Offset program

Launch of the first Offset program

FAPBM manages an offset program (offset) with QIT Madagascar Minerals (QMM), a Rio Tinto mining group subsidiary. QMM has decided to assign to FAPBM the financial management and monitoring of its offset program in Agnalazaha, a new protected area managed by the Missouri Botanical Garden (MBG). An agreement was entered into between FAPBM and QMM in February 2019. The offset program will last three (3) years. The project total amount stands at USD 300,000.

Through an offset fund, QMM voluntarily finances the Agnalazaha protected area to compensate for the residual negative impacts of their projects after avoidance and mitigation measures have been taken. FAPBM, as financial manager, is in charge of monitoring the impacts.

biodiversité - fapbm
Agnalazaha © FAPBM
FAPBM entered into a funding agreement with Missouri Botanical Garden (MBG) in April 2019. Thus, FAPBM acquires a useful experience for the future offset projects funding.

The protected area status

IUCN Category VI

PA area

2,250 hectares

Manager type

Non-Governmental Organization

Intervention area

Agnalazaha Forest, Mahabo

Starting date

April 01, 2019

Funding duration

03 years

Other donors

GEF

Agnalazaha © FAPBM
Result 1

Appropriate spaces for fair dialogues generating mutual commitments and benefits are functional.

Communities need to be actively involved in the planning and management processes. Collaboration with non-community grassroots stakeholders (public bodies, NGOs and the private sectors), who have an interest in the natural resources use or management in Mahabo Mananivo, must be strengthened. Activities include: carrying out community participatory assessments, analyzing and conducting stakeholder consultations, building communities and stakeholder’s capacity, facilitating the establishment of the community coordination committee’s and/or stakeholder platform(s), facilitating environmental collaborative planning, starting with communities.

Agnalazaha © FAPBM
Result 2

Ecosystem services and biodiversity conservation in Agnalazaha conservation areas are preserved.

Considering that the type of forest existing in Agnalazaha has become rare in Madagascar, its conservation primarily serves global diversity. In addition, it contributes to QMM in its overall offset in biodiversity : 6 plant species and one avian species found in Agnalazaha are among the biologically significant species existing in the mining area. Activities include: ecological and scientific monitoring, ensuring patrols, control and surveillance, degraded areas restoration, fight against invasive species, maintaining and monitoring the state of ecosystem health and the priority species population.

Agnalazaha © FAPBM
Result 3

The availability of forest resources (wood and non-wood) and communities’ access to them is ensured.

The community resources sustainable management is carried out both inside the protected area (in the use area) and outside the protected area (in the peripheral zone). Forest products can be managed by Dina and by COAP with community management structures KODINA and COGE. Activities include: update and implementation of the management plan for use areas (PAG), firewalls installation and management, DINA strengthening, COBAs Capacity building, strengthening the management entities (COGE) and the COBAs in the implementation of the development and management plan (PAG).

Agnalazaha © MBG
Result 4

Factors contributing to the biodiversity and natural resources loss are balanced by community investments.

In order to contribute to conservation and poverty alleviation goals, livelihood support must be long-term sustainable activities that contribute to change behavior, reduce threats and improve management. Partnerships are welcome and implementing partners can also collaborate with other actors / partners to achieve these results. Activities include: improve the integrated systems take-up and management; improve the spatial arrangement of production activities to maximize synergies, stabilize hills, reduce erosion and other environmental impacts minimize labor; increase the subsistence agricultural system and cash crops (rice, aquaculture, beekeeping, perennial fruit and tree crops, livestock, sustainably harvested forest products) overall diversity.

Agnalazaha © MBG
Result 5

Biodiversity conservation sustainability and natural resources management is ensured by communities and sustainable funding commitment.

Population awareness (in the broad sense) on conservation and the services provided by ecosystems that contribute to their well-being is necessary. Likewise, measures for conservation forms of recognition, payments for environmental services, and other financial options shall be promoted. The activities cover: raise the population’s awareness on conservation, ecosystem services more specifically on forest areas and related user rights; promote environmental education; establish a competitive system oriented towards conservation and GDRN; mobilizing sustainable financing mechanism.

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