Category: News

A FIS for Ambatovaky with a view to strengthening surveillance in the protected area

Posted on by ADMIN Fapbm
Fleur - FAPBM

Beginning of illegal crystal exploitation and clearing have threatened the Ambatovaky forests. To counteract the expansion of these illegal practices, the manager of the protected area, Madagascar National Parks, submitted a request for a Special Intervention Fund to FAPBM. The request was accepted so that patrols inside the protected area can be intensified.   Ambatovaky (East of Madagascar, Analanjirofo Region) is home to dense rainforests, one of whose main functions is to provide water sources for the populations in the surrounding areas.   Illegal mining and land clearing in the protected area   Prior to November 2022, Ambatovaky patrollers discovered crystal mining in the protected area for the first time in five years. Miners felled trees around the crystal mining perimeter and various holes were found with crystal remains. A mixed brigade mission was dispatched and the transporters were arrested, then referred to Fénérive- Est first instance court. However, the …

Ankarana, for a sustainable solution to illegal sapphire mining and illegal logging

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Madagascar - FAPBM

Return to Ankarana (North of Madagascar, DIANA Region), managed by Madagascar National Parks, for a follow-up of the activities carried out within the framework of the Special Intervention Fund in September 2022. With funding from FAPBM, a mission of mixed special brigades was dispatched there to put an end to the exploitation of an illegal sapphire quarry and to the illegal logging in the vicinity of the hard core.   If underground sapphire quarries threaten the Ankarana caves, deforestation threatens ecosystem services. However, the Ankarana massif is an essential site in the ecotourism of DIANA region. When a mixed brigade mission sparkles of a crisis   Mobilized in case of exceptional pressures, the Mixed Special Brigade missions under the aegis of the Ministry of Environment and Sustainable Development bring together members of the Joint Control Organ (OMC), gendarmes,law enforcement officers, judicial police officers, concerned ministerial departments, park agents, local authorities …

Sustained efforts by FAPBM to save Menabe Antimena dry forests

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Arbre - FAPBM

FAPBM is striving to support one of the most important forest blocks in western Madagascar. Over the last 12 months, it has granted a significant amount of money to maintain the remaining forest cover of Menabe Antimena protected area (western Madagascar, Menabe Region). In 2022, FAPBM counts no fewer than 5 site visits to prepare and follow up its funding for the protected area of Menabe Antimena.   The importance of FAPBM’s investment is explained by the importance of the benefits provided by this forest block. Menabe Antimena dense dry forest helps secure water for local communities. On the Bemaraha and Alley of baobabs axis, Menabe Antimena welcomes thousands of tourists every year, an income benefitting local populations. It alsopreserves a forest of mangroves and two RAMSAR wetlands: Lake Bedo and the Tsiribihina Delta. Its ecosystem is home to unique species, such as the Microcebus Berthae, the world’s smallest primate. …

Madagascar Lemurs Portal, engaging citizens in lemur conservation

Posted on by ADMIN Fapbm
Word - Alain Liva Raharijaona - FAPBM

Originally created by scientists for scientists, Madagascar Lemurs Portal (www.lemursportal.org) is a lemur databaseproject implemented by the FAPBM-GERP consortium and funded by the American Re:wild Foundation and FAPBM.   The portal is gradually migrating to become an educational medium accessible to the general public. For Madagascar Lemurs Portal, conservation is everyone’s business, hinting at the role that lemurs play in reforestation. The teams carried out awareness missions during the last quarter.   Engaging the general public in lemur conservation   Like every year, the last Friday of October is dedicated to the National Lemur Day. For 2022, the celebration of the National Day of Lemurs was held on October 28 and 29 in Morondava (Menabe Region, southern Madagascar)through exhibitions, a carnival, an awareness workshop and environmental actions. The topic «Lemurs, unique national heritage! Let us protect their habitats” was chosen for this celebration.   Being a project working on the …

Synergy and positive communication for protected areas

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Equipe - FAPBM

The world news about Madagascar has not been very positive lately. Indeed, Madagascar has been and continues to be faced with several challenges. However, there is a considerable amount of good news regarding efforts to preserve its biodiversity.   Under the co-leadership of FAPBM and MNP, communications officers from several conservation stakeholders have agreed to progressively align communication efforts to significantly strengthen support from different strategic audiences and target groups for the implementation of Madagascar’s protected area system as the number one approach to achieving the national biodiversity vision.   A creativity seminar   Group works have highlighted opportunities for improving awareness towards targeted groups; and a plan has been agreed upon on the next steps to take in order achieve this, in terms of the contribution of Madagascar’s protected areas as agents of change in reducing poverty among local communities and leading to sustainable development of local andregional economies. …

