Field Study Madagascar 2004

Host partner: Centre National de Recherches sur l'Environnement (CNRE)

Other partners: Programme Gestion des Espaces Ruraux et Environnement à Madagascar (GEREM-Fianarantsoa) – IRD (Institut de Recherche pour le Développement)

Topic: Agroforestery – Natural resource management - Ecology

Location: Fianarantsoa

ICRA Working Document Series number: 120

Context: In a recent change of natural resource management policy in Madagascar, emphasis has shifted from a conservation to an ecoregional approach. Involving local communities in natural resource management is becoming most important. Also, the links between areas of biodiversity, for example corridors enabling species to circulate between tropical forests, have to be maintained.

Objectives: Helping CNRE to enhance its knowledge of that area and to better locate where actions should be taken. Specifically, identifying the various stakeholders in the corridor, describing the influence of farming activities on the corridor, identifying the forces that affect deforestation, making recommendations to organisations involved in R&D and conservation of the environment.

Outputs: The main findings of the study found show that:

• farming systems are to a large extent determined by irrigation and cultivation on slash and burn (tavy)
• Several forest products are used by local people and farming in the forest is centered on tavy
• Despite the existence of a local coordinating committee, there are limited interactions between stakeholders and little coordination of their activities
• Creating new roads and improving the existing ones, developping functional litaracy and education, securing land are key measures that combine incentive, participation and respect of the regulations.

Team members:

Name	Nationality	Institute	Discipline
Michelle ANDRIAMAHAZO	Madagascar	Ministère de l'Agriculture, de l'Elevage et de la Pêche (MAEP)	Rural development
Célestine Yvette EBENE ONANA	Cameroon	Centre de Recherche Forestière Internationale (CIFOR)	Anthropology
Adamou IBRAHIMA	Cameroon	Université de Ngaoundéré	Ecology-Plant science
Kouadio Boniface KOMENA	Ivory Coast	Université de Bouaké	Rural economy
Jacques RAZAFINDRANDIMBY (CP)	Madagascar	Centre National de Recherches sur l'Environnement (CNRE)	Forest ecology

Reviewer: Dr Nour Sellamna (France), ICRA, Francophone Programme Coordinator

Abstract: This study was conducted in the Fianarantsoa Region of Madagascar. The focus is on the impact of farming systems on the Finarantsoa forest corridor. Both the Betsileo and Tanala systems were studied, respectively on the West and East sides of the corridor, with one village chosen on each side. Methods used combined Participatory Rural Appraisal tools, direct observation, farm surveys and case studies. Results show that farming systems are based on lowland, irrigated, rice for the Betsileo and tavy, or slash and burn, for the Tanala. Animal breeding is of a traditional type, but zebus play an important role in soil fertility management and soil preparation among the Betsileo and for the satisfaction of social and cultural obligation among the Tanala. Poultry is an important source of income during the hunger gap for both communities. Land pressure leads the Betsileo to open new land in the forest in search for valley bottoms to grow rice and the Tanala to burn to make tavy. A major trend is for coffee plantations to be replaced by sugar cane used to make local rum. A co-management strategy has been enacted by the government to involve local communities in natural resource management but has had little impact. Development institutions, active in the corridor area, have interventions limited to areas easily accessible. Their programmes do not take into account farmers priorities and expectations. A strategy that combines incentives, stakeholder participation and adherence to rules is necessary for the preservation of the corridor. Also, a good transport and communication network is needed to open isolated areas where no development intervention exists. This will need to be complemented by effective education and literacy programmes for local populations.

Key words: farming system, forest products, biodiversity, forest corridor, Fianarantsoa, Madagascar