Analamanga - Madagascar

In the heart of the Malagasy forest, our reforestation project has a double objective: to create garden forests in order to allow local populations to protect their crops and diversify their sources of income; and to raise awareness among the younger generation in local schools.

Overview of the project

Nombre trees to be planted : 60 000 arbres
Species planted : acacia, pin, eucalyptus, oranger, kaki, cerisier du Brésil, etc.
Plantation period : 2021-2022

Context

The island of Madagascar is known for its mountainous terrain, its unique fauna and flora, but also its forests that cover 20% of the territory and are home to a rich biodiversity. Unfortunately, in the recent years, forests have paid a heavy price to human activities. Indeed, deforestation is responsible for the destruction of the island's forest ecosystems, causing soil erosion as well as a dramatic loss of biodiversity.

To counter this phenomenon, preserve natural ecosystems and improve the population’s living conditions, supporting reforestation in Madagascar is a priority. Throughout the project  financed by Reforest'Action and supported by the associations 2400 Sourires and Siel Bleu, trees of various species are to be planted in order to revive the forests’ multifonctionality in the Anamalanga region. Trees will be planted near water sources to help the forest resist heat waves and droughts.

Locally, the associations will raise the population’s awareness on the necessity to adopt agricultural practices that are kinder to the environment : a School of the Forest will be implemented to support this transition and transmit agricultural management practices that positively impact the forest.

Benefits of the project

Founded in 1999 by Romain and Séverine Lagache, 2400 Sourires supports children in Antananarivo, the Malagasy capital. The organisation focuses on two major areas: child protection and the environment. Faced with the disappearance of 85% of the country’s wooded areas over the last 30 years, the association has been setting up reforestation projects for several years.

In partnership with Reforest’Action, the NGO is going to raise the population’s awareness on the issues related to deforestation. It will set up nurseries and carry out various reforestation actions on the region.

The Groupe Associatif Siel Bleu (GASB) is a French association founded in 1997. Since its creation, the members have continued to develop actions for the most vulnerable populations. Every day, Siel Bleu contributes to the improvement of people’s well-being and quality of life.

Through its action in Madagascar, conducted in partnership with Reforest’Action, the association participates
in environmental actions, with multiple benefits for the health of individuals.

In order to prevent future deforestation, our partners will raise awareness among local communities about the importance of preserving forests.

On site, the inhabitants will be directly involved in the production
of seedlings within the nurseries created by the association which will also contribute to the creation of jobs. The local population will actively participate in soil preparation, planting as well as the maintenance of the planted trees in the long term.

At the same time, training programmes in agroecosystem preservation techniques will be deployed in the territories concerned by the project. A School of the Forest, dedicated to teaching forest and agricultural techniques that are kind to the environment, will be established.