Tourism in the northern protected areas: Ankivonjy, Lokobe

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Madagascar - FAPBM

  The contribution of tourism in protected areas to the national economy is estimated between 42-174 million USD/year by the study on the economic contribution of protected areas, produced by FAPBM&MNP on 2022. 68% of tourists aim to visit at least one protected area to discover the endemic and Madagascar exceptional fauna and flora. Indeed, protected areas do attract more tourists; this is what the monitoring and evaluation and internal control missions have observed. Serge Ratsirahonana and Evah Ralalarisoa have conducted during the last quarter of the year visits to Lokobe and Ankivonjy (Northern Madagascar, DIANA Region).   Lokobe, for a walk in the forest   In Lokobe, Madagascar national Parks, the protected area manager, continues to maintain the tourist circuits. The accessibility of these circuits prevents tourists from the need to use a guide’s service. The forest of Lokobe shelters remarkable species particularly the Eulemur macaco, which can be seen …

Questions to James Ranaivoson: impact investing to fund Madagascar protected areas?

Posted on by ADMIN Fapbm
Impact report - FAPBM

The release of FAPBM’s Impact Investing 2021 Report provides an opportunity to interview one of our experts: the Investment Committee President, Mr. James Ranaivoson, a member of the FAPBM Board of Trustees since 2019. Mr. Ranaivoson is a former advisor to the European Investment Bank’s (EIB) Private Equity, New Products & Special Transactions department. He currently works as a Financial advisor in Luxembourg as founder and managing partner of WINDOF CAPITAL. He is also a member of Graines de vie Board, Luxembourg, an active NGO in reforestationprograms in Madagascar.   Q: Could you explain impact investing?   A: In 2022, FAPBM was able to finance around 30% of the total costs of 48 protected areas in Madagascar, covering more than 3.6 million hectares of Malagasy forests and coastal areas for the benefit of 3.5 million people. This funding comes primarily from FAPBM’s capital revenues.   Some donors prefer to contribute …

Word from the Executive Director, Alain Liva Raharijaona

Posted on by ADMIN Fapbm
Gestionnaires d'aires protégées - FAPBM

Dear partners,   Reflecting on the year of 2022, I realize that I can look forward with optimism for the new year to come.   Collaboration between with the Ministry of Environment and Sustainable Development of Madagascar – FAPBM – MNP has made great strides, which are crucial to strengthening political and financial support for the entire protected area system. From the release of the white paper on the economic contribution of protected areas, the launch of the Madagascar Coalition for protected areas, and through the coordination workshop of protected area managers andthe Ministry, the initial results of these concerted efforts are encouraging. During 2022, funding of FAPBM has been maintained and even increased, in difficult economic and social context. This underlines the essence of the mission of FAPBM and shows the importance of our work, enabled by so many loyal donors and investors in our fund, and achieved by …

Launch of Madagascar Coalition for Protected Areas

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FAPBM

Montréal, December 10, 2022 – Today the Madagascar Ministry of Environment and Sustainable Development launched the Madagascar Coalition for Protected Areas during a well-attended side-event of the COP15 UN Biodiversity Conference. Madagascar has 123 Protected Areas across the nation, in the right places that are worth protecting as they represent the country’s biological diversity, natural heritage, and provide nature-based solutions to sustainable economic development needs of the country. From the 2003 Durban vision of tripling Madagascar’s protected areas to the 2014 Sydney pledge to strengthen marine protected areas, the Madagascar government and non-government organizations have worked on creating and managing the system of parks and reserves across the nation. Supported by mostly international donors, thousands of competent, dedicated local experts, working tirelessly with local communities and the beneficiary impacts are starting to show in some of the protected areas. These success stories provide critical insights in how protection of ecosystems …

Best practices: Effective awareness in Beanka to conserve lemurs

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Prophithecus - FAPBM

“Lemurs: A unique national heritage, let’s protect their habitats” is the theme adopted for the celebration of the 2022 National Lemur Day. The Day will be celebrated in the Menabe Region (Western Madagascar) on October 28. Remember that the protected area of Menabe Antimena is home to the Microcebus Berthae, the world smallest lemur which is critically endangered. If deforestation is the major cause of the lemurs’ disappearance, hunting for consumption follows closely. In the protected area of Beanka (Western Madagascar, Melaky Region), the manager BCM has succeeded in a major challenge: to eradicate local consumption of lemurs.  From a tradition …. Before 2010, the populations of certain localities around Beanka protected area would consume lemur meat as a tradition. On the one hand, the zebu is rather considered as a property necessary for agriculture. On the other hand, acts of banditry have reduced the number of zebus. “In April, …

Release of the White Paper “Our protected areas are vital for our development”

