Madagascar And USAID Support Families' Relocation To Safeguard Biodiversity

Madagascar's forests are under significant threat due to poverty, leading to rapid deforestation and endangering wildlife, particularly in the Menabe Antimena area. To address this issue, USAID, with support from Conservation Allies, is facilitating the voluntary relocation of families from Protected Areas to farmable land. This initiative aims to curb deforestation and protect biodiversity.

Madagascar’s protected forests are often exploited by local communities due to their natural resources and the high poverty rates in the country. The increasing demand for timber and agricultural land, coupled with rapid population growth, is driving deforestation and putting immense pressure on Madagascar’s already endangered wildlife.

The Menabe Antimena Protected Area in western Madagascar exemplifies this crisis. Migrants from the southern region have been illegally entering the reserve, clearing forests to plant crops like corn and peanuts. Menabe Antimena is a critical conservation priority, home to species found nowhere else on Earth, including Madame Berthe’s mouse lemur, the smallest primate in the world.

USAID Mikajy Initiative

Over 50% of Menabe Antimena’s forests have been destroyed in the last 15 years. To combat this, USAID Mikajy, funded by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), has partnered with local authorities and communities. They support the Government of Madagascar in marking 15,170 acres of unused, non-forested state lands in Bezeky for relocation through the "Titre Vert" (Green Title) initiative.

Each migrant family relocating to Bezeky will receive full ownership of five acres after four years of farming the land. USAID is providing a comprehensive livelihoods package that includes alternative income opportunities, sustainable agriculture training, reliable water access, social services, technical support, and assistance in selling their produce.

Relocation and Support

Avisoa Fidèle Randriamanana, a 25-year-old resident, shared his experience: "We had witnessed the degradation of the Menabe Antimena forest. We heard that there would be support and cultivation plots to distribute in Bezeky, so I decided to go there. I wanted a chance to get my own land and start a new life." Alongside 199 other families, he chose to stop deforesting the Protected Area and relocate to Bezeky with his family.

Conservation Allies' Role

Conservation Allies, a nonprofit dedicated to supporting conservation initiatives in the global south, provided emergency support to USAID Mikajy. They mobilized law enforcement protection at Bezeky to ensure safety for the 200 migrant families who voluntarily relocated. This move allows people willing to relocate to own and invest in their land while enhancing its productivity instead of destroying the Menabe Antimena Protected Area.

The collaborative efforts between USAID and Conservation Allies aim to provide sustainable solutions for both human communities and wildlife conservation in Madagascar.