Madagascar has increasingly become pivotal in international efforts towards environmental conservation and restoration, marking its presence as a key contributor to global ecological sustainability. This overview sheds light on the remarkable progress Madagascar has achieved in forest and landscape restoration, underpinned by the collaboration between the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), the Global Environment Facility (GEF) and the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ), alongside a host of local and global partners. 

Guided by the expertise of FAO’s Forest and Landscape Restoration Mechanism (FLRM), Madagascar has endorsed and activated several projects financed by the GEF. Among these are the project Conservation, Restoration and Sustainable Development of the Mangoky River Sub-basin’s Biodiversity (TEFIALA) and the project Integrated Landscape Management for Zero Deforestation Value Chains in Coffee and Rice (“FOLUR Madagascar”). These initiatives are emblematic practical approaches that fuse environmental conservation with sustainable restoration methodologies. They focus on safeguarding and revitalizing crucial ecosystems while fostering economic growth, thus delivering substantial, positive changes. 

In a significant stride forward, the FLRM, in partnership with BMZ, has recently unveiled a project as part of the “AFR100 - Access to Financing and Technical Assistance for Forest Producers and Enterprises and Small-Scale Farms to Accelerate Value-Added Innovation Based on Restoration with a Focus on Africa”. This initiative, which took shape in December 2023 and resulted in Madagascar being chosen as a beneficiary in January 2024, underscores the country’s potential to carry through meaningful restoration activities. 

The FLRM’s mission in Madagascar served as a critical juncture for engaging with national and local partners, including the Ministry of Environment and Sustainable Development and the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock, evaluate ongoing projects, pinpoint challenges, and offer technical advice to navigate these hurdles. The field visits, particularly in the Haute Matsiatra region for the TEFIALA project, and discussions on operationalizing the zero-deforestation value chain project FOLUR Madagascar, exemplified a proactive stance towards environmental governance and community involvement. 

Furthermore, this mission provided an opportunity to introduce the Framework for Ecosystem Restoration Monitoring (FERM) platform as the official tool for monitoring global progress and sharing exemplary practices for the United Nations Decade on Ecosystem Restoration. Madagascar committed to submitting its best practices and to playing a more visible role in international restoration efforts. 

The journey of Madagascar towards sustainable development and environmental restoration exemplifies the power of cooperation. The projects under way and those on the horizon not only aim to restore ecosystems but also to forge sustainable livelihoods, illustrating a development model that aligns economic advancement with ecological conservation. 

Christophe Besacier and Manitrala Rasoanaivo (FAO)