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livre blanc - FAPBM

Did you know that the flow of water that supplies Andekaleka hydroelectric dam depends on the health of the Ankeniheny Zahamena protected area? That nearly 70% of foreign tourists who come to Madagascar visit at least one protected area? That the fishery products in or near protected areas exceed in quantity and quality those outsides, thanks to the good conservation of the marine protected areas and the wetlands? Find out how and why protected areas contribute to the local, national and even the global economy in the White Paper “Our protected areas are vital for our development. Based on the Study of Economic Value of Protected Areas – Review of the Evidence, this paper outlines the key findings. Recommendations that match our contributions 66 USD/ha is the average contribution of a protected area to the local economy. The credit goes to the field agents and communities. They work to preserve …

Emergency fund for Ankarana to fight illegal logging

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Relief - FAPBM

Emergency fund was granted to Ankarana National Park (Northern Madagascar, DIANA Region) to deploy special mixed brigades in September 2022. This contribution aimed to end the exploitation of an illegal sapphire quarry (Labandy and Bemoko) and the illegal logging (Analamahitsy) perpetrated in the vicinity of the core forest. Increasing threats The botanical trail was one of the main tourist attractions of Ankarana Special Reserve. Close to the national road 6, it was highly prized for its exceptional floristic wealth. However, it was ransacked following the discovery of sapphire in Ambondromifehy. After the loss of the botanical garden, Analamahitsy forms the last bastion of primary forest sheltering woods with an interesting market value. The forest is then subject to an increase in illegal logging. The consequences are about to be irreversible. Biodiversity and its ecosystem services at risk The urgency is such that the block of the Ankarana limestone massif is …

FAR, a funding mechanism to support the validation of protected area PAGs

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Mandrozo - FAPBM

FAPBM, through the Support Fund for Strenghtening Protected Areas (FAR AP), has provided support to finalize updating of the Development and Management Plan (PAG) of Mandrozo and Beanka protected areas (Western Madagascar, Melaky Region). Funding was for the organization of the national validation of the protected areas PAG. As the two PAs are already beneficiaries of annual grants from FAPBM, this national validation is one of the FAPBM’srequirements for the effectiveness of its annual funding. Since the manager’s resources were not enough to carry out the activity, the FAPBM’s funds filled the gap in a process which had already begun. The activity is crucial and relevant because it will improve the quality of the documents and conform to the requirements of the Ministry of Environment and Sustainable Development (MEDD) and partners. The completion of this validation will also help the manager to have the reference documents necessary for the good …

First celebration of the regional VOI Day

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Diana - FAPBM

Grants under the Support Fund for Strengthening Protected Areas (FAR AP) were awarded to two North PAs for their participation in the first Regional Day of Vondron’Olona Ifotony (JRVOI) or grassroots communities. Thanks to this contribution from FAPBM, Lokobe and Ambohitr’Antsingy (Montagne des Français) (Northern Madagascar, DIANA Region) were able to present a delegation for the celebration hosted by the city of Ambanja on October 15 2022. The DIANA Region, for a better consideration of protected areas Workshops for sharing best practices, discussion sessions with the authorities as well as exhibitions set the pace throughout the day. The celebration of this regional day by the DIANA region shows the commitment of the region for protected areas. It also reflects the results of advocacy actions led by the Platform of DIANA Protected Areas Managers. Officially created in 2017, the platform gathers eight protected area managers of DIANA Region.  Faced with diverging interests …

GEF6-CI Boeny Project: Preparation for the funding take over by FAPBM

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Boeny - FAPBM

FAPBM is preparing to take over the GEF-Conservation International Boeny project which is scheduled to end in 2022. As of 2023, it will thus strengthen its funding for the protected areas of the Boeny Region (Western Madagascar). Funding for the protected areas of Ankarafantsika, Baie de Baly, Mahavavy Kinkony and Antrema will increase significantly, while the protected area of Bombetoka Belomboka will be included in its funding cycle for the first time. Since 2019, the GEF6-CI project “Conservation and Sustainable Use of Biodiversity in the North-Western Madagascar Landscape, Boeny Region” has supported these five protected areas in the Boeny Region. To sustain the project’s impacts, a portion of the project funds (USD 4,500,000) contributed to the FAPBM endowment Fund. The income from this contribution will be allocated annually to the five protected areas in Boeny. A positive result to be maintained in the long term Serge Ratsirahonana, Monitoring and Evaluation …

GEF6-MPA Project: From Key Biodiversity Areas to Marine Protected Areas

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Extension des aires protégées - FAPBM

