The call for projects “Support to Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) and Locally Managed Marine Areas (LMMAs)” launched by the GEF6-AMPs project identified seven pilot initiatives, which are currently in the process of compliance.
The GEF6-AMPs project, “Expanding and Consolidating Madagascar’s Network of Marine Protected Areas” aims to ensure that Madagascar’s marine biodiversity and productivity are effectively managed through a sustainable and resilient national network of MPAs and also contributes to Madagascar’s commitments under the Sydney pledge to triple the size of MPAs. The project is financed by the Global Environment Facility with USD 6 million for the 2020-2024 period. It is implemented by the Ministry of Environment and Sustainable Development (MEDD), with technical support from WWF. Financial management is provided by FAPBM.
Additional financial support for protected areas
Launched in July 2022, the call for projects will grant each selected projects with an amount of between USD 40,000 and USD 60,000, over a period of 36 months. This additional funding, provided by the GEF6-AMP project, will improve (i) community income generation, (ii) site-level cost recovery for management activities, and (iii) management effectiveness of existing MPAs/LMMAs. As showcase sites, the successes of the selected sites can be replicated by newly created or expanded MPAs/LMMAs. The latter will draw on the experiences, best practices, and lessons learned identified at these showcase sites.
For now, GEF6-AMP, WWF and FAPBM are collaborating to finalize the framework of the projects in terms of administrative, financial, technical, monitoring-evaluation and safeguarding/gender. For the implementation of each project, the monitoring of financial achievements will be ensured by FAPBM and the monitoring of technical achievements and impacts by MEDD and WWF.
The selected projects
After the evaluation of the concept notes and full proposals, the seven projects selected are the following:
- Improvement of living conditions and management of natural marine resources by vulnerable populations grouping in LMMAs in the rural commune of Imorona (Analanjirofo Region, northern Madagascar), led by FARIMBONA;
- Support to the automation of the three basic communities (VOI) of the LMMAs Biocultural site of Antrema (Boeny Region, north-western of Madagascar), conducted by INDENTI’TERRE;
- Optimization of the results of the project “Green Coasts for the West of Madagascar” through support to fishermen in the Mahavavy Delta and Marambitsy Bay (Boeny Region, north-western Madagascar), conducted by ASITY;
- Contribution to the diversification of women’s economic activities in the Anorotsangana natural resource management transfer zone (DIANA Region, northern Madagascar), conducted by FAMELONA;
- Strengthening the resilience of local communities through the management of marine resources in the Communes of Manombo, Belalanda and Anakao, (Atsimo Andrefana Region, south-western Madagascar), conducted by TAFO MIAVO;
- Consolidation of community management of mangroves and improvement of living conditions of the population in the Tsiribihina Delta (Menabe Region, southern Madagascar), conducted by FIVOI;
- Support for capacity building of managers of the Beheloke Ranolaly Reserve (Atsimo Andrefana Region, South of Tuléar) and development of income-generating activities, conducted by FANIRY.
The expert promoters have demonstrated their relevance in terms of objectives, intervention methodology and capacity to ensure the sustainability of impacts. A new call for projects will soon be launched to support other pilot sites, to be followed on the GEF6-AMP -WWF-FAPBM networks.
