On 21 and 22 October 2026, fifteen experienced MPA and LMMA practitioners from Kenya, Tanzania, Mozambique and Madagascar met in Maputo for a Training of Trainers workshop on inclusive capacity development. The workshop was held under the ReSea Program — Regenerative Seascapes for People, Climate and Nature, implemented through an IUCN-WIOMSA partnership. Participants came from government, community networks and NGOs, including MIHARI, Mwambao, COMRED, RARE, the Likhulu Foundation, PARCO, Nature Defenders and IUCN.
The workshop started from a simple question, what happens after a training ends? Capacity development in the region is often measured by the number of courses delivered and people trained, rather than by changes in how sites are governed and managed. Participants explored how capacity operates at three levels, individuals, organisations and the wider enabling environment, and why skills gained in a training often do not translate into practice without support at the other two levels.
A central message was that the LMMA Competency Framework can be used as a before-and-after instrument, not only as a one-time needs assessment. Working with real assessment results from Mozambique and Madagascar, participants practised turning identified gaps into capacity development goals that state who needs the capacity, what they need to be able to do, and why it matters. Distinguishing goals from objectives and from training activities proved to be the most challenging, and most productive, part of the discussions.
Participants were also introduced to two new resources developed under the program. The first is a Participatory Action Research planning guide built on the Look–Think–Act cycle, and the second is a compendium of 51 curated MPA and LMMA training resources organised by competency area. Their feedback will inform the final revisions of both booklets.
Participants expressed strong interest in continuing this work, and in applying the approach at their own sites.
