Coastal Oceans Research and Development in the Indian Ocean

Coastal Oceans Research and Development in the Indian Ocean (CORDIO, also known as CORDIO East Africa) is a non-profit research and conservation organisation headquartered in Mombasa, Kenya. Its story begins in 1999, when it was established as a regional research network in the Western Indian Ocean (WIO) focused on coral reef science, spurred by the global coral bleaching event of 1998. It was registered as a non-profit organisation in Kenya in 2003 and has since grown into a leading centre for coastal marine and ocean science and conservation in East Africa and the wider WIO region. CORDIO's work spans applied research, monitoring, capacity-building and policy influence. Its flagship ecosystem is coral reefs, and it has led ecosystem assessments using internationally recognised methods such as the Red List of Ecosystems, the Ocean Health Index and Resilience Potential assessments. It also conducts coral reef monitoring and bleaching assessments and contributes to Global Coral Reef Monitoring Network (GCRMN) regional reports. Its research extends to fisheries, threatened species such as sharks and rays, mangroves and seagrass, and to the links between conservation and community livelihoods. The organisation operates across the Western Indian Ocean, with activities in Kenya and other countries such as Comoros, and it engages in regional and global initiatives including the Northern Mozambique Channel, multiple IUCN groups, SDG14, blue economy and ocean governance. It works with fishing communities and supports inclusive fisheries management, for example through an 18-month project to strengthen fisheries co-management in Kilifi County, Kenya, with support from The Nature Conservancy. It has also steered the formation of Village Savings and Loan Associations (VSLAs) in Kenya to foster the financial resilience of community conservation efforts. CORDIO is a non-profit entity rather than a commercial company, and it relies on multiple donors and grants, including support from Norad and IKI-IUCN. Its leadership has evolved over time; Dr. David Obura has been a long-serving director, and Dr. Mishal Gudka, who joined CORDIO in 2016 as an intern and later led its coral reef programme, was announced as its new Research Director. The organisation continues to pursue evidence-based conservation, monitoring and management across the region.

CORDIO's story starts in 1999, after the global coral bleaching event of 1998. Coastal Oceans Research and Development in the Indian Ocean (CORDIO) was established in 1999 as a regional research network in the Western Indian Ocean (WIO) focused on coral reef science. Its formation was originally spurred by the global coral bleaching event of 1998. In its early years, CORDIO focused on supporting and building capacity for coral reef monitoring in the Western Indian Ocean and South Asia. In 2003, CORDIO East Africa was registered as a Kenyan non-profit organisation. In 2006, the organisation transitioned from Sida (Sweden) dominated funding to multiple donors and regional research projects; coordination also transitioned from Sweden to Mombasa, and its geographic focus shifted to the Western Indian Ocean. From 2007 to 2012, CORDIO expanded with the addition of a Co-Director and shifted its focus to regional research on coral reef climate resilience and biogeography, threatened species and fisheries research, and capacity-building with fishing communities. From 2013 to 2018, it pursued institutional strengthening through establishing an Advisory Board and took on increased leadership roles in regional and global initiatives, including the Northern Mozambique Channel, multiple IUCN groups, SDG14, blue economy and ocean governance. In 2019–2020, CORDIO experienced institutional growth through larger grants (Norad, IKI-IUCN), expansion of research and management staffing, and the end of its 2016–2020 Strategic Plan, which coincided with major decadal policy processes (CBD, SDG, UN Decade). Over the past two decades, CORDIO has grown into a leading centre for coastal marine and ocean science and conservation in East Africa and the wider WIO region. More recently, CORDIO has continued its applied research and conservation work. It launched an 18-month project to strengthen inclusive fisheries management in Kilifi County, Kenya, with support from The Nature Conservancy. It has also steered the formation of seven Village Savings and Loan Associations (VSLAs) in Kenya, engaging more than 120 coastal community members in a "table" banking scheme, to foster the financial resilience of community conservation efforts. In leadership, Dr. Mishal Gudka, who joined CORDIO in 2016 as an intern and later led its coral reef programme, was announced as its new Research Director. Dr. David Obura, a long-serving Director, continues to be a prominent voice, including in a study proposing a new systems model of development.

• 2019

  Institutional growth through larger grants (Norad, IKI-IUCN), expansion of research and management staffing, end of 2016-2020 Strategic Plan coinciding with major decadal policy processes (CBD, SDG, UN Decade) (through 2020).

• 2013

  Institutional strengthening through establishing Advisory Board; increased leadership roles in regional and global initiatives (Northern Mozambique Channel, multiple IUCN groups, SDG14, blue economy and ocean governance) (through 2018).

• 2007

  Expansion with addition of Co-Director, and shift of focus to regional research on coral reef climate resilience and biogeography, threatened species and fisheries research and capacity-building with fishing communities (through 2012).

• 2006

  Transition from Sida (Sweden) dominated funding to multiple donors and to regional research projects; transition in CORDIO coordination from Sweden to Mombasa, and of geographic focus to the Western Indian Ocean.

• 2003

  Registration of CORDIO East Africa as a Kenyan non-profit organisation.

• 1999

  CORDIO is founded with a focus on supporting and building capacity for coral reef monitoring in the Western Indian Ocean and South Asia.

A leading non-profit centre for coastal marine and ocean science and conservation in East Africa and the wider Western Indian Ocean region.

• Coral reef monitoring and bleaching assessments

• Ecosystem assessments using Red List of Ecosystems, Ocean Health Index and Resilience Potential

• Fisheries co-management project in Kilifi County, Kenya

• Conservation strategy for sharks and rays in Kenya

• Village Savings and Loan Associations (VSLAs) for community conservation finance

• Global Climate Change Risk Assessment publication

• Fish as Indicators of Coral Reef Health research

1. 1CORDIO East Africa - CORDIOEAcordioea.net
2. 2About Us - CORDIOEAcordioea.net
3. 3Introducing Director Mishal Gudka - CORDIOEAcordioea.net
4. 4Enhancing Conservation Enterprises - CORDIOEAcordioea.net
5. 5Coastal Oceans Research and Development in the Indian Ocean - Wikidatawikidata.org