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Preserving the forests of Nosy Boraha
Madagascar
Preserving the forests of Nosy Boraha
Project leader
Duration of the partnership
2016-2021
Location
Madagascar
The project goals
With 2,954 ha of exceptional forest and 450 ha of mangroves, Nosy Boraha has been listed as a priority protection site by the Madagascan State. Slash and burn agriculture, overexploitation of resources and tourism are causing deforestation, soil erosion and posing a direct threat to the island’s biodiversity.
In order to halt the deforestation process, the project supports local players in the setting up of conservation actions, in particular the acquisition of a classification status taking into account the three forests and the marine and coastal ecosystems (reefs and mangroves), as well as the setting up of an ecological restoration programme for these ecosystems.
Thanks to initial support provided by the Maisons du Monde Foundation between 2016 and 2018, the GRET set up various actions in order to develop the preservation project for Nosy Boraha.
A look back at the results of the main actions:
- Preservation and restoration of 353 hectares of forest with the local communities
- Direct involvement of more than 13,000 people in the project
- Creation of 42 viable jobs
- Setting up a flora and fauna inventory for the preservation of more than 260 species considered to be exceptional for the island’s biodiversity
Thanks to this partnership renewal, the GRET team is planning to increase the involvement and empowerment of local populations.
The goals for 2019-2021 are as follows:
- Improve knowledge about the fauna biodiversity of the forests of Nosy Boraha and ensure their protection and renovation
- Obtain temporary protection status for the Nosy Boraha Protected Area
- Increase the capacities of the future governing body of the Nosy Boraha Protected Area
- Improve the socio-economic resilience of local communities through the development of agroecology
The Beneficiaries
The Gret, via the consultation platform, allows the direct involvement of 13,000 people in the project, including nine farmers’ groups supported in the setting up of agroecological market gardening models. Furthermore, this project has allowed the creation of 42 jobs (nursery workers, project managers, etc.).
In the frame of this renewal, 60 new households will benefit from the GRET’s support in order to develop alternative economic activities.
The project benefits
The Consultation platform targets:
- The setting up of an integrated management of coastal zones and the empowerment of all local players.
- An understanding of the interconnections between the problems of deforestation and the impacts on all the other activities.
- The creation of a space for dialogue and for settling disputes with regard to uses via working groups.
- Provide technical support and aid to the island’s players that are mobilised.
The Gret’s approach to this project aims to:
- Federate local energies (private sector, associations and community, municipality),
- Promote initiatives by Nosy Boraha’s local players,
- Strengthen them in order to favour their appropriation.
Project leader GRET
Gret is a French NGO founded in 1976, which acts from work on the ground all the way up to influencing policy, with the aim of providing sustainable and innovative answers to the challenges of poverty, inequality and natural resource management. GRET’s 771 professionals work on 150 projects per year in 28 countries.Website
“This project allows us to restore a part of the mangrove forest that was razed during the construction of the Belle Vue seawall and bridge. This restoration is particularly important for Sainte Marie because the mangroves are spawning and nursery grounds for fish and shellfish. (…) A mangrove forest in good health thanks to the monitoring activities of the Communauté Locale de Base de St Joseph, manager of the mangrove forest, provides hope for an increase in fish and shellfish resources.”
Abdallah ISSOUF of the Communauté Locale (VOI) of St Joseph, beneficiary of the project.