieldwork:
Bios from partners/writers/artists
Writer: Mame Bougouma Diene
Mame Bougouma Diene is a Franco–Senegalese American humanitarian based in Dakar, the francophone spokesperson for the African Speculative Fiction Society (https://www.africansfs.com/), the French language editor for Omenana Magazine, and a regular columnist at Strange Horizons. You can find his fiction and nonfiction work in Omenana, Galaxies SF, Edilivres, Fiyah! Truancy Magazine, EscapePod, Mythaxis, Apex Magazine, Interzone and TorDotCom; and in anthologies such as AfroSFv2 & V3 (Storytime), Myriad Lands (Guardbridge Books), You Left Your Biscuit Behind (Fox Spirit Books), This Book Ain’t Nuttin to Fuck Wit (Clash Media), Africanfuturism (Brittle Paper), Dominion (Aurelia Leo), Meteotopia (Future Fiction/Co-Futures in English and Italian), Bridging Worlds (Jembefola Press) and Africa Risen (TorDotCom). His novelette The Satellite Charmer is translated in Italian by Moscabianca Edizioni, his novelette Ogotemmeli’s Song is translated in Bangla by Joydhak Prakashan, and his short story Leki Leki is currently under translation in Lule Saami. He was nominated for several Nommo Awards, and his debut collection “Dark Moons Rising on a Starless Night” (Clash Books) was nominated for the 2019 Splatterpunk Award. His short story “A Soul of Small Places” co-authored with his spouse Woppa Diallo, won the 2023 Caine Prize for African Writing.
Artist: Blythe Atemenou
Blythe Atemenou is a self-taught artist, born in Benin Republic, shaped by his failures as much as by his visions. He left the beaten paths—finance, architecture, academic success—to follow a darker, more sincere path: that of raw expression. His style is geometric, structured, but always on the edge of the absurd. He seeks neither perfection nor smooth beauty. He creates to provoke fate, to see how far a man can go when he faces his limits with his eyes open. Each line is irreversible, each work is a risk. His art is an act of survival, a way of standing up to vertigo, without cheating, without erasing.”. His works can be consulted on Instagram / X as blytheatemen0u, or on LinkedIn as Blythe Atemenou.
Graphic Designer: Yannick Sonon
Yannick Sonon is a designer, illustrator, 2D animator, and co-founder of Ti’Tans Animation Studio. He is passionate about drawing and digital technologies, translating ideas into images to make them clear, understandable, and accessible to many people. He has developed a wide range of skills that allow him to bring a variety of creative projects to life, ranging from illustration to visual design, including design and animation. Each project is an opportunity for him to explore new ideas, and offer original visual solutions tailored to the needs of both clients and audiences. His approach is guided by rigor, artistic sensitivity, and a sincere desire to share meaningful visual worlds. In 2022, he obtained his National Diploma in Arts and Design (DN MADE), which allowed him to collaborate with numerous institutions in Benin Republic, and other African and European countries. In 2023, he participated in the Incubima Animation training program organized by Sèmè City in Benin Republic, to deepen his animation skills and further develop his creative approach. His work can be consulted on LinkedIn as yannick sonon.