Category: News

Emergency fund for Ankarana to fight illegal logging

Posted on by ADMIN Fapbm
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 …

Art and Biodiversity Project: artists deliver their message

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Biodiversity project - FAPBM

Launched last May, the competition of small cultural projects “Art and Biodiversity” initiated by FAPBM in collaboration with the Association of artists, La Teinturerie, has reached its climax. On Thursday, October 13, the artists presented to the public and the press the fruit of their stay at La Teinturerie in Ampasanimalo. These artists are the following: Mozeration, a talented cartoonist from Diego Suarez who presented his work “I am Stupideman”. The comic strip features the characters of Jean Poluan, Le soleil and Makoa Bory, who are confronted with everyday situations, pushing them to do stupid things that harm the environment. The comic book will be available on line free and on Mozer’s Facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/Tokikycity ) for as many people as possible to read. The Loko Association artists, namely Fad Madart, painter, street-artist and draftsman, Romuald, draftsman, portrait painter and painter,and Gianfranco Henri aka Steeve, freelance illustrator and 2D animator …

Best practices: Green firewall in Beanka

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Beanka - FAPBM

The end of the dry season in Madagascar is not a good sign for our protected areas, as it heralds an increase in fires. The managers of protected areas must be creative every year to prevent and control fires. In Beanka, BCM, the manager has been experimenting since 2017, the method of green firebreaks. Direction to the west of Madagascar, in the province of Mahajanga, Melaky region.   The Beanka protected area is regularly victim of the propagation of wild fires provoked in large part by the dahalo(large-scale crime) to hide their tracks and that of the zebus and delay their pursuers. These fires, spreading in the protected area, threaten the cover of the semi-deciduous dense rainforest, the dense dry forest, and low thicket. This particular landscape is a conservation target because it provides habitat for pollinator species (especially bees) and a medicinal plants storage. This forest preserves kilometers of …

FAR for the national validation of the PAG and the ESMP for the Bombetoka protected area

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Bombetoka - FAPBM

FAPBM has signed a financing agreement under the Strengthening Support Fund (FAR) with DELC in favour of the Bombetoka protected area (Western Madagascar, Boeny Region). With an amount of MGA 9,412,470, it concerns the organization of the national validation of the PAG (Development and Management Plan) and the ESMP (Environmental and Social Management Plan) of the protected area.   As the Bombetoka PA will be a future beneficiary of the FAPBM’s annual grants from 2023, this national validation is one of the FAPBM’s requirements for the effectiveness of its funding. Since the manager’s resources are insufficient to carry out the activity, the FAPBM’s funds will fill the gap. The activity is crucial and relevant because it will improve the quality of the documents and bring them into line with the requirements of the MEDD and the partners. The completion of this validation will additionally allow the manager to have the …

FAR for the management of the occupants of the buffer zone of the “Bongolava Forest Corridor”

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Bongolava - FAPBM

The Fikambanana Bongolava Maitso Association (FBM), manager of the New Protected Area “Bongolava Forest Corridor” (Western Madagascar, Bongolava Region) has received financial support from FAPBM. Within the framework of the Strengthening Support Fund (FAR), this support concerned the updating of the specifications for the use of the buffer zone, for an amount of MGA 18,769,000.   Since July 2020, the extension of some cultivated land towards the forest has been noted, thus implying new clearings. The causes of the extension are multiple, but the most relevant are the degradation of the soils of the old cultivation fields and the arrival of newcomers and migrants from southern Madagascar. As a result, the extension of land into adjacent forest fragments has increased and the loss of forest cover has become more significant. While in 2021 the total recorded loss of forest cover was 203 ha, 107 ha (53% of the loss) was …

Mission of the Executive Management in Maromizaha

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Pare-feu - FAPBM

Alain Liva Raharijaona, Executive Director of FAPBM carried out a mission in the protected area of Maromizaha (East of Madagascar) on 11-12 August 2022. He met with the communities to discuss conservation and development activities.   The population living near the Maromizaha PA is around 2 700 persons. FAPBM supports the beekeeping and agriculture sectors, set up in consultation with the communities. This support concerns the training of the members of the associations and VOI (local communities) for the supervision and the conduct of activities; training and provision of materials and equipment (beehives, extractors, …) for recent members. The finished products are sold on the markets of Moramanga and Antananarivo. The beekeeping sector has taken a large scale since 2017 especially after the construction of a honey house.   Characterized by a dense humid forest of medium altitude, Maromizaha remains a refuge for endemic species such as lemurs, orchids or precious …

Continuation of the call for GEF6-MPA projects

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Appel à projet - FAPBM

Within the framework of the GEF6-AMP Project “Extension and Consolidation of the Marine Protected Areas of Madagascar”, the Ministry of Environment and Sustainable Development (MEDD) and its partners (WWF and FAPBM) launched a call for projects, addressed to existing marine protected areas and locally managed marine areas. Initially, prospective grantee were asked to write a concept note for their proposed project. The grants are worth 40,000 USD to 60,000 USD per project, for a duration of 36 months. Launched on July 8, 2022, the submission of concept notes was closed on August 8, 2022. The grant themes are : Increase and diversification of sustainable income sources; Improving community resilience; Improving management efficiency through essential infrastructure and equipment, as well as the development and deployment of management tools suitably adapted to local conditions. Information sessions were held in Antananarivo, Toliary, Fénérive-Est, Antsiranana and Morondava to ensure the most extended participation of the …

