Emphasis of game guard training on policing as opposed to natural resource ... prevented the team in Amber Mountain from being productive and creative.
CASE STUDIES ANDOHAHELA, AMBER MOUNTAIN RESERVES, RANAMAFANA & CROCODILE FARMING MADAGASCAR PAUL ANDRE DEGEORGES, 1992
The following case studies are based upon the author’s personal notes and recommendations to USAID Madagascar, WWF/Madagascar and Eaux Et Forets Madagascar in the early 1990’s. Given Western NGO’s and donors staff the programs with a “Protectionist” view of “Conservation,” which has nothing to do with conservation, it doubtful many of the recommendations were implemented. The key to note here is:
Inability of Western controlled NGO and government staff to distinguish between Preservation and Conservation Attempts to impose tree plantations, mostly of exotic species, on local populations living next to natural forests who lived off the natural resources from the forests Environmental education messages by the Western driven program giving children messages of don’t use the forests, the opposite of what they were learning from their parents – to use the products of the forests for survival The feeling by the local communities that the forests belonged to them but were stolen from them by the colons and now government/NGO’s Emphasis of game guard training on policing as opposed to natural resource management and community relations Due to remoteness and cost of access for international tourists, limited possibility for economic sustainability from Ecotourism alone Unwillingness by Western donors and NGO’s to help Madagascar valorize its forest products, even though at the time, one of the largest open air markets in the World, selling forest products, opened each Thursday in the Antananarivo square, and a thriving aquarium trade existed, with benefits primarily to middlemen.
SUMMARY OF AMBER MOUNTAIN/ANDOHAHELA EVALUATIONS While the Andohahela Reserve Project appears much further along than the Amber Mountain Project, much of this appears to be due to the personnel problems that have persisted and prevented the team in Amber Mountain from being productive and creative. Both projects started out some years ago with reserve protection in mind as the priority. Only in recent times has the conservation community begun to really look into how to protect biodiversity through alleviating rural based poverty. Considering this, they have made great strides in a very short amount of time. What these projects need to consider is where they might place their emphases over the next few years in order to truly link conservation to development. For this to occur, there will have to be compromises on the part of the villagers, WWF and DEF (Direction des Eaux et Forêts/Malagasy Water and Forestry Service). The reserve management plans must be developed in collaboration with the villages. Key decisions, such as no one can use the reserves are a form of imposition and neo-colonialism which desperate people are likely to ignore unless they are in on such decisions to find viable economic alternatives to meet their everyday needs and to gradually develop their communities. One must ask, who are these reserves for if they are not first and foremost for the peripheral communities living in the area. Given projected population pressures in Madagascar (From 12 million people in 1990 to over 30
million by 2020), unless communities are 100% behind what the projects are trying to do, in the long run these areas will not be sustainable. Local people must feel the reserves are beneficial and belong to them and their children. How to develop this feeling of stewardship is the key to solving the puzzle. Therefore, the local people must be involved in key decisions such as are these areas to be zones of exclusions, or are there needs for multiple use areas? Is allowing a community to valorize a Forets Dominial an ample tradeoff for not touching the reserve? Everyone must come out in a win/win situation!! Ultimately, it is hypothesized, that the quicker these natural areas are seen as economic resources for the rural communities, best left in a natural state, as compared to being converted to pasture or farmland, the greater the likelihood that the reserves will survive in the 21st century. This means a willingness on behave of WWF to begin looking at how to valorize these forest areas, both the reserves and the Foret Dominial, as major sources of rural wealth. The real gold mines of Madagascar may very well be its natural forest products which currently only benefit a few, least of all the rural villager. How to take advantage of this untapped wealth and how to assure that the flow of revenue streams adequately reach the rural countryside may be one of the determinants as to whether these projects succeed or fail and whether they can be sustainable economically. In order to do this both projects will have to look deeply within. There is a need for a number of major changes. These changes will be expensive and the difficulties of attaining the above objectives extremely difficult and risky given the physical hardships which will have to be endured and the isolated nature of many of these areas. USAID, should strongly consider decreasing its support to a large number of protected areas and increasing its support to a few areas, if there is any hope to see success. The manpower and material costs to see these projects evolve into the next phase will be high. These are no longer small simple park/reserve projects but extremely complex attempts at innovative ideas combined with classical approaches to rural development, natural resources management and park/reserve management. Traditionally, each of these has been dealt with sectorially as separate projects. Now we are asking almost the impossible, to link them together and we are trying it with what might be considered skeleton crews. This will have to change if there is to be any hope for success. Furthermore, the problem is made that much more complex because unlike large African herbivores, little is known about the life histories of the plants and animals which should be managed and valorized. However, this is no reason to not proceed forwards. Actions must be undertaken cautiously, using the "Adaptive Management Philosophy." The following are areas or changes in direction which these projects should consider taking. They are detailed in the evaluation reports:
Conservation "the wise and sustainable exploitation of natural resources for economic purposes" “not Preservation” is the message which should be preached to the rural community and which should be the basis for all of the above activities. Develop Long-Term 5 Year Plans with the major objective of how to increase rural wealth through sustainable natural resources management as the basis for development. Increase The Number Of Technical Advisors And Malagasy Counterparts Project Manager/General Administrator Natural Resources Planner Agronomist/Soil Scientist Socio-economist/Rural Developer Park Manager
There should be no technician/scientist trying to run and operate such a complex project. Each of these groups should have at least a master’s degree level of education, or a B.A. with a number of years of practical experience. Each group will need a support team of technicians. This will be expensive. These people will be further supported by a large number of short-term consultants who must produce timely products that will provide the key information needed to develop reserve/peripheral area management plans. They will be programmed into the five year plan which will be upgraded annually. Integrated Collection Of Spatially Defined Baseline Data. Consideration should be given to determining whether the emphasis for collection of this data should be placed in the reserve or in the Foret Dominial, depending upon the particular village and where they have access to major resources. Compromise, negotiation and flexibility with the rural community will be the determinant here. The collection of baseline data should be as much for economic purposes as for scientific. It should have a very practical applied side to its design. Development of Regional Forestry Inventory Teams, to work with or on the projects. They should be multi-disciplinary and consist of a socio-economist, silviculturist, herpetologist and botanist who can go into a particular forest and determine the kind and quantity of economic resources which might be exploited to drive rural development and/or operate the reserve complex. This may be linked to the WWF Dept Swap Project. On-Farm Analyses should begin with chemical/physical analysis of soils, and in the case of irrigation, flow and water quality. Other limiting factors such as climate and pests must be identified. This along with market data should be used to determine the best use of the area's agricultural lands as a sustainable economic resource. Once this is better understood, investments can be made in this area. This should not be time consuming or lengthy in its design. Mapping. All of the above information should be mapped out using the 1:25,000 photographs that have or will soon be made available. Eventually, this information should go onto a GIS if the Biological Planning Service becomes a reality. Reserve/Complex Adaptive Management Plan. A basic plan can be set up fairly quickly based upon what is currently known in an area. This must be made in consultation with the rural people. Since this process will be reiterative in nature, as better information is obtained from the above activities, better decisions will be made. Environmental Education in the schools should be practical and send a conservation message to the children that their natural resources are God given and there for them to respect and use wisely. Preservation messages such as "don't touch the forest" are counterproductive and completely contrary to the non-formal education which they are receiving from their parents as to how to survive in a very harsh and unforgiving environment, the forest and its products being one of the critical links to their lives. There should be practical conservation oriented activities such as 1) How and when to have a controlled fire for pasture management, 2) How to sustainably use a forest, 3) Lessons on basic government regulations to obtain permission to exploit natural resources, 4) Introduction to soil conservation principals, and improved or new crop varieties, etc.
