Category: News

The DIANA region, in the Northern part of Madagascar, has 19 protected areas, 9 of which are financed by FAPBM. With the exception of the protected areas of COMATSA North and South, these protected areas cover more than 800,000 ha. Although they only occupy 40% of the region, each of them provides invaluable services to the region’s populations (889,962 inhabitants in 2018). For example, the Ambodivahibe and Ankivonjy protected areas sustainably manage fisheries resources for the benefit of local fishermen, the Montagne d’Ambre protected area supplies the JIRAMA water reservoirs for the town of Diégo and the water supply of 13 rural communes around the park, and Nosy Tanikely attracts nearly 50,000 tourists per year (before the pandemic). The pressures and threats faced by these protected areas therefore endanger the lives of the region’s inhabitants. Faced with diverging interests in conservation, the DIANA protected areas platform is making the voices …

The funded protected area managers were invited to a training workshop on December 14, 2021. As FAPBM will have to monitor its impacts more closely, the funding tools, in particular the terms of the grant agreements, will be strengthened in order to ensure an efficient management of each protected area, of the conservation of biodiversity, and especially to safeguard the local communities. With regard to the efficiency of management, the reform of the funding tools frames all the funding in the Development and Management Plan (PAG) of the protected area. From now on the granting any fund will be conditional on updating this document which defines the strategic axes of the protected area over 5 years. With regard to the activities planned , including those related to the ecological integrity of the protected area, incentive or penalty guidelines will be put in place to ensure the effectiveness of the funded …

How did protected areas cope with the pandemic in 2021? During a webinar organized on December 17th, 2021 by FAPBM, a panel of protected area managers shared their challenges over the past 2 years. The courses of action converged on the empowerment and improvement of the communities living conditions. Ms. Claude-Anne Gauthier, Coordinator of IRD-MNHN, Mr. Christian Camara, Country Representative of Missouri Botanical Garden, Mr. Razafindralaisa, MNP Director of Operations, and Ms. Tiana Andriamanana, Executive Director of Fanamby enthusiactically  shared their experiences. The decline in the number visitors or even the absence of tourists has had significant financial impacts: MNP sites have been the most affected, as funds for a proper implementation of monitoring, follow-up and surveillance activities have been depleted. In addition, related ecotourism activities have effectively stopped (guiding, production and sales of local products, etc.), resulting in negative impacts on the household economy. In the new protected areas …

As the 2017-2021 FAPBM Five-Year Strategic Plan has come to an end, an external entity was commissioned to conduct an evaluation and support the development of a new plan for 2022-2026. The evaluation found that the overall objective of contributing to the ecological integrity of the funded protected areas was achieved. This overall objective was based on two pillars: a)  increase the contribution of FAPBM to the management costs of protected areas and b) improve the management indicators of the protected areas funded. The efforts made are significant , but so are the challenges. Continuous loss of biodiversity, poor human development, and climate change, these age-old challenges have been exacerbated by the vulnerability inherent to the pandemic. To address these issues, the new 2022-2026 Strategic Plan of FAPBM, presented virtually on December 7, is built on 3 pillars: Enhancing sustainable funding to the Madagscar ‘s Systeme of Protected Area (SAPM) …

Antananarivo, 6 December 2021- The Ministry of Economy and Finance of Madagascar (MEF) and the German development bank KfW have signed two contracts for financial assistance worth a total of 45,7 million euros for the protection of Madagascar’s biodiversity. This endowment will be used to contribute to the capital of the Madagascar Foundation for Protected Areas and Biodiversity (FAPBM). The income generated by this capital will provide protected areas and local communities with means to sustainably strengthen the fight against the growing pressures on the country’s biodiversity and natural resources. The priority area of German development cooperation in Madagascar is environmental protection, biodiversity conservation and sustainable use of natural resources in the energy and agriculture sectors. Through KfW, the German government has been committed to the sustainable financing of the Madagascar Protected Areas System (SAPM) for more than 30 years, either through direct financing of Madagascar National Parks (MNP) or …

FAPBM has signed a financing agreement in favour of Madagascar National Parks (MNP) for an amount of MGA 2,714,238,754. With its annual budget reduced by 35% due to the tourism paralysis, MNP faces a significant funding gap that threatens the conservation of Madagascar’s natural heritage. The amount allocated by the Foundation will benefit 17 protected areas (for a total size of 1,422,488 ha), including those of Bemaraha, Andringitra, Ranomafana and Masoala, which have been classified as UNESCO World Heritage Sites. In addition to their value for tourism, these national parks have an economic importance for the communities. For example, the forests of Ranomafana National Park supply the water tank of the Namorona hydroelectric station, which is located near the park. Masoala Park protects the river systems and water sources feeding the basins of the region and part of the Andapa basin. The Andringitra National Park is home to numerous water sources that irrigate …

