NORTH-SOUTH CENTRE - ETH - North-South Centre North-South ...

Enhancing the livelihood of the
local population in a biodiversity hotspot
In the dry region of Central Menabe, along the west coast of
Madagascar, clearing has drastically reduced the once large
forests. The main goal of this project was to set up scientific
recommendations for a multifunctional and participatory
management of this forest landscape.
Rice is the most marketed product, and its supply is
considered to be insufficient. Although maize, cassava
and groundnuts contribute strongly to the rural households’
budgets, the commercial interest remains weak.
While zebu breeding is slightly lucrative, small livestock
products are sold more often. The “tenrec” hedgehog
(Tenrec ecaudatus) is the most promising non-wood
product.
The cultivation of maize, cassava and groundnuts causes
clearings more frequently than rice cultivation does.
Whereas the use of fire to renew pasture land accentuates
deforestation, overgrazing creates additional local ecological
instabilities. Extending rainfed rice cultivation areas
and using agricultural natural fertilisers are thus suitable
means to improve rural livelihoods and to conserve biodiversity.
Under certain conditions, improving the sanitary
state of chicken and introducing payments for environmental
services would be suitable as well. However, such
programmes need appropriation by locals.
Of the 192 inventoried wood species, about 30 are traditionally
collected and used by the local population. The
population prefers six of these because of their technical
characteristics. Although these species are decreasing,
the population can satisfy its needs by adapting to other
species. Villager associations manage the forests in five of
the seven studied villages. However, the members of these
associations are urged to take part by NGOs and the state.
Therefore, they do not feel responsible for the forest.
Based on our findings, we recommend:
promoting the appropriation of projects by the local
population;
developing socio-economic prospects by optimising cultivation
techniques and improving livestock farming
(especially for chicken);
reducing ecological degradation by improving the
management of pasture lands;
managing the forest landscape in order to satisfy the
needs of the local population as regards forest products
for local use;
including commercial activities which do not exploit
wood (such as ecotourism, or apiculture) into the forest
management;
conveying a sense of responsibility to the local population
by including them in the forest management.
66 Research fellows
Lanto Herilala Andriambelo, ESSA, Madagascar;
Clémence Dirac Ramohavelo, ETH Zurich, Switzerland
Supervisors
Alexandre Buttler, EPFL, Switzerland;
Gabrielle Rajoelison, ESSA, Madagascar;
Jean-Pierre Sorg, ETH Zurich, Switzerland
Capacity development
Research fellowships
Collaborators
R. Solomampionona, CFPF, Morondava, Madagascar;
B. Campbell, CIFOR, Indonesia;
S. Razanaka, CNRE, Antananarivo, Madagascar;
R. Steppacher, IHEID, Geneva, Switzerland;
L. Rakotomalala, SAHA Menabe, Morondava, Madagascar;
E. Hertz, University of Neuchâtel, Switzerland;
M. Reinhard, ECOS, Lausanne, Switzerland
Duration
November 2005 – April 2009
Traditional apiculture in Central Menabe, Madagascar