DESCRIPTION Description Of Study Area. The Reserve Naturelle Integral d'Andohahela, situated in the southeastern corner of Madagascar, was created in 1939. It consists of three areas:
Parcelle No. 1 = 63,100 ha = Eastern Rain Forest Parcelle No. 2 = 12,400 ha = Dry Forest (Semi-arid) Parcelle No. 3 = 500 ha = Transition Forest)
Parcelle 1 contains typical plant taxa such as Tambourissa spp., Symphonia sp. and numerous palms such as Chrysalidocarpus sp. The lemurs, Propithecus diadema and Microcebus rufus are typical of this area. Parcelle 2 is dominated by southern spiny bush formations including Alluaudia procera, A. dumosa, A. ascendens, and Euphorbia spp. The lemurs, Propithecus verreauxi verreauxi and Microcebus murinus are found in this environment. Parcelle 3 was established to protect the endemic palm tree Neodypsis decaryi. The Andohahela Reserve Complex contains over 100 species of birds and 14 species of lemurs making it the single richest protected area in the world for prosimian primates. About 75% of the plants and animals found within this reserve complex are endemic to Madagascar. This area also serves as a critical watershed for the region. Its conservation is essential in order to assure adequate water flow for the cultivation of rice, the nutritional basis of the people living in the area. Ethnicity. The project study area is dominated by two major ethnic groups. While both groups farm (irrigated rice and upland manioc and corn) to feed themselves, cattle are raised as a sign of wealth. During hard times, as with the current drought, cattle are sold to buy food. Cattle also supply milk. Other than what is taken from the forest (e.g. sanglier, lemur, nuts), milk is one of their few sources of protein: The Antanosy ethnic group, dominate in eastern portion of study area approximately cutting in a N/S direction between Parcelles 1 & 2. Traditionally pasture land is family owned or village owned. The Project is working with them to undertake controlled burning for pasture management. Traditionally, burning of pasture, to improve the quality of the new grass, is undertaken just before the rains. The project is working with them to burn after the first rains in order to minimize destruction of forests which prior to this are extremely dry and flammable. It should be noted that uncontrolled fires right before the rains "Feu de Contra Saison" are considered to be, in addition to tavy (slash and burn agriculture), the major cause for forest destruction in Madagascar. Proper fire management of pastures should therefore be considered a priority, especially in this area of dry, highly flammable spiny forests. Men gather firewood. The Antandroy ethnic group dominate in the western half of the study area around "Parcelle 2" in spiny forests where fires for pasture management are not traditionally practiced. It is therefore not necessary to control feu de brousse related to pasture management. Traditionally this area is open range with little feeling of ownership (Open Access), making the idea of managing the range or controlling carrying capacity of the range much more difficult. Females gather firewood.
Cattle rustling or "malaso" is a major problem in this area. Groups of up to 50 rustlers armed with AK47's and spears "Sagaie = Lefona” will give a village twenty-four hours to clear out upon which they descend on the area to steal cattle and to pillage. Development Issues. The people living in this area are among the most impoverished in the world. For the last four years they have been faced with a major drought. Signs of malnutrition are evident among children (extended bellies and orange hair). Due to isolated conditions from poor roads, access to health facilities are virtually non-existent. Public health is a major problem. Pit latrines were not observed in any of the villages. In one village 7 people had died within the week, apparently from intestinally related problems. Maintenance of Micro-Barrages for Rice Irrigation. The people living around the reserve complex rely mostly on irrigated rice culture and rainfed manioc/corn as the basis of their diets. A major problem in the area appears to be a lack of wealth and organization to maintain and operate micro-barrages for irrigated rice. Many of these barrages date back to colonial days. Many have been repaired by the French, the Malagasy government or others only to fall in disrepair 5-10 years later, cutting off the people from their major source of preferred food supply. People and Natural Resources. The people are integrally linked to the forests, both the reserve complex and what appears to be a large area of Forets Dominial in the peripheral zone that are basically unmanaged. Major uses of the forests are for the grazing of animals; collection of honey, wild yams, wild fruits/nuts and medicinal plants; hunting of pigs and lemurs; collection of firewood; exploitation of construction wood both for personal or commercial purposes, collection of plants for commercial purposes (e.g., pachypodium), extraction of semi-precious stones and minerals (e.g., mica). As a result of unsustainable practices such as unmanaged burning and conversion of forests to farm land, there has been a major loss of forest habitat over the last few centuries. Concern exists that, increasing populations, along with poverty, will place even greater pressure on forests in both Andohahalea Reserve and in the peripheral Forets Dominial over the next decade and into the 21st Century. For instance: Ì
Parcelle 1 is being encroached upon in some areas for tavy (slash and burn agriculture), especially the western edges. There is some localized clear-felling of timber. Hunting is common for tenerecs, lemurs and birds along the eastern edge. Parcelle 2 is vulnerable to fire. It is estimated that as much as 50% of this reserve has already been converted to pasture. Alluaudia procera, A. ascendens and other hardwoods are exploited for construction and firewood. Villages within the parcelle are gradually expanding their zone of exploitation. Little of the riparian tamarind forest remains along the Mananara River. Grazing of livestock is common place and virtually uncontrollable. There is a danger of uncontrolled harvesting of trees for charcoal production. There is unregulated hunting for tenrecs and the radiated tortoise (Astrochelys radiata). Parcelle 3 has suffered a gradual degradation through selective cutting and collection of plants, including seeds and seedlings of the palm, Neodypsis decaryi. Charcoal makers are close to the edge of this parcelle. They prefer the following species of trees to make charcoal: Malagasy Name Scientific Name Katrapay Hazompoly Hazomena bois d'ebine Acacia
