Empowered lives. Resilient nations. UNION SOAMITAMBATRA Madagascar Equator Initiative Case Studies Local sustainable development solutions for people, nature, and resilient communities UNDP EQUATOR INITIATIVE CASE STUDY SERIES Local and indigenous communities across the world are 126 countries, the winners were recognized for their advancing innovative sustainable development solutions achievements at a prize ceremony held in conjunction that work for people and for nature. Few publications with the United Nations Convention on Climate Change or case studies tell the full story of how such initiatives (COP21) in Paris. Special emphasis was placed on the evolve, the breadth of their impacts, or how they change protection, restoration, and sustainable management over time. Fewer still have undertaken to tell these stories of forests; securing and protecting rights to communal with community practitioners themselves guiding the lands, territories, and natural resources; community- narrative. The Equator Initiative aims to fill that gap. based adaptation to climate change; and activism for The Equator Initiative, supported by generous funding environmental justice. The following case study is one in from the Government of Norway, awarded the Equator a growing series that describes vetted and peer-reviewed Prize 2015 to 21 outstanding local community and best practices intended to inspire the policy dialogue indigenous peoples initiatives to reduce poverty, protect needed to take local success to scale, to improve the global nature, and strengthen resilience in the face of climate knowledge base on local environment and development change. Selected from 1,461 nominations from across solutions, and to serve as models for replication. PROJECT SUMMARY KEY FACTS Union Soamitambatra is using a traditional Equator Prize Winner consensus-based Malagasy governance system, 2015 known as Fokonolona, and community social contracts, known as dina, to regenerate the Badika Founded Forest and its surrounding lakes. Working with 6,589 people across ten villages, the Union brings 2003 together community groups, technical experts, Location municipal government, and private sector partners to protect and restore local ecosystems and ensure Ten villages in the Manambina rural commune, in the sustainable jobs. Incomes have reached four times Menabe Region in central Madagascar the minimum salary for the country from the sale of fish and other products. Primary school attendance Beneficiaries has increased from 30 to 90 percent. Farmers have 6,589 people transitioned to a variety of short-cycle seeds such as rice, beans, maize, and peanuts to diversify Areas of focus their agricultural activities. Spawning areas for Conservation and sustainable use of terrestrial and/or fish are now protected, while compliance with marine biodiversity; protecting and securing rights to sustainability standards are helping to increase communal lands, territories and natural resources; and fish abundance and catch size. Together, the Union community advocacy for environmental justice and manages 14,910 hectares of forest and 65 hectares climate change solutions of lakes, integrating management of natural resources with economic and social sustainability. Sustainable Development Goals addressed The Union is a beacon of strength, serving as the last barrier against an expanding tobacco industry that is the primary driver of land conversion and deforestation in the region. 42° 44° 46° 48° 50° 52° Moroni Cape of Ambre 12° Anjiabe 12° COMOROS Antsiranana Bemanevikabe Irodo Bobasakoa Mayotte Ambatoharanana Ampisikinana (under French Lokia Ambilobe Daraina Administration) Ampohana Ampondra MADAGASCAR Antsiranana Ambanja Zarambavy Tanambao-Daoud 14° Bemanno 14° Maromandia Doany Sambava Antanantanana Farahalana Analalava Antsahabe Andranofotsy The boundaries and names shown and the Antalaha designations used on this map do not imply Anjajavy Marovotry official endorsement or acceptance by the Tsianinkira United Nations. Ambohitralanana Maroantsetra l Mahajanga e Bay Ampanavoana n Cape Mandritsara of 16° n Saint-André Marovoay Antongil 16° a Vilamatsa h Morafeno Seranambe Ambato Boeny C Ambohipaky Antanambe Matsitso e Besalampy u Andrangazaha Ambodiatafana q AntanandavaAntanandava Besakay i Onara Vohilava b Mahajanga Maria Ampandrana Toamasina m Fenoarivo Atsinanana a Tambohorano Ranobe AmbakirenyAmbakireny z Andasibe Manakana Amparafaravola o Ankatrafay Ambatondrazaka M Ambohimena 18° Makaraingo 18° Maintirano Fiadanana Ivondro Toamasina Antananarivo Ankiliroa Tsiroanomandidy Bemamba Ambila-Lemaitso Sakay Bekopaka Antananarivo Moramanga Indian Appontement Vohitrampasina Ocean Vatomandry Andramasay Behamotra Ambatolampy Belo Tsiribihina Adabozato Mangoro Beroboka