A marine ecologist with a background in Natural Resource Management. Her research interest is in marine resource sustainability assessment including designing strategies for the sustainable utilization of marine resources.
She has been involved in many mangrove research activities on the Kenyan Coast, the most notable is the development of the National Mangrove Ecosystem Management Plan. She has also been involved in developing Project Idea Note (PIN) and Project Design Document (PDD) for Carbon offset projects for Gazi and Vanga mangrove ecosystems.
Research Network: Research Gate
Location: | KMFRI Gazi |
Department: | Oceanography and Hydrography |
Specialization: |
Mangrove ecology, Community development, Socio-ecology, Cultural heritage, Climate science, Ecosystem Services Valuation, Participatory Forest Management |
Research Interests: |
Design and development of sustainable resource harvest strategies and management of marine resources |
Email: | ahamza@kmfri.go.ke / amina_j2002@yahoo.com |
Qualifications: |
PhD. Science and Technology 2022 (Bournemouth University, United Kingdom) MSc. Marine and Lacustrine Science and Management 2013 (Vrije Universiteit Brussels, Belgium) BSc. Natural Resource Management 2007 (Egerton University, Kenya) |
PUBLICATIONS:
- Ofori, S. A., Hugé, J., Gnansounou, S. C., Ximenes, A. C., Asante, F., Bagbohouna, M., Comte, A., Longépée, E., Lang’at, K. S., Bandeira, S. O., Omollo, D., Onyena, A. P., Sam, K., Hamza, A. J., Zeggaf Tahiri, A., Daf, D. S., Goudiaby, K. D., Olatunji, E. T., Golléty, C., Padonou, E. A., and Dahdouh-Guebas, F., 2025. Leveraging mangroves to advance climate action in Africa: Zooming in on Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs). Journal of Environmental Management, 392 (March)
- Hamza, A. J., Esteves, L. S., Cvitanović, M., and Kairo, J. G., 2024. Global patterns of mangrove resource utilization: a systematic review. Frontiers in Sustainable Resource Management [online], 3.
- Okello, J. A., Koedam, N., Nitto, D. Di, Dahdouh-Guebas, F., Van der Stocken, T., Hugé, J., Fratini, S., Cannicci, S., Duncan, C., Golléty, C., Hamza, A. J., Macamo, C., Nicolau, D., Rasolofomanana, L., Savourey, G., Wang’ondu, V., Suárez, E. L., Di Nitto, D., Dahdouh-Guebas, F., Van der Stocken, T., Hugé, J., Fratini, S., Cannicci, S., Duncan, C., and Golléty, C., 2024. IUCN Red List of Ecosystems. Mangroves of the Western Indian Ocean. Nature [online], 1–33.
- Hamza, A. J., Esteves, L. S., Cvitanović, M., and Kairo, J. G., 2023. Sustainable Natural Resource Management Must Recognise Community Diversity. International Journal of Sustainable Development & World Ecology, 1–18.
- Hamza, A.J, Esteves L.S, Cvitanović M. 2022. Changes in Mangrove Cover and Exposure to Coastal Hazards in Kenya. Land. 11(10).
- Dahdouh-Guebas, F., Mafaziya Nijamdeen, T.W.G.F., Hugé, J., Dahdouh-Guebas, Y., Di Nitto, D., Hamza, A.J., Kodikara Arachchilage, S., Koedam, N., Mancilla García, M., Mohamed, M.O.S., Mostert, L., Munga, C.N., Poti, M., Satyanarayana, B., Stiers, I., Van Puyvelde, K., Vanhove, M.P.M., Vande Velde, K., Ratsimbazafy, H.A., 2022. The Mangal Play: A serious game to experience multi-stakeholder decision-making in complex mangrove social-ecological systems. Front. Mar. Sci. 9
- Hamza, A.J.; Esteves, L.S.; Cvitanovic, M., and Kairo, J., 2020. Past and present utilization of mangrove resources in Eastern Africa and drivers of change In: Malvarez, G. and Navas, F. (eds.), Global Coastal Issues of 2020. Journal of Coastal Research, Special Issue No. 95, pp. 35-44. Coconut Creek (Florida), ISSN 0749-0208
- Kairo J.G., Hamza A.J., and Wanjiru C. 2018. Mikoko Pamoja: A Demonstrably Effective Community Based Blue Carbon Project in Kenya. In Windham-Myers L., Crooks S and Troxler T.G (eds.). A Blue Carbon Primer: The State of Coastal Wetland Carbon Science, Practice and Policy. CRC Press Taylor & Francis Group, London, pp. 341-351
- Bosire J.O., Lang’at J.K., Kirui B., Kairo J. G., Mwihaki L. M., and Hamza A. J. 2015. Mangroves of Kenya. In: Bosire J. O., Mangora M. M., Bandeira S., Rajkaran A., Ratsimbazafy R., Appadoo C. and Kairo J. G. (eds.). Mangroves of the Western Indian Ocean: Status and Management. WIOMSA, Zanzibar Town, pp. 15-31
Grants and achievements
- 2024 – Consulting team member Blue Carbon and Sustainable Fishery Potential in Kwale
County, Kenya- GIZ Nairobi - 2022- Consulting team member in Elaborating options for a Regional mangrove vision- WWF-Madagascar
2021 – Development of Guidance on Coastal & Mangrove Indicators and Targets for Inclusion in the Post-2020 Global Biodiversity Framework - IUCN - February 2020 - Competitive Research Grant: Award by Bournemouth University Global Challenge Research Funds (BU GCRF): Mangroves and livelihoods - Embracing changes for a better future.
- May 2019 - Competitive Research Grant: Award by BU Global Challenge Research Funds (GCRF): Understanding changes in mangrove use and climate change knowledge in a coastal community in Lamu, Kenya
- January 2019: Scholarship Award by Bournemouth University to undertake a PhD on Climate Change Impacts on Coastal and Marine Environment in East Africa
- 2018 - Competitive Research Grant: ICRI UN Environment funding to undertake a project ‘Managing mangroves for climate change regulations and other ecosystem services in Kenya”
- 2016 – Competitive Conservation Grant: Award by WWF- US to undertake a conservation workshop on Returning the Loss of Mangrove Forests and Other Ecosystem Services in Mombasa County, Kenya
- 2015 - Competitive Research Grant: MASMA Grant by WIOMSA to conduct Second Course on Mangrove Ecosystems for the Western Indian Ocean Region: Community Based Restoration, Adaptation, Management and Governance Approaches for Mangrove Ecosystems in the WIO region
- 2015 – 2019 Project Coordination – Blue Forest Project - Kenya.
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Blue forest project - Kenya funded by Global Environmental Facility (GEF) – United Nation Environmental Programme (UNEP) led to the development of a Carbon offset project in Vanga Mangrove ecosystem, South Coast Kenya. The project is part of a global GEF project on Standardized methodologies for Carbon Accounting and Ecosystem Services Valuation of Blue Forests, being implemented in Ecuador, Mozambique, Indonesia, Madagascar, Abu Dhabi and Kenya