Cedrelopsis grevei Croton sp. Bussea perrieri
Concern exists that this may not be sustainable, as the rotation cycle may be too long. This needs further investigation. Objective Of Evaluation. This evaluation will determine accomplishments to date of the "Andohahela Conservation And Development Project, Madagascar. It will recommend activities and directions that should be taken that will increase rural wealth from sustainable natural resources management. The ultimate goal will be to stimulate the rural economy of the population living in the peripheral zone contingent to the reserve complex , taking the small farmer out of his/her cycle of poverty into a market economy, providing an incentive to the farmer to conserve the natural resource base through valorization of these resources. For the purpose of this evaluation, Renewable Natural Resources may be broken down into two major categories:
On Farm including soils and water for irrigation In-Forest or Wildlands including trees, plants and animals
The evaluation team consisted of the same team that evaluated Amber Mountain, with the exception of Monique Andriamanandreo, the Head of Aires Proteger for DEF who replaced her husband Fidi Jose. Andohahela Project Team. It consisted of: Victor Rasolonirina, Chef De Projet National; Zigzag Randria, Chef Conservation; Louisette Hajarisoa Razafinindrafara, Chef; Jonny Alain Ralambo, Animateur de Projet; Evariste Andrianarijaona, Educateur de Projet; Themistocle, Ndrianasolo, Chef Chantier; Nataud, Chef Pepinieriste The following observers accompanied this team in the field, served as background references and provided input: C J Rushin-Bell, USAID Environmental Officer; Shiela O'Connor, Principal Technical Advisor, and Head of Protected Areas, WWF/Mad; Ira Amstader, Madagascar Program Officer, WWF/Washington. Additionally, the team was met in the field during a portion of its stay by Johanna Durbin and Roger XXXX her ESSA counterpart, who are looking at forest product use by villagers. TECHNICAL EVALUATION CONSERVATION FINDINGS CONSERVATION Linkages To Threats Of Biodiversity. As in the Amber Mountain Project, activities are oriented to in-park and classical on-farm rural development. As in Amber Mountain, there is a "Cook Book Approach" to rural development. Conservation The Missing Link. Once again, the missing link is "Conservation." As noted in the Amber Mountain Evaluation, there is major confusion over the definition of this word, its current use being the establishment and preservation of the reserve complex "Preservation" rather than its real meaning, "the wise and sustainable exploitation of natural resources for economic or subsistence purposes." As currently, being undertaken, it is not evident that providing villages with tree and vegetable nurseries and mini-barrage repairs will change their attitude towards the forests and natural resources in general. Questionable Value of Tree Nurseries in Peripheral Areas. As in the Amber Mountain Project, while the nurseries promote use of trees for firewood and construction, the people who have access to nearby natural forests for these purposes, prefer fruit trees. Similar observations and concerns were raised by the WWF forestry consultant in his assessment of the classified forests and plantation noted below. In essence, as established, these nurseries are more imposed upon than desired by the local people as a development tool. In fact in about every conservation and
development project in Africa today one will find tree nurseries as part of the "Cookbook Recipe" for development. Tree nurseries are quick to establish, good show pieces for visiting diplomats, but in no way shape or form resolve the complex and difficult project of natural forest management and the need of villagers to access these resources as part of their daily survival. Current trees being promoted include: Species
Purpose
Indigenous/Exotic
Project Area
Cajanus cajan
Legume/Food
Exotic
East
Leucaena leucocephala
Agroforestry Exotic Toxic to lemurs
East
Tephrosia vogelii
Agroforestry Pest control
Exotic
East
Eucalyptus citriodora
Firewood/ Construction
Exotic
East
Eucalyptus rostrata
Firewood/ Construction
Exotic
West
Alluaudia procera
Firewood/ Construction
Endemic
West & Central
Cedrelopsis grevei
Firewood
Endemic
West & Central
Neodypsis decaryi
Roofing
Endemic
Central
Vetiveria zianioides
Anti-erosion grass
Exotic
East, West & Central
Note: Have not begun to investigate appropriate agroforestry trees for Central and Western areas of project. Source: Nataud, Chef Pepinieriste Micro-Barrages And Watershed Protection. It is acknowledged that it should be in the villagers’ interests to protect the watersheds draining into the mini-barrages. While this is laudable, if one was to quantitatively delineate the area of the watersheds draining the project's micro-barrages, relative to the total forested area within the project, it would likely be less than 1%. This is the start of consciousness raising to the importance of forest cover to the villagers future, but it is only a small piece of a bigger puzzle which must be solved. Perception That Reserves Are "Banks Or Stores" Of Agricultural Land Waiting To Be Put Into Production. In the village of Anbatoabo, the retired Chef De Post De Reserve explained that the only reason the people left Parcelle 2 alone in his area is because for them the Wasa "Whiteman" was like God and if he said to leave the area alone they obeyed. When asked what they would do if the "Wasa" gave it back to them, he said that most of the forested areas in the flat lands would be cut over for rice fields. If this is typical, it is obvious that most people see no economic value of the reserve complex other than as a "bank of farm lands" waiting to be put under production. He did acknowledge the importance of forests as providing the "Fruits From God." However, in many instances, it would appear that currently, the overriding need to survive
