A recent field visit was carried out for donors and partners of MAR+Invest in Quintana Roo (Mexico) and Belize to explore first-hand the innovative solutions that are driving the conservation of the Mesoamerican Reef (MAR) and sustainable development in the region’s communities, with a gender-inclusive approach.

During the mission, representatives from the Global Fund for Coral Reefs, UK Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, Bloomberg Philanthropies, UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, and the British Embassy Mexico City visited and experienced the work of local entrepreneurs who are generating a positive impact.

From circular economy and water management initiatives to sustainable mariculture and women led enterprises, each project demonstrated benefits for both the ecosystem and the communities that rely on it.

🌿 We are grateful to all our donors and key partners of MAR+Invest who make blended finance for coral reefs in this region possible. This visit strengthens collaboration to scale nature-based solutions, mobilize further funding, and drive concrete actions that ensure a resilient future for the reef.

🌎 The visit was enriched by the participation of local government entities: the Mexican Institute for Sustainable Fisheries and Aquaculture Research (IMIPAS), the Centro de Investigación y de Estudios Avanzados del IPN (Center for Research and Advanced Studies of the National Polytechnic Institute, Departamento de Física del Cinvestav), the Institute of Biodiversity and Protected Natural Areas of the State of Quintana Roo (IBANQROO), and the Ministry of Economic Development of Quintana Roo (Secretaría de Desarrollo Económico – SEDE Qroo). Thank you to the entrepreneurs for their participation Sarteneja Alliance for Conservation and Development, Escuela Itinerante del Agua, Terminator Water Solutions (Mexico), King Crab project, Tulúm Circula, Natoure, Mujeres Biofauntasticas, Xcal’arte and Women of the Sea in Mexico.

MAR+Invest is an initiative supported by the Global Fund for Coral Reefs and is comprised by Mesoamerican Reef Fund – MAR Fund, Fondo Mexicano para la Conservación de la Naturaleza, Sureste Sostenible, A.C., Healthy Reefs for Healthy People, New Ventures, and VIWALA.

For more info, visit mar-invest.org