The Danish Hempel Foundation has granted DKK 15 million (approx. USD 2,170,000) for the project “Protection of Baobab Forests in Western Madagascar”. This project specifically targets the protected areas of Andranomena, Kirindy Mitea, Menabe Antimena and Allée des baobabs in the western region of Madagascar, covering almost 381,000 ha, including 190,000 ha of forest.
These protected areas include dry forests (including baobabs), thorn forests and RAMSAR classified wetlands (including lakes Bedo and Kimanaomby and the Tsiribihina delta), ecosystems that are essential for climate regulation and water supply in the Menabe region. The buffer zone is used for commercial agriculture and, on a modest scale, for cattle grazing by local communities. These forests are also home to exceptional and unique biodiversity, including 10 species of lemur. Over 80% of these plants and animals are endemic to Madagascar. These western dry forests are vital to local, regional and national economies. To this end, the Baobab Forest Consortium, a trusted collaborative platform, is implementing solutions to meet Madagascar’s needs through the management of the country’s remaining dry forests. Consortium members are committed to empowering communities to co-manage their resources and secure their livelihoods.
Within this framework, the ‘Protection of the Baobab Forests of Western Madagascar’ project aims to conserve biodiversity, ensure the sustainability of local communities and establish effective governance for the conservation of the baobab forest landscape. Madagascar Protected Areas and Biodiversity Fund (FAPBM) is responsible for the financial management of the project, while the Consortium of Protected Area Managers, including Madagascar National Parks, Fanamby and Durrell, is responsible for its implementation. The project will significantly strengthen the security of protected areas, reforestation, coordination of managers, promotion of sustainable agricultural practices, and development and financial strengthening of protected areas.
On the other hand, Madagascar has experts who are ‘competent heroes’, using the right strategies to work with local communities to protect these precious landscapes and contribute to the needs of the nation. The effects are already positive, both for nature and for people.
To implement this project, the Hempel Foundation is using its funding to strengthen coordination between protected area managers, taking a global approach to tackling deforestation pressures. In this way, it is supporting efforts on the ground and helping the consortium to strengthen its work and ensure the sustainability of its impact.
- Fund managed: DKK 15,000,000 (USD 2,164,783.50)
- Term: 2023-2028