Avaratra Antsirabe 20° Ambodiharina 20° Morondava Malaimbandy Soavina Masomeloka Manometimay Amborompotsy Nosy-Varika Maharivo M Belo a Toliary n a Ambatomainty n j Mahela a Ankoba Mandronarivo r Fianarantsoa Mananjary Ambohibe Manja Fianarantsoa Ampasimanjeva Morombe Nosy Ambositra Sahasinaka Menamaty Iloto Mattana 22° Andavadoaka Befandriana Atsimo Manakara MADAGASCAR Ambohitsabo Vohipeno Ranohira Mananaba National capital Tanambao Farafangana Regional capital Manombo Atsimo Fiherenana Lopary Town, village Toliary Ankiliarivo Ranomena Airport Onilahy Bezaha Anakao Isahara International boundary Betioky Beheloka Provincial boundary 24° Efoetse Sandravinany Roads ra d Toliary Railroad Vohombe ra EQUATOR PRIZE 2015 WINNER FILM a en Manambato Ankazoabo M Linta Mandrane 0 100 200 300 km Indian Etrobeke Mahatalaky Androka Beloha Tolanaro Ocean (Fort-Dauphin) 0 100 200 mi Beaniky Lavanono Talaky 42° Cape Betanty 42° 44° Sainte-Marie 46° 48° 50° 52° Map No. 4360 United Nations Department of Field Support March 2009 Cartographic Section The designations employed and the presentation of material on this map do not imply the expression of any opinion whatsoever on the part of the Secretariat of the United Nations or UNDP concerning the legal status of any country, territory, city or area or its authorities, or concerning the delimitation of its frontiers or boundaries. BACKGROUND AND CONTEXT Ten local communities in the territories of the commune and Forests, the Ministry of Marine Resources and Fisheries, of Manambina of Madagascar, are working to protect municipalities (decentralised territorial communities), and the natural ecosystem they rely on for subsistence. Since local communities. 2003, they have strived to halt the destruction of 14, 910 hectares of the Badika (Hyphaene shatan) forest, a native The lakes are populated with tilapia (Oreochromis species of palm tree, and to conserve fish spawning areas niloticus), carp (Cyprinus carpio), marine cat-fish (Ariidae in five lakes with a total area of 165 hectares. spp.), and eels (Anguilla mauritiana), among other species. The communities maintain five lakes, including natural Madagascar is known as a hot spot for endemic plants. drainages, which conserve six hectares of spawning There are 204 species of palms in the country, and 98 areas. This maintenance complies with the regulations percent are endemic to the island. But most palm species applicable to fishing net mesh measurements, ensuring (83 percent) are threatened with extinction. This is almost a two-month egg-laying period to encourage natural four times the globally estimated proportion for plants restocking. Invasive plant species are eliminated through and exceeds estimates for all other comprehensively community projects. surveyed plant groups on the island. The social structure of the members of Union The trunks, stems and leaves of the Badika palms are Soamitambatra is comprised of neighbouring communi- used for building materials and wickerwork. This precious ties (Fokonolona) in the region which share means of ecosystem has been heavily exploited, particularly by subsistence. The elders, who are widely respected, gov- Société de Culture de Tabac à Madagascar (SCOTAM, or in ern social organization and guarantee that social order English, the Madagascar Tobacco Cultivation Company), is maintained. This has led to the establishment of social which uses 500 square metres of roundwood from Badika contracts and taboos, such as the prohibition of fishing per year, and tons of stalks for its nurseries. In an effort to on Thursdays. maximize profits, SOCTAM has worked towards the further expansion of exploitation zones, to the detriment of the The traditional means of subsistence are agriculture (rice, forests of Badika and all other native flora and fauna. corn, peanuts, sweet potatoes, and cassava), fishing, and animal rearing (poultry, zebu, pig, sheep), as well as Thanks to the work of Union Soamitambatra, the Badika weaving, mostly by women (mats, sifters, baskets). Most forest has been regenerating and proliferating. By community members are farmers (60 percent), while the protecting against conversion and degradation, the forest rest are fishermen (40 percent). area is naturally regenerating. Significant species found in the area include bats, boars, guinea fowl, ravens, and Each of the ten communities has natural resources which lemurs, and trees such as the Soaravy (Faurea forficuliflora), they monitor. When necessary, the head of the community the Bonara (Albizia lebbeck), and the Vondro (Typha informs Union Soamitambatra if any issues arise. Thus, angustifolia). This zone is currently being managed under the local communities actively protect the resources that a transfer contract jointly signed