Antananarivo, March 8, 2023 – Today the Madagascar Coalition for Protected Areas, has raised attention to women leaders and -heroes for the environment, and their important contributions to achieve a sustainable economy in Madagascar.
Madagascar protects its natural forest heritage mainly through its national system of protected areas. Currently, there are 123 protected areas across the nation, in places that represent the country’s biological diversity, different types of forest habitats, natural heritage, and exceptional wildlife.
For years, thousands of Malagasy women working in government, NGOs, and communities have worked to manage these unique places. These women are increasingly challenged in their efforts. Unfortunately, as Madagascar’s economic status continues a downward trend, forest fires, illegal logging, and poaching continue to make headlines. And their successes are not well known. However, many continue to work tirelessly and achieve notable successes for their families and the environment.
The Madagascar Coalition for Protected Areas is using this special day to profile these strong and successful women leaders who drive the 21st century change towards sustainable economic growth that goes hand in hand with conservation.
Many Malagasy heroines works every day to ensure that communities living near protected areas can thrive and that protected areas are secured to support the many ecosystem services for the people and economies of the country. All that is needed now is to amass the adequate financial resources and political will to enable the scaling up of success throughout the country’s 123 protected areas.
On International Women’s Day, Coalition members profiled Malagasy women leaders in order to mobilize more investment in Madagascar’s experts, so that their success can be replicated across all of the country’s protected areas. These women leaders must be supported to effect changes not only for the protection and restoration of Madagascar’s unique wildlife habitats, but also for the poverty alleviation of local communities and the sustainable development of local and regional economies.
Some examples of woman heroes in conservation
Mariette from the Amoron’i Onilahy protected area: “I am planting trees for my children and future generations.”
Mariette, the auditor of the local community association “FIMITOA”, is a passionate farmer. She contributes to the reforestation effort around the Amoron’i Onilahy protected area by planting mainly fruit trees: guava, mango, noni, lemon, rice and breba. She actively participates in sensitisation actions that have reduced deforestation from 32 hectares of lost forests in 2019 to less than 13 hectares in 2020. This is the smallest area of deforestation ever achieved since 2015 by the communities with the support of WWF.
Patricia Rajeriarison, President of the Tany Meva Foundation Board: “For me, the people must be an integral part of conservation activities.”
Patricia Rajeriarison is a senior consultant in tourism and private sector development, and President of the Board of Directors of the Tany Meva Foundation. She combines her two passions by working to develop tourism activities in the parks with the support of the communities.
Hosonjo of the Montagne des Français protected area: “We must mobilize ourselves to conduct patrols and take responsibility.”
Hosonjo is a forestry officer in the Montagne des Français protected area. She has been actively involved in protecting protected areas, and now holds the responsibility of President of a community association. She joined a group of patrollers in 2020, after a recruitment from SAGE. She wanted to set an example among her peers. On rounds, she is often the only woman. But like other team members, she observes, reports and raises awareness, takes pressure readings and records GPS data. She participates in the verbalization and the interpellation if necessary.
Other stories to discover by following the hashtags: #CoalitionPourlesAiresProtégées #WomenForNature #Madagascar
About Madagascar Coalition for protected areas
The Coalition is an advocacy platform for collaboration, implementing solutions for Madagascar’s needs through Protected Areas management – the agents of change.
Starting in 2023, different organizations will progressively align communication efforts behind a new narrative to significantly enhance the support from donors and other audiences. Heads of institutions and communications managers from coalition members are working together to increase financial and political support for the 123 protected areas in Madagascar’s protected area system.
About Madagascar’s strategy to protect biodiversity
Recognizing the importance to safeguard biodiverse areas, the Madagascar government has created a protected areas system that is made up of 123 protected areas covering 6,233,317 ha of terrestrial and 1,379,029 ha of marine ecosystems. This protected area system is the country’s greatest natural capital asset and has been described as a ‘priceless national treasure’ and of ‘immeasurable national and global value’ as both a national and global good.
Unfortunately, effective management of the protected area system is challenged. Within Madagascar, several regions face challenges in sustainable development and protected areas are seen as barriers to growth.
Despite significant funding, meeting the financing needs of the current 123 protected area systems remains a major challenge. The COVID-19 pandemic aggravated this situation with the loss of income from tourism, increased pressures due to slower economic growth, and increased migration of people from the south of the country.
The contribution of these places to safeguard the homes of wildlife AND people and to offset impacts of climate change and to support sustainable economic regional growth is at risk.