would result in rapid destruction of the forests unless they were protected. The question has to be, how to turn things around so that local people see it in their vested economic interest to preserve these areas. Perception Reserve Stolen From People By The State. The English PhD candidate and her counterpart are finding that most people consider the reserve as belonging to them but as having been confiscated by the State. The people are still using the forests to meet their basic needs. Depending upon which is closer, the people use either the reserves or the Forets Dominial to access forest products. This would indicate that in the long run it would be better to help them manage and access "their resources" in a controlled manner than to cut them off. Socioeconomic studies addressing this issue will be the key to understanding how this can best be accomplished. Natural Resources Management And Resource Valorization, The Key to Changing People's Attitudes and to Increasing Rural Wealth. It takes a minimum of 7-10 years for a Eucalyptus to reach 10 cm in diameter and up to 30 years to attain a DBH (Diameter Breast Height) of about 40 cm given the low rainfall conditions of the study area. Instead of trying to convince people to plant a few firewood trees around their living complex for which reasons they are perplexed, if tomorrow these projects began aiming towards valorizing natural forest resources, great strides could be made in 7-10 years in not only assuring the future of forests in the area but in increasing rural wealth from taking advantage of these utilized but undervalued resources. The villagers' lives and survival are integrally linked to these natural resources and it is unlikely they are about to suspend accessing these resources to meet their daily needs. For instance, when the head of the evaluation team interviewed a group of school children, he was asked, "Why shouldn't we go into the forest to hunt." The project staff and WWF should be asking themselves this same question!!! However, there appears to be a growing awakening by WWF headquarters staff and to some degree the project that “conservation” as the "missing link" must be fulfilled:
A consultant has recently completed preliminary analyses of 1) A 1,030 hectare eucalyptus plantation at the Station Forestiere de Fanjahira which could supply charcoal to Fort Dauphin and 2) The natural Classified Forests of Tsitongambarika I (19,530 ha) and Tsitongambarika II (29,400 ha). In all cases recommendations are made as to how local villagers can be given responsibility for and exclusive rights to economically benefit from sustainable exploitation of the commercial tree resources within these areas (Reports provided by WWF). While exemplary, these areas are located on the southeastern edges of Parcelle 1 and would have little or any impact, economically with regard to natural resource use to the majority of the population living within the project area. To date no thought has been given to working with the 13 pilot villages to manage the Forets Dominial contingent to where they live and which are certainly used on a daily basis by nearby inhabitants. This will be extremely critical because as villagers are encouraged to stay out of the reserve complex, it is likely that increased pressures will be placed on the Forets Dominial. Without sustainable management plans, these areas could be rapidly degraded. The WWF/Madagascar head of protected areas is even talking of some multiple use areas being established within the reserve complex for those villages who are closer to the reserves than to Forets Dominals and thus depend heavily on these areas for their survival. If this occurs it would be a major step forward and a major change in direction for WWF in Madagascar.
An English PhD student and her Malagasy counterpart from ESSA are undertaking assessments of forest product use and attitudes towards forests by inhabitants of two villages (????) within the project study area (Reports not provided by WWF!!).
An ESSA student is undertaking a master’s degree study to determine if the extraction of certain forest resources is sustainable. This is certainly a beginning, and a very good beginning for a project that has only been running since 1988 and which was originally designed with an emphasis on reserve management "Preservation" in mind. It is believed that major and innovative changes will be observed in these and other projects over the next year as people begin to delve into the question of sustainability.
The Need To Redefine And Sensitize Various Groups To Conservation. One critical point that must be brought out is that there will have to be a concerted effort on behave of WWF to begin reaching out to the project staff, DEF, the University and the donors on these issues. It is obvious that this is a new concept, especially when related to park/reserve complexes to most everyone in Madagascar. When asked what the word "Conservation" meant, not one of the project staff could define it, other than to say it was "something however vague" linked to development. Even the DEF head of Aire Proteger continually used conservation to mean development of parks and reserves. As pointed out in the Amber Mountain Project, it is doubtful that economically, the park/reserve complex will generate sufficient wealth, as classically managed to pay for itself let alone support sustainable rural development. Creative and innovative ideas must experimented with on a pilot basis by this and other such projects in searching out a solution that will provide rural inhabitants with an incentive to protect these natural forested areas through economic development linked to conservation in its truest sense. The Lack Of Long Term Project Planning. As in the Amber Mountain Project, there is no real vision of where this project should be in 5 years and what integrated activities will be needed to assure long term sustainability of rural development through natural resources management. Currently, what little long term planning takes place, appears to be out of Antananarivo and Washington, D.C. and not by the project staff. Inadequate Long Term Technical Assistance. As in Amber Mountain, unless higher levels of technical assistance (Malagasy and Expatriate) is brought in, many of the real issues of this project will not be adequately addressed. Staff Training. It would appear that training to date has primarily been of APN's (Agents Pour Le Protection De La Nature) and nurserymen:
Training of 12 APN's (Agents Pour Le Protection De La Nature), and 3 Chef Secteur
three times for a week each. Orientation Of APN's Towards Conservation Development As The Main Solution To Protected Area Management. It appears that unlike the Amber Mountain Project, APN's are used more for reserve management activities including trail breaking, boundary marking and sign posting, obtaining forest cutting permits. However, where they currently lack training is in natural forest management. It appears that the proposed WWF Dept. Swap program will help address this issue. The Lack Of Village Income Generating Activities Linked To Conservation. This project is much further along in its thinking than the Amber Mountain project as noted under.
