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Supporting AFR100 by engaging with small-scale forest and farm producers

FAO Tremeau

Madagascar

Overview 

Madagascar is an island in south-east Africa. It is a biodiversity hotspot, home to a wealth of plant and animal species, and represents an area of major ecological importance. The main activity of the population, especially in rural areas, depends on natural resources. However, deforestation, overexploitation of natural resources and soil degradation are serious threats to biodiversity and ecosystem resilience. Degraded land accounts for a large proportion of landscapes, reducing their capacity to provide essential ecosystem services. The natural resources on which people depend are in decline, threatening their food security and livelihoods. Faced with these constraints and challenges, Madagascar is committed to national and international initiatives, notably AFR100.

The Boeny region, in north-western Madagascar, is the only one of the programme's 23 existing intervention areas. Actions are concentrated around two protected areas, Ankarafantsika and Bombetoka Belemboka, considered to be the lungs of the region. The Ankarafantsika park supplies irrigation water to the Marovoay rice plain, the country's second largest rice granary. Faced with these environmental and economic challenges, these landscapes are among the national priorities for landscape and forest restoration.

The choice of landscapes is also based on previous interventions by several partners, notably projects and programmes financed by German cooperation, which are very active in the Boeny region, such as GIZ projects, as well as other projects and NGOs financed by other donors. In addition, FAO projects, notably the Forest and Farm Facility, biodiversity and fisheries projects, have laid the foundations for local governance, strengthened community capacities, drawn up communal development plans in several localities, secured land tenure and restored landscapes and forests.

The "Supporting AFR100 by engaging with small-scale forest and farm producers" programme is a continuation of these efforts, with the ambition of consolidating achievements, scaling up and demonstrating that land restoration can be a powerful lever for sustainable rural development, by combining ecological, social and economic solutions.

Madagascar_FAO_Rijasolo

Objectives and targets

The main objective of the programme in Madagascar is to provide direct financial and technical support to local communities, forestry and agricultural producer organizations and micro, small and medium-sized enterprises to intensify locally-led restoration. New or improved value-added businesses and income opportunities, particularly at local community level, will have a strong focus on women and young people. The principle is to stimulate the restoration of ecosystems on a local scale, while creating new economic opportunities for communities.

Contacts

FAO-AFR100 Programme

RASOANAIVO Manitrala
[email protected]

AFR100 focal point

RAKOTOARISOA Julien Noel
[email protected]

FAO Country Office
MAHAVATRA Fabrice
[email protected]

General enquiries

For any other information about the programme, please contact: 

[email protected]

Restoration targets

  • 7 000 ha under restoration 
  • 20 000 ha under improved management practices in the Boeny region

Key value chains to be supported 

Priority value chains include climate-smart agriculture and agroforestry approaches, sustainable fishing in mangroves and the sustainable valorization of forest products such as honey, fruit seeds (mango, lemon, banana), green charcoal and ecotourism. These value chains combine economic potential, ecological coherence and local ownership, while offering concrete opportunities for innovation, green jobs and income generation for local communities.

Implementation 

This component  has three main focuses. The first involves strengthening governance at all local, regional and national levels with regard to landscape and forest restoration. This involves creating or reinforcing existing structures in the landscapes concerned and beyond, in order to better coordinate efforts. The second focus is on revising local policies and legal frameworks, with the aim of encouraging more active participation by communities and maximizing positive impacts on restoration. Finally, the third aims to create an enabling environment for investment in sustainable value chains, while seeking mixed financing to support restoration activities and associated value chains.

This component is structured around two main, complementary actions. The first aims to build capacity at decentralized and local levels to support the planning, implementation and monitoring of restoration activities. The second is to enhance ecosystem services and landscape benefits through the implementation of restoration actions carried out by local communities, forest and agricultural producer organizations, micro, small and medium-sized enterprises, and decentralized entities.

Once implemented, the component should enable the improved management of 20 000 hectares, the restoration of 7 000 hectares, the involvement of 1 000 people in the planning, implementation and monitoring of landscape and forest restoration, and the realization of 100 micro-projects.

This component is based on three main actions. The first aims to develop value-added innovation and strengthen the sustainable business capabilities of local communities, while facilitating their access to markets. The second focuses on strengthening community-based innovation and business incubation support systems.

Finally, the third action aims to broaden financing mechanisms and increase the resources available to support restoration activities.

At the end of these interventions, the expected results include the development and financing of 6 business plans, capacity building and support for business incubation and acceleration for local communities, forestry and agricultural producer organizations, and micro, small and medium-sized enterprises.



This component is structured around two main actions. The first is to strengthen monitoring systems, at both national and decentralized levels. The second is to collect and share best practices and results with all local, national and international stakeholders.

Once implemented, this component will set up a monitoring system (contributing to the Africa-wide AFR100 monitoring framework), collect four best practices per landscape, and train 50 participants per year, 50 percent of whom will be women and young people.





Key implementing partners

  • Decentralized government technical services
    • Ministry of the Environment and Sustainable Development
    • Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock
    • Ministry of Decentralization and Land Management
  • Decentralized territorial communities: Boeny Region, Ambato-Boeny and Marovoay Districts, Andranofasika, Marosakoa, Marovoay Banlieu and Ankazomborona rural communes
  • Consortium members: AUDA-NEPAD AFR100, WRi, GIZ
  • National Committee for Landscape and Forest Restoration
  • The thematic group on landscape and forest restoration in the Boeny region
  • Local communities
  • Forestry and agricultural producer organizations
  • Micro, small and medium-sized enterprises
  • Private sector, including financial institutions
  • Protected area managers in intervention micro-watersheds: Madagascar National Parks (MNP), Development and Environmental Law Center Madagascar
  • Research institutions
  • Forest and agricultural business incubators
  • Forest and Farm Facility


Key targets

  • Two updated policies
  • Five strengthened institutions
  • Three reflection frameworks established
  • 20 000 ha under improved management
  • 7 000 ha of land under restoration
  • 1 000 people involved at local level
  • 100 micro-projects implemented
  • Six business plans financed
  • Four monitoring tools deployed
  • Four best practices capitalized on
  • 50 participants trained/year (50 percent women and youth)

The total estimated budget is USD 5 500 0000.