Internal control mission: Ambatovaky and Zahamena

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Zahamena - FAPBM

FAPBM, through Lova Rakotonirina, Assistant in Internal Control, conducted missions from 16 to 21 August 2022 in the protected areas of Ambatovaky and Zahamena (East of Madagascar), both managed by Madagascar National Parks. His mission had for double objective to follow-up the effectiveness of the funds granted on the site and to reinforce the management units. At first, it was a matter of making sure of the conformity of the use of the funds related to the terms of the financing agreement. For the MNP sites, FAPBM only covers salaries. Secondly, it was necessary to identify capacity building needs in the management of the terms of the Funding Agreements with FAPBM.   The Special Reserve of Ambatovaky is characterized by a natural vegetation composed of dense humid forest of low and medium altitude. It ensures the biological connectivity between the Masoala National Park passing by Makira Natural Park, the Mananara-Nord …

Let the voices of local communities be heard

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Beanka - FAPBM

Through a series of 11 podcasts, FAPBM wanted to give a voice to the communities living along the protected areas to share their daily lives and the challenges they face in defending our protected areas. From Analalava to Oronjia, listeners are invited to discover the life stories of farmers, fishermen or craftsmen punctuated by the state of health of the forests. They are called upon to give voice to this biodiversity that should be preserved, restored and financed.   Madagascar is rich in biodiversity. 3% of the world’s biodiversity finds refuge in the Great Island. The Madagascar Protected Areas System was created to preserve this biodiversity. If this unique wealth is rather well documented, the benefits rendered by this biodiversity and the protected areas are scarcely communicated. The communities that directly live off it and defend it are even less so, especially at the national level. Working locally, these heroes …

APAC, an advocacy space for sustainable funding of protected areas

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APAC 2022 - FAPBM

FAPBM was present at the first African Protected Areas Congress, APAC which took place in Kigali (Rwanda) on 18-22 July 2022. Invited to take part in several discussions, the Executive Director repeatedly highlighted the urgency of increasing funding for countries with some of the most exceptional, yet threatened, biodiversity. He put forward sustainable funding through conservation trust funds (CTFs) and the mobilization of the private sector as priority avenues. His agenda included panels on the following topics: July 19 at 16.00: Impacts of COVID-19 and other pandemics in protected and conserved areas; July 20 at 08.30: Investing in Biodiversity: Diversifying Innovative Financing Models for Protected and Conserved Areas; July 20 at 10:00 am: Supporting progress towards national biodiversity targets through improved mitigation policies and outcomes (COMBO+); July 20 at 10.30: Strengthening financial resilience of communities and their protected areas; July 21: Launch of the IUCN WCPA (World Conservation and Protected …

International Day for the Conservation of the Mangrove Ecosystem celebrated in Nosy-Be

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Feu vert - FAPBM

FAPBM participated in the celebration of the International Day for the Conservation of the Mangrove Ecosystem celebrated which took place from 24 to 26 July 2022 in Nosy-Be (Northern Madagascar). Lead by the theme “Let’s act together for the integrated and sustainable management of mangroves”, the 3 days of celebration were marked by restoration actions, a carnival, exhibition stands, and conferences. Through Serge Ratsirahonana, Monitoring and Evaluation Manager, FAPBM presented the mechanisms of punctual funding available to support research (Support Fund for Strengthening-FAR) or to cope with threats (Emergency Fund). “ FAPBM co-funds activities in the PAs and aims to assess the results and impacts of these funds on the state of mangrove conservation. FAPBM encourages PA managers to put in place a more effective monitoring system for mangroves including an early alerting system for threats.“ In 2021, more than 43,000 ha of mangroves were preserved in the protected areas …

2021 Annual report of FAPBM: The post-covid results, nature and people preserved

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Rapport annuel - FAPBM

The 2021 Annual report of FAPBM is out and can be downloaded here. It tracks the impacts of funding on the 3 core areas of intervention which are: (i) the conservation of biodiversity and ecosystem services (water, energy, wood, pollination, etc.), (ii) the development of communities and (iii) the strengthening of protected area managers. After a significant drop in the indicators in 2020 linked to the health crisis, 2021 witnessed a resumption of the increase in the indicators for the 3 components. BIODIVERSITY: declining threats after a difficult 2020   The number of fires in protected areas funded by FAPBM has decreased by 45%. Fire remain the primary cause of deforestation. This drastic decrease in the number of fire points reflected the decrease in the level of threats. This can be explained, on the one hand, by a resumption of economic activities by local communities, and on the other hand, …

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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)