Madagascar is committed to tripling the size of its marine protected areas, a commitment made at the World Parks Congress in Sydney in 2014. Thus, the GEF6-MPA project “Extension and Consolidation of Madagascar’s Marine Protected Areas” is currently undertaking the process of identifying and re-assessing the marine and coastal KBAs. Wherever nature provides vital services for development, it must be protected. Extending the Madagascar Protected Areas System to these Key Biodiversity Areas (KBAs) would preserve these places from pressures and threats, while ensuring the provision of ecosystem services for the local populations. The KBAs identified by IUCN and its partners in Madagascar currently number 233 sites. The GEF6-Marine Protected Area project approach Financed by the GEF, the GEF6-MPA project, whose implementing agency is WWF US, has a 5-year duration. It is executed by the Ministry of Environment and Sustainable Development (MEDD) with WWF Madagascar as technical support and FAPBM in …

Madagascar Lemurs Portal, the redesign of the mobile application in progress

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Lemurs portal - FAPBM

From Mandrozo to Loky Manambato, and Beanka to Antrema, the Madagascar Lemurs Portal team is multiplying their visits to protected areas. Led by Lova Rakotoarimanana, the consultant in charge of the project, these missions aim to finalize the redesign of the portal to make the mobile application known and easily accessible. Redesign of the portal in progress Indeed, an evaluation of the portal’s performances and feedbacks from the surveys conducted in 2021 concluded that the portal should be more accessible to the general public. Thus, technical improvements were made to make it a field-based tool through an accessible mobile application. Eventually, the application should be accessible to researchers as well as protected area managers, local communities and tourists. The goal is to integrate as many people as possible in the monitoring of Madagascar lemur populations. In each protected area visited, the functionalities are presented and then tested in real conditions …

Cohesion of African environmental funds for fundraising

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Cafe general assembly - FAPBM

FAPBM was represented by its Executive Director, Alain Liva Raharijaona, at the 12th General Assembly of CAFÉ (Consortium of African Funds for the Environment). The event took place from September 12 to 16, 2022 in Douala (Cameroon). It brought together the 19 members of the consortium from 20 countries, as well as representatives of RedLAC, CAFÉ’s counterpart in Latin America. Blended finance to support protected areas CAFÉ members benefited from a 2-day training in blended finance by FinAfrique. Blended finance is an innovative approach to increase funding for protected areas. It involves blending grants and concessional funding with conventional market and private funding. A new Board for CAFÉ FAPBM welcomes the election of Théophile Zognou, (Cameroon) as President and Tapiwa Makiwa, (Namibia) as Vice-President of CAFÉ. Théophile Zognou takes over from Karen Price of Malawi, whose contributions to CAFÉ are gratefully acknowledged by members. The new chair will continue advocating …

FAPBM mobilizes the private sector for protected areas at CSR and SDI fair

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Project - FAPBM

FAPBM took part in the Salon de la Responsabilité Sociale des Entreprises et du Développement Durable(Fair of Corporate Social Responsibility and Sustainable Development Initiatives) on October 6 and 7, 2022, in Antananarivo. The Foundation set up an exhibition stand at the fair. The event was marked by the presentation of the progress of the CSR national strategy the Ministry of Environment and Sustainable Development. Actors of sustainable development (NGOs, social businesses, …) and the private sector had the opportunity to exchange thanks to a program rich in diversity: networking, conference, workshops, training. In addition to the plenary sessions, exhibition stands allowed for one-to-one discussions with FAPBM Executives about to opportunities to collaborate through FAPBM in support of both corporate needs and protected areas. The FAPBM stand, for listening and sharing The main objective of FAPBM stand was to present the value chains supported in the funded protected areas. This format …

Towards a better coordination of actions for protected areas

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Lemurs portal - FAPBM

An important meeting between the Ministry of Environment and Sustainable Development and the protected areas managers took place on October 7 in Antananarivo. Chaired by the Minister, Marie-Orléa Vina, the meeting enabled the establishment of a regular and productive dialogue to strengthen collaboration and coordination between the 2 parties.  Among others, DELC, SAGE, Madagascar Voakajy, Ecovision Village, Blue Ventures, WWF, MBG, Sadabe, Asity Madagascar, MNP, Famelona, Rainforest Trust, RBG, MNHN, Anjavavy, Fondation Tany Meva, SEAR, MICET, L’Homme et l’Environnement, Durrell, TPF, GERP, WCS, MNP were present. Through thematic discussion groups, the staff of the Ministry and the representatives of the managers, as well as the partners of the protected areas such as FAPBM, have dialogued in a spirit of co-construction. FAPBM has facilitated the meeting. Madagascar protected areas In 2022, Madagascar had 124 terrestrial and marine protected areas and eight protected areas in the process of being created, extending over …

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Consortium of African Funds for the Environment (CAFÉ)
The Conservation Finance Alliance
The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN)
Alliance Voahary Gasy
L'Association du Réseau des Systèmes d'Information Environnementale (ARSIE)