Lack Of Literature Review And Development Of Project Library. As in Amber Mountain this is a major shortcoming that needs to be overcome. The Lack Of Systematically Designed Data Base Collection. As in Amber Mountain this is a major shortcoming. It appears that any planning for this takes place out of WWF headquarters in Antananarivo. The project staff are peripherally involved in facilitating the scientist's work upon his/her arrival. As noted, since there is no long term planning, it is not evident when, where, what kind and for how long various experts are needed in order to develop sustainable reserve complex management plans. The National Project Director had no record except for the last 3 months of 1991 and January 1992 of visitors to the project site. He has never received one final report from these visiting scientists, though he claimed to have seen the forestry consultant's report. The Reserve Conservator has never used any information from these studies for the purpose of park management. It is assumed that what exists, as in the Amber Mountain Project, is stored in Antananarivo. It is unclear whether the studies currently undertaken are just species lists or whether they contain mapped out habitat data. Fire Management Plan. The Reserve Conservateur appears to have made great progress in this area. According to him, he is beginning to work with the Antanosy in the eastern portion of the study area to undertaken controlled burning of pasture land. Ten meter firebreaks are established and DEF participates in lighting the fire. Rather than burn at the end of the dry season, burning is encouraged after the first rains. If this is in fact happening over a large enough area, he should be encouraged to write this up and publish how and why this is working while with most traditional pastoralists today, obtaining their collaboration is very difficult. This could be a major success story. It should be remembered by all who read this report that it is not using a forest or natural resource, especially by traditional people using low levels of technology, that is so destructive, but taking it completely out of production such as through destructive burning practices or through converting forest to farm land. Approximately 54 out of 60 km of firebreaks have been delimited around the reserves. Appropriate Technologies. As noted in the Amber Mountain Project Review, it is not evident that imposing tree nurseries on rural communities living next to natural forests, who use the forests for a myriad of forest products, will have a major impact on changing their attitudes towards these forests and their use of these forests. On the positive side, the APN's are playing a major role in beginning to work with villagers to regulate and obtain legal permission to harvest forest products. Malagasy Research Opportunities. One Malagasy PhD candidate is being funded by WWF (?by this project?) to study the life history and ecology of one of the rare palms, Neodypsis decaryi in Parcelle 3. Another ESSA master’s candidate is being funded to study the effects of forest use by villagers on the local ecology, while another ESSA student is working as a counterpart to the English socio-economist studying forest product use within the study area.
INDICATORS OF PROJECT IMPACTS, CONSERVATION can include but not be limited to:
Same as for Amber Mountain Review, plus Enough rural wealth generated that communities that are organized and who can afford the inputs to maintain and operate their mini-barrages without donor support
AMBER MOUNTAIN EVALUATION, DEGEORGES 1992 1.0 DESCRIPTION ”General•. The purpose of this evaluation is to (1) determine the current progress made by the Amber Mountain Project (See Map) with regard to linking conservation to improving the lives of rural residents living around the park through sustainable development, while assuring the long term maintenance of biodiversity; and (2) provide suggestions for improvement in areas where the evaluation team noted deficiencies. This evaluation took place between January 8-13, 1992 in the field. Team members consisted of:
Robert Brandstetter, Sociologist, Team Leader Fidy Jose Andriamanandro, Forester, Chef de la Station "Suivi des Projets a la Division Appui, Suivi et Statistique a la Direction des Eaux et Forets Rasolofo Andriamahaly, Chef Dept. Suivi et Evaluation et Planification, ANGAP (Association National de Gestion des Aires Protégées/The National Association for the Management of Protected Areas) Jean Marc Andriamanantena, USAID Environmental Assistant Camille Nirina Rajohnson, USAID Controller's Office Peter Gilruth, Natural Resources Andre DeGeorges, Natural Resources, USAID/REDSO/ESA/REA (U.S. Agency for International Development, Regional Economic & Development Office, East & Southern Africa, Regional Environmental Advisor)
The following observers accompanied this team in the field, served as background references and provided input:
C J Rushin-Bell, USAID Environmental Officer Roy Hagen, Chief Technical Advisor, ANGAP Olivier Langrand, Technical Advisor, WWF (World Wildlife Fund)/Madagascar Shiela O'Connor, Principal Technical Advisor, WWF/Mad. Ira Amstader, Madagascar Program Officer, WWF/Washington
Additionally, the team was accompanied in the field by various staff members of the Amber Mountain Project team. The following comments are made based upon interaction with project staff, review of technical and background documents, but most importantly by field observations and discussions with villagers and/or field staff. It can be argued that most of Madagascar is in a crisis situation with regard to its human and natural resources, primarily due to ever increasing human populations and antiquated policies that are often out of tune with the realities of modern times. In such instances innovative thinking must take precedent over the status quo if there is to be any hope for the future of these resources, the people of Madagascar and the island as a whole. Given this reality, it is imperative that the Government of Madagascar, the donors and the international conservation community rethink where they are heading in helping conserve the unique natural resources of this island and in improving the lives of the country's rural inhabitants. To date there has been an "Agricultural Bias" by country, donors and conservationists as the major solution to improving the lives of Madagascar's rural inhabitants and in protecting its remaining biologically diverse natural areas. Too much emphasis has been placed on crop production when as one of WWF's chief technical advisors recently explained, "the gold mines of this country are in its natural resources which as currently exploited are benefitting only a few people." In many areas of the country,
Madagascar's wildland natural resources may have a comparative economic advantage over crop production. In order to conserve these natural resources, policies must be adopted which look beyond crop production and which favor "Food Security" over "Food Self-Sufficiency" taking Madagascar's rural poor out of their cycle of poverty into a moneyed economy. Poverty is one of the major reasons for both environmental and human degradation on this island. This evaluation will look at creative and innovative ways to conserve Madagascar's unique natural areas through turning them into economic resources linked to rural development. Description of Study Area. The park reserve system of Madagascar contains 1.9 % of Madagascar's territory. There is an additional 17% of Madagascar's territory that contains natural forest cover in the form of Forets Dominial (Community Forests) and Classified Forests. The Amber Mountain Complex contains a representation of nearly all terrestrial ecosystems that exist in the north of Madagascar. The complex consists of one park and three reserves totaling about 90,000 hectares. This park/reserve complex is fortunate to be surrounded by many community forests. If managed, these forests could serve to take the pressure off of and provide an alternative source of income to villages living in the peripheral areas of the park/reserve complex in return for their protection of the complex. Both parks/reserves and community/classified forests are the day to day enforcement responsibility of DEF. The newly created nongovernmental organization, ANGAP is responsible for the coordination and management of parks and reserves through contracts with "Operators" or conservation/local NGO's. The community and classified forests are under the management responsibility of DEF. The park/reserve complex consists of the following:
Parque National de la Montagne d'Ambre. This is Madagascar's first national park (18,200 ha) established in 1958. It is lies 40 km north of Antsiranana (Diego Suarez) and serves as the major water reserve for this important fishing port and commercial center. The park varies in altitude between 850 and 1,474 meters and experiences as much as 3,500 mm of rain annually compared to less than 1,000 mm for nearby Antsiranana. This tropical mountain forests contains two rare species of lemurs, Eulemur coronatus and. In also contains magnificent vistas such as crater lakes and cascades. This park suffers from in-forest planting of bananas and qat/khat (a mild narcotic used by Muslims in Antsiranana), logging of hardwoods, and encroachment by peripheral farming areas.
