2003

MCD was founded, inheriting the personnel and experience of IMA Vietnam. MCD is a non-profit, non-governmental organization which was founded as per Decision No. 126/QĐ – HBVN by Vietnamese Marine Science and Tehnology Association (VIMASTA) and Certification of Scientific and technological activities No. A008 issued by Ministry of Science and technology.

2000 – 2002

International Marinelife Alliance (IMA), an international non-governmental organization, the predecessor of MCD, executed marinelife protection projects in Vietnam through a project department. Its operation focused on: renovating fish trading; conserving non-destructive coral reef; raising awareness among communities about marinelife conservation through cleaning international coastline and creating the term marine ecosystem protected zone monitored by the community in Vietnam with model Ran Trao in Van Ninh, Khanh Hoa.

After 2002, IMA Vietnam transferred this model to local people. Realizing the need of attaching marine conservation and community development, IMA supported the idea of changing the organization into a Vietnamese organization to continue marinelife conservation but in a more practical and relevant method for Vietnamese communities.

2003 – 2005

MCD continued its support to implement model Ran Trao marine ecosystem protected zone monitored by local community in Van Ninh, Khanh Hoa and extended target area to Xuan Thuy national park in Nam Dinh, the first wetland in Vietnam to be recognized as of international importance in Ramsar convention.

In Nam Dinh, at first, with support from McKnight Fund (US), MCD implemented model “Sustainable aquaculture management in Xuan Thuy National park. After that, with assistance from The Fund for small-scale projects of EU, MCD introduced and promoteded community-based ecotourism as alternative livelihoods in this area.

2006 – 2007

MCD continued its projects mainly in Khanh Hoa and Nam Dinh as well as started spreading experience to Quang Nam, Ninh Thuan in the Middle and Thai Binh in the North of Vietnam. Model community-based coral reef management in the Middle and model “Ecotourism – alternative livelihoods” in wetlands were developed in both depth and width.

In the mean time, MCD restructured to adapt with strategic direction and operational coverage. Particularly, MCD together with Oxfam Novib extended the partnership with EU. Also, MCD started to join activities responding to climate changes with other organizations.

2008

The project sponsored by EU was launched with a 4-year term from 2008 to 2011, which officially extended MCD’s coverage to 2 areas: Middle coast and the Red River Delta, firstly focusing on 3 provinces Nam Dinh, Thai Binh and Khanh Hoa. MCD completed and formalized model Marine ecosystem protected zone monitored by local community and model Community-based ecotourism in conservations; as well as created model Sustainable aquaculture in MCD’s working areas.

Some of remarkable archivements of MCD in 2008 are: Completion and launching of new structure of MCD, Anniversary “MCD a five-year of development”; Support to enhance legal position and Official commencement of  “Ran Trao conservation of coral reef ecosystem” in Van Hung (Khanh Hoa); Support to coordinate the Opening ceremony and launching of “Redriver Delta Biosphere reserve” in Nam Dinh; Joining SEAFish network and successful organization of national conference and SouthEast Asia conference about “Women in aquaculture”; Co-founding and organizing conference “Network of Vietnamese non-govermental organizations and climate changes”.

2008 – 2011

In this period, MCD was structured by function and working groups including Senior Advisory Board (5 persons), Board of Directors (2 persons), Resources management department, Community development department, R&D department, Communication and PR department, Finance department, Admin and HR department, At-site offices in the Middle and Red River Delta. MCD started to build capacity for climate change.

2012 – 2015

MCD focused on integrated management including: Committee (9 members), Board of Directors (3 members), Department of Project management and Capacity enforcement, Department of Finance and Accounting, Department of Promoting social enterprises, functional departments. In this period, MCD also expanded to work in Mekong Delta.

2016 – 2020

MCD mission is confirmed to promoting active cooperation between related stakeholders, implementing initiatives that integrate local knowledge and international experiences, in order to better manage coastal ecosystems and improve coastal communities’ living conditions, contributing to sustainable development of the coastal zone, especially in the climate change context

For our organizational development strategy 2016 – 2020, reference is here: