Summary

Madagascar's forests are some of the world's biodiversity hotspots with a diverse range of endemic species, providing ecosystem services of global importance. However, forest degradation in Madagascar is widespread. Many rural communities depend on forests for their livelihoods, yet traditional practices including charcoal production and tavy (slash and burn agriculture) are becoming increasingly unsustainable. The remaining Magnafiafy littoral forest habitat in the Anosy region is designated the highest conservation status in Madagascar on account of its unique and endangered biodiversity.

In an effort to protect the country's forests, the Malagasy government tripled the area of land that is included in Madagascar's system of protected areas, from 1.9 million hectares to almost 6 million hectares. 14 ‘New Protected Areas’ of forest have been designated in the Anosy region. These are vital for conservation but in order for the system to work the needs of communities which traditionally depend on these forests for their livelihoods must be addressed, and key institutional structures must be strengthened. In particular, responsibility for protecting these natural forest fragments has been decentralised to local forest management committees (COBAs) but as a result of ongoing lack of state capacity, leading to the inadequate provision of training and compensation for time spent away from subsistence activities, the COBAs have deteriorated to become largely inoperational.

Project Miaro builds on Azafady's previous community conservation initiative, Project Volyhazo, which focused on providing communities with alternatives that reduce dependence on forest resources. Project Volyhazo was implemented with great success across 7 communities bordering the protected areas of Tsitongambarika and Ambatoantsignana: in 2008-2011 over 85,000 trees were planted in 7 designated afforestation sites, 175 fuel-efficient stoves were constructed that benefited 1,000 people, and more than 1,500 Moringa oleifera seedlings (an extremely hardy and highly nutritious agroforestry species) were distributed to rural households. As part of this initiative Azafady also worked with the COBAs who are responsible for upholding the protected areas. Azafady identified that the COBAs required additional training and support in order to properly perform their role, and therefore Project Miaro was developed in order to deliver this institutional capacity building while continuing to provide communities with alternatives that reduce dependence on forest resources.

Project Aim

To improve natural resource management and increase the sustainability of forest dependent communities’ access to alternative livelihoods assets through the provision of essential training and inputs in order to alleviate poverty and ensure the conservation of the remaining littoral forest.

Objectives

1. COBAs have increased capacity to fulfil their responsibility to uphold the protected areas and are implementing sustainable financing mechanisms to achieve this.

2. Local plantation management committees have sustained capacity to manage their RFR sites.

3. Communities have reduced dependence on natural forests in the short-to-medium term.

4. Communities have increased capacity to prepare for and respond to REDD+ programmes.

Principal Activities

Capacity building of COBAs and promotion of sustainable financing mechanisms
Azafady is working with the COBAs to provide committee members with training including information about their position within regional and national conservation strategies, and the various international conventions ratified by Madagascar including those relating to climate change and trade in endangered species. Azafady is also supporting the COBAs to give environmental education workshops in local schools and to fulfil their reporting requirements to DREF (the Regional Ministry of Forests and Environment). Azafady's community agents are running a series of workshops to reinvigorate the link between communities and COBAs, examine the existence and rationale behind the protected areas, and explore how this impacts on communities’ livelihoods activities. Sustainable financing mechanisms are being promoted through this project, including a system of payment for use of forest resources in designated zones and fines for use in protected areas. Ecotourism ventures are being developed, with information centres constructed in Ambatoantsignana and Tsitongambarika, and educational and promotional materials produced and distributed both at the information centres and also around hotels and tour operators in Fort Dauphin.

Support local plantation management committees
Ongoing support is being provided to local plantation management committees established though Azafady's previous Project Volyhazo activities. These committees are responsible for monitoring the community plantations, which contain both native endemic and endangered species to conserve biodiversity, as well as locally useful fast-growing trees to be harvested for community use.

Develop community plantations and agro-forestry sites
Azafady is working with the community of Mahatalaky to assist with the development of a new 10 hectare plantation as per previous afforestation sites developed through Project Volyhazo activities. Meanwhile the 50 hectare Angazety site is being further developed, with the construction of individual firebreaks around sub-sections of the plantation. Azafady is also working with the community of Mandromondromotra to establish an agro-forestry site to act as a source of fuel, timber and food, and a future seed bank. Local NGO Cielo Terra is establishing a food pickling and preservation market in Mandromondromotra and it is anticipated that as the agro-forestry plantation develops it will enable the local population to engage in this new entrepreneurial activity through the provision of fresh ingredients.

Promote fuel-efficient stoves
Fuel-efficient stoves are made from free or cheap locally available materials and use up to 75% less firewood than traditional stoves. The amount of time required of women and children to collect firewood is therefore reduced, increasing time available to be spent on income-generating and educational activities. Improved stoves also provide significant respiratory health benefits to families by reducing smoke inhalation. Fuel-efficient stoves were promoted as part of Project Volyhazo and this activity was met with such widespread enthusiasm that Azafady is continuing to respond to ongoing requests from communities for training and support in the construction and use of improved stoves through this project.

Community preparation for REDD+
Azafady is seeking to undertake a detailed impact and needs assessment for the communities within this project's target zone affected by the national REDD+ strategy in order to inform the appropriate development of future community support and capacity building interventions where necessary. With Madagascar still being in the initial stages of developing its REDD+ strategy and subsequent initiatives, Azafady is in an excellent position to proactively support communities and ensure the sustainable development of local REDD+ programmes, tailoring Azafady's various projects to contribute to these. By supporting communities to advocate for themselves or through Azafady, this project aims to minimise the potential REDD related problems that have been identified by the UN and World Bank in Madagascar's Readiness Preparation Proposal (RPP), specifically the further loss of vital livelihoods assets and the placing of power with institutions that are weak and susceptible to corruption and poor governance.