Reserve Speciale de la Foret d'Ambre. This is a degraded forest of about 4,810 ha lying just north of the park that acts as a buffer zone for the park.
Reserve Speciale d'Ankarana. This "sacred" reserve (32,000 ha) is a rugged and relatively inaccessible karst area with unique formations such as the jagged sharp edged tsingy (pinnacle karst), over 80 km of magnificent caves with subterranean rivers that contain large eels and crocodiles (Crocodylus niloticus). Rare lemurs, the aye-aye (Daubentonia madagascariensis) and Propithecus diadema perrieri live in the park. One of the biggest problems is associated with savanna grasslands found within the reserve. Right before the rainy season these areas are burned to provide fresh grass for unaccompanied herds of cattle that move through from the south. At this time of the year, such fires are believed to negatively impact forest cover resulting in the death of
trees and gradually resulting in the expansion of the savanna over the forest. There also appears to be some practice of Tavy (slash and burn agriculture).
Reserve Speciale d'Analamerana. (34,700 ha) consists of undisturbed tropical forests and serves as an important watershed.
2.0 TECHNICAL EVALUATION CONSERVATION 2.1 FINDINGS CONSERVATION
(A) Linkages to Threats on Biodiversity. Currently there appears to be little or no linkage between project activities and the long term sustainability of biodiversity. Activities consist of two types:
Park Activities such as delimiting park boundaries, renovating park headquarters, establishing guard posts and improving the access road. Classical On-Farm Rural Development Activities including establishing nurseries (11), demonstration centers (2), pilot villages (5) where tree nurseries and vegetable seed propagation activities are undertaken, and selecting innovative farmers to demonstrate improved seeds or agricultural practices.
It is not obvious that the villagers see any relationship between park activities and development. Most of the people interviewed saw the project as something to basically provide them with handouts such as free tree seedlings. It is obvious that tree nurseries will not significantly decrease the pressure on the exploitation of natural forests. The closer villages are to natural forests, the less likely they are to select trees from a nursery for firewood, charcoal or construction purposes. For instance, in the village of ANTSALAKA, located only 3 km from Amber Mountain National Park with both park and community forests in the vicinity, villagers preferred fruit tree seedlings which can provide them with a regular source of revenue. In the village of ANIVORANO-NORD, located 12 km from the park and apparently far from community forests, most of the farmers preferred non-fruit trees, especially Eucalyptus spp. for the purpose of construction materials (See Attached Table).
TABLE FRUIT TREE SEEDLINGS VERSUS SEEDLINGS FOR CONSTRUCTION CHOSEN BY FARMERS FROM SELECTED VILLAGES AROUND AMBER MOUNTAIN NATIONAL PARK
SPECIES OF TREE LOCAL NAME (Scientific name) Citrodera (Eucalyptus citriodora)
ANIVORANO-NORD NUMBER OF SEEDLINGS DEC 1991March JAN 1992 1991
ANTSALAKA NUMBER OF SEEDLINGS Dec 1991
August 1991
103
74
-
118
Anamironyo 10 Grevillia 55 Rostrata 799 (Eucalyptus rostrata)
204 22
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
86 376 98
110 11 108 -
52 11 3
Tsararavina 19 (Impatiens tsararavina) Pinus 8 *Manga 15 *Orange 40 *Korsioly (Crassol) 16 *Mandarine 13 Leucena 66 Sesbane 66 Otage 10 Toshamtsiko 22 *Angonaro 6 *Paiso (Peche) 3 *Ledisin(Letchy) 29 Ciprece 9 Camal 258 (E. camaldulensis)
SPECIES OF TREE LOCAL NAME
ANIVORANO-NORD NUMBER OF SEEDLINGS DEC 1991March JAN 1992 1991
Antafana *Citron Kohaphy Rhangihazo Maharody Aboringa Madirala Coeziana *Combasa *Konikono *Bibasse *Sakoa *Madixoala *Cacao *Zamalaky *Avocatier *Pomplemousses *Jacquier
15 6 3 -
TOTAL
Number of Farmers Percent of Farmers Selecting Non-fruit Seedlings Distance From Park(Km)
Dec 1991
Aug 1991
34 4 4 7 55 -
8 165 12 09 06 03 20 -
3 87 45 67
964
452
567
9
30
100
45
50
95
19
13
>75%
>75%
12
12
1,571
Percent Fruit Seedlings
ANTSALAKA NUMBER OF SEEDLINGS
0% 3
15% 3
Note:"*" = Fruit Tree Source:
APN's Amber Mountain Project
It is obvious, even if the villagers will not admit to it, in order to survive they are using natural forests, and very likely in the park and reserves, in order to meet subsistence needs (e.g. firewood, medicinal plants, handicraft material) and economic needs (hardwood extraction, charcoal production). The Amber Mountain complex is the major supplier of hardwood and charcoal to Antsiranana (Diego Suarez). This experience is not unique to Madagascar. In The Gambia, when the Forestry Department, in collaboration with foresters from U.S. Peace Corps, made attempts to convince villagers to grow trees for firewood, they refused since there was plenty of "Useless Acacia Bush" nearby. Ultimately, the project was obliged to work with them to grow fruit trees from which they could receive regular economic returns from the sale of the annual harvests. Little or no natural forest management was undertaken as these areas continued to degrade from unmanaged exploitation.