On June, 4th, 2021, FAPBM warmly welcomes a new Executive Board and two new members inside its Board of Trustees [1]. The newly elected members of the Executive Board are: Ny Anitry Ny Aina (Nanie) RATSIFANDRIHAMANANA, as President of the Board Ratafika DIMBINDRAIBE, as Vice-President of the Board Fredy RAJAONERA ANDRIAMBELO, as Treasurer.   The incoming members of the Board of Trustees, co-opted for a renewable 4-year term, are: Bruno Tsing Yat RAJASPERA[2], Director of Community Resource Support of Conservation International – Madagascar; Fredy RAJAONERA ANDRIAMBELO[2], Deputy Director-General of Chocolaterie Robert. In accordance with the governance rules of FAPBM, this series of co-optations took place following the end-of-term of two trustees, namely Sahondra RAJOELINA, former President, and Naritiana RAKOTONIAINA. After 2 years at the Presidency of the Board of Trustees, the outgoing President, and Country Director of Conservation International – Madagascar, recalled, with emotion during the handover ceremony, the values …

The Foundation for Biodiversity and Protected Areas of Madagascar (FAPBM) is committing to a grant of USD 2,735,722 for the Madagascar Protected Areas System (MPAS) for 2021. This grant will be used to: Cover recurrent operating costs, local development and conservation activities of 36 protected areas (through among others annual grants), Respond to emergencies that threaten biodiversity and conservation in protected areas (through the Special Intervention Funds), Strengthen the capacity of new protected areas (through the Support Fund for Strengthening in New Protected Areas), Finance an offset program in one (1) protected area, Finance the extension of marine protected areas within the MPA GEF 6 project (Global Environment Facility – Marine Protected Areas). The MPAS is severely suffering from the health restrictions of the Covid-19 pandemic in 2020, which is likely to last in 2021. Indeed, tourism is one of the major sources of revenue for protected areas. The financial …

Conservation International, as a Global Environment Facility Partner Agency, signed a Financing Agreement for an endowment fund of USD 4,5 million in favour of the capital of the FAPBM. The annual revenues from this capital will provide sustainable financing to 5 protected areas in the Boeny region. The 5 protected areas that will receive funding are: Ankarafantsika National Park (managed by Madagascar National Parks, MNP), the Bay of Baly National Park (managed by MNP), the Mahavavy Kinkony Complex (managed by Asity), the Antrema Biocultural Site (managed by the Museum National d’Histoire Naturelle, MNHN), and the Bombetoka Beloboka Site (managed by Development and Environmental Law Center, DELC). Spanning over 580,000 hectares, these 5 protected areas of Boeny, given the diversity of their natural habitats (dry forests, lakes, mangrove swamps, Bismarkia savannah and marshes), are home to an outstanding biodiversity and offer ecosystemic services to the Region’s population. The rivers, for example, …

In 2005, the meeting of contributors to the capital of FAPBM was held for the first time. The three entities under whose impetus FAPBM was founded were the first to participate: WWF, Conservation International and the Malagasy government. In 2019, this annual meeting was held in Isalo under the direction of Mrs Sahondra RAJOELINA, President of the Board of Trustees, with the participation of the whole board of trustees and the other contributors who joined the first three:: KFW, the German development bank AFD, the french Development Agency (AFD) More than a meeting, this event is for the FAPBM a time for constructive exchanges with its capital contributors to better advance its mission of “contributing to sustainable human development through the conservation and enhancement of biodiversity through the mobilization of sustainable funding sources for the Protected Areas System in Madagascar”. It was also an opportunity for contributors to the capital …

Forests are the origin of the air we breathe, the water we drink, the food we eat or even the drugs we use to look after ourselves. By providing us with those essential elements for our existence, forests play a central role that is unfortunately often neglected. This is the reason why, this year 2017, the Foundation for the Protected Areas and the Biodiversity of Madagascar joined the celebration of the International Day of Forests held in Tulear. An awareness campaign on the essential role played by forests took place during these two days. There was also a half day of mangrove reforestation. Protecting forests means preserving our life. That is the reason why FAPBM acts to perpetuate the conservation by financing the protection of around 3 million hectares of protected areas spread over 31 sites. …