Furthermore, most villagers interviewed have priorities other than tree nurseries such as schools, health clinics, etc. While the project could give them these gifts, it is unlikely that this will result in changing their long term attitudes towards the parks and reserves, though in the short run, it could gain some time until appropriate and sustainable solutions can be found. It would appear that the missing key which this and many current biodiversity projects lack is “conservation” as the critical link between rural development and park protection. In fact, throughout this evaluation, most people have mistakenly used the word “conservation” in place of “preservation” or “park management”. Parks have classically been exclusion zone in which natural resources, because of their biological, ecological, historical or cultural importance are left in a natural state with minimal manipulation by man. As currently managed, most parks in the tropics have and will continue to be zones of conflicts between rural based inhabitants who see these areas as having been imposed upon them. They perceive a need to access the resources in these areas in order to meet their day to day subsistence and or economic needs, while park reserve managers/environmentalists see a need to preserve the last vestiges of biodiversity in these areas. For these areas to survive there will need to be negotiations and compromises made on both sides. Most importantly, innovative ways must be found to bring about economic development to the rural populace living in the peripheral areas of these parks/reserves. Economically, it is doubtful that Amber Mountain or the other reserves in this complex will generate enough revenue from tourism (a non-consumptive preservationist use of resources) to cover the annual expenses of operating and maintaining the park/reserves let alone yield up enough revenue that can be shared with rural communities to the point where it will be in their economic self-interest to protected these areas from misuse. For instance in 1990 with an estimated 3,000 visitors and a gate entry fee of FMG 20,000 (assuming most visitors were foreigners @ FMG 1,000 for nationals), the park produced only $US 33,000. This is insignificant with regards to the needs of operating a park let alone rural development in the peripheral areas. Conservation is the wise and sustainable exploitation of natural resources for economic or subsistence purposes. To date this concept has not been a component of the Amber Mountain Project. It is believed that unless conservation becomes integrally linked to rural development and park management, that in trying to survive from day to day, the forests will gradually be degraded and the park/reserves will be encroached upon by the rural community. This problem is not unique to the Amber Mountain Complex or the other protected areas of Madagascar. At this very moment, many countries that have taken a preservationist attitude toward their natural resources are beginning to acknowledge that unless they wish to have their parks as islands of biodiversity surrounded by humanity, they will have to begin linking protection of their parks to natural resources management in areas peripheral to or adjacent to the parks. In some cases it may even be necessary to delimit portions of non-critical habitat in parks and reserves as multiple use areas aimed towards extractive uses for economic purposes in favor of biosphere reserves. In the case of the Amber Mountain Complex, it would appear that outside of the parks and reserves, there are sufficient Forets Dominial (Community Forests) to permit villages to responsibly manage these forests in return for protecting the park and reserves. Once initiated, conservation activities, based upon sustainable economic development, have the potential to provide a utilitarian education to the peripheral villages in regards to the importance of conserving their resources. This can be offered to peripheral communities as a compromise for setting aside exclusion zones such as parks.
(B) The Lack of Long Term Project Planning. Currently, there is little coordinated long term planning which attempts to integrate the activities of park management, conservation, rural development or environmental education. Researchers come into the area with little or no supervision by the project staff. The National Project Director may be called on the phone by WWF headquarters in Tana (Antananarivo) and told that a particular researcher wishes to come in and asked if this could be of value to the project? The Project Director has never been provided with scientifically designed plans to review or critique prior to the arrival of the researcher so as to be sure that his/her program fits into the overall needs of the project. There has been no systematic attempt to plan what information is needed, what type of specialist should be called, and when over the planning horizon of the project they should be brought in. To date the National Project Director has never received one draft or final report from a visiting scientist or researcher! (C) Inadequate Long Term Technical Assistance. The needs of the protected area management plans are complex and will require an inter-disciplinary team of long-term technical assistants if this project is to succeed. (D) Training Of Staff. To date the following staff training has taken place funded by the project:
DNP = Int Forestry Seminar USA, Management at Centre de Formation des Cadres(CFC)=local Animateur = Animation by CFCoutstanding, Running technical training courses by CFC, Visit Coop Swiss Lova Soa Project Forester = Buffer Zone Management, Uganda (This forester subsequently left the project) Agronome = Agroforestry at ICRAF, Nairobi ???, Organizing Extension Campaign by CFC, Lova Soa Project Visit Educator = Communication by CFC Chef du Reserve = Lova Soa Project Visit Assistant Educator = Lova Soa Project Visit
It is believed that the staff should receive short-term practical training as well as on the job training with visiting researchers and scientists. As an example, the University of Michigan scientist working in vegetational mapping trained people in interpreting and ground truthing satellite imagery. (E) Orientation of APN's Towards Conservation Development as the Main Solution to Protected Area Management. On the positive side, the Agents Pour Le Protection De La Nature (APN's) appear to have some real potential to bring about the linkage of conservation and development. APN's are selected from the villages in which they work. In essence, they are meant to be part of the community and not policemen. There are two Chef APN's and 19 APN's associated with the Amber Mountain Project. Currently, they receive a one week course in map reading, orienteering and basic ecological principals. They are given periodic short courses in nursery management, agroforestry, and basic agricultural principals. From observations in the field, it would appear that they are seen differently by different villages: by some as colleagues and by others as policemen. They appear to be mostly involved in sensitizing the villagers to the parks/reserves, delimiting park boundaries, sensitizing and helping villagers obtain cutting permits from the forestry department (DEF) and establishing Demonstration Centers/nurseries and vegetable seed propagating beds. They appear to have played a major role in getting villagers to stop cultivating in the park and reserves.
Throughout the evaluation, the team heard tales of outsiders paying off the elected president of the Fokontany (Political/administrative area equivalent to a U.S. "County" made up of a number of villages) to sign papers so as to obtain a DEF cutting permit in Community Forests (Forets Dominial). The reaction of the villagers is how can the APN tell us not to cut trees without a permit while we see outsiders coming in and cutting what should be our resources. The APN's do not appear to have adequately addressed this problem. The danger is that unless this is brought under control, as in many areas where the law does not serve the public, they also will begin ignoring the law and return to cutting without a permit. (F) The Lack of Viable Income Generating Activities Linked to Conservation. As things currently stand, it is not evident that the APN's presence will significantly change villagers' attitudes towards natural forests and their exploitation unless the direction of the project turns towards conservation, and the APN plays a more active role in animating the villagers to organize into rural enterprises to sustainably manage and protect the area's forest resources. This will not likely succeed unless it is: (1) based on economic incentives where villagers can see the direct link to the protection of the forests and their livelihood and (2) appropriate training of the APN's. As noted above this may include but should not be limited to:
Establishing rural based tourism guiding and camping services Extraction of major forest products such as tropical hardwoods Extraction of charcoal commercially to supply Antsiranana Extraction of Minor Forest Products such as frogs, lizards, plants, etc for the aquarium and pet trade.
This is somewhat of a new concept that WWF is promoting in an attempt to link rural development to true conservation. (G) Lack of Literature Review and Development of Project Library. Based upon the conversation with DEF officials, when the French pulled out of Madagascar in 1973 at the time of independence, they took much of the historical data and literature with them. Very little is known about what is already known of the project area with regard to biodiversity, natural resource and park management, and agricultural production. A major effort is needed to rectify this lack of information. (H) The Lack of Systematically Designed Data Base Collection. Currently, there appears to be little or no systematically collected data. The former Project Technical Advisor said "To manage a forest, one must understand it. One needs to know the species and their locations, and local land and resource uses in order to know what and how to manage!" To date the following studies have been undertaken:
Survey Of Vertebrates In Ankarana Individual Research On lemurs and Vertebrates University Of Michigan undertaking a vegetational map WWF ethnobotanist, university students and MINISUP using satellite images and 1:25,000 aerial photos to produce vegetational maps (Appears little interaction by staff, one staff member said that a student came for an initial visit in September 1991. Two Americans looked at quality of forest management and the degree of empowerment to local villagers. The University Of Michigan is studying economic conditions and deforestation within the area as part of a worldwide global change project.
To date, none of the findings from these studies are available. It appears that there is no review process set up to assure that the planned study by visiting scientists corresponds to the need of managing the park/reserves or peripheral areas, especially with a geographic reference in mind.
If conservation is to link the protection of park/reserve complex to rural development the following information needs to be collected in a systematic way that can be spatially related on a geographic information system which will be set up by the planned Biological Planning Service (BPS) within ANGAP:
Delineate the park/reserve complex on a map Identify and map Foret Dominial on a map which indicates which villages are using these forests Collect detailed socio-economic data on each Foret Dominial and/or park reserve as to the natural resources currently being used by the rural communities. Establish critical habitat of important plants, animals, geological sites (e.g. cave complexes), or areas of important touristic or cultural value (e.g. sacred areas) that are in need of complete protection. Identify by species the potential for sustainable timber extraction in the park/reserve complex and in the Forets Dominial. Identify commercially valuable minor forest products and their habitat in the park/reserve complex and in the Forets Dominial.
Based upon this information, it will then be possible to determine areas necessary for complete protection versus areas that may be set aside for multiple uses. Negotiations can then begin at a village level to determine where compromises can be reached with regard to protection versus sustainable use of various resources. Out of this will evolve a park/reserve management plan that all parties (e.g. rural community, environmentalists and Government managers) should be able to live with. It is this sort of information that the SAVEM (Sustainable Approaches to Viable Environmental Management) technical analysis previewed and which the design and funding of projects should be based upon. Not only can this information be used to devise management plans but if applied to various diversity indices such as the Shannon-Weaver Index, it can be periodically updated as an "Indicator" to assure that the biodiversity of the system is maintained. (I) The Lack of a Fire Management Plan. There appears to have been no attempt to deal with the issue of fire and park/reserve protection. The biggest problem appears to be uncontrolled range fires set by herders just prior to the rains in order to improve the grasslands for livestock. There is some thinking that a "Feu Precoce" (early burning) in the early dry season in and/or outside of the park/reserves may be a means of improving the quality of grasslands while avoiding the destructive nature of late dry season fires that tend to kill trees which at that time have a low moisture content and are very flammable. (J) Appropriate Technologies. Based upon this evaluation, there is little evidence that any appropriate technologies have been introduced that will encourage rural residents to reduce the pressures on protected areas. As noted above, while APN's have begun to sensitize people as to the existence of a park, the major technology that has been introduced, tree nurseries, does not appear to have a major impact on the possible need to use the natural resources in or outside of the protected areas. As noted above, sustainable use of the natural resources (consumptive and non-consumptive) for economic purposes appears to be the ultimate solution if there is hope for a chance to reduce pressures on the Amber Mountain complex. To date, the project has failed to address this issue, though for the first time in December this idea was discussed with the APN's. Also there is some indication from the socio-economic surveys that some villages desire the exclusive right to control the future of their Community Forests. Furthermore, WWF/Madagascar, who oversees this project, will introduce this concept at the February 1992, 4th World Seminar on National Parks in Caracas, Venezuela.
2.2 INDICATORS OF PROJECT IMPACTS, CONSERVATION can include but should not be limited to:
The number of villages actively involved in sustainably managing their forests. The increase/decrease in illegal activities in the park/reserve complex. The number of rural village based natural resource enterprises and the revenue that they generate. The increase in schools, health clinics and other community services or infrastructure that can be linked to economic wealth generated from sustainable use of the natural resources and/or park/reserve management. The increased use of farm inputs (e.g. improved seed varieties, fertilizer, etc.) based on increased purchasing power from wealth generated by sustainable natural resource management. The maintenance of biological diversity as measured by a quantitative indices and the respect for park/reserve boundaries. Less need for project personnel
2.3 ACCOMPLISHMENTS TO DATE REGARDING PROJECT OUTPUTS, CONSERVATION. USAID's evaluation is based upon WWF/USAID'S agreed-upon project outputs in the "Montagne D'Ambre Complex, Integrated Conservation And Development, Management Plan, Revised July 1989." It should be noted that while the project's chief technical advisor (CTA) had this document and periodically discussed it with the National Project Director (NPD), she never had an official reference copy. There appears to be no French version of this management plan. Her major reference was a short WWF/MPAEF contract document entitled "Complexe Des Reserves De La Montagne D'Ambre, Conservation et Development, Rappel Des Responsibilites Respectives Du MPAEF Et Du WWF," September 1989. While there are some differences between the two documents, they were discussed between the CTA and the NPD. It was understood by the CTA that the WWF/USAID agreement was legally binding. While the French agreement is very general, the WWF/USAID agreement has substantially more detailed and verifiable outputs. Based upon the USAID/WWF agreement, the following has been or not been accomplished:
A. Planned Output: Detailed map of native forest cover, landuse patterns, and sites facing immediate threat within 4 target protected areas Actual Output: o Of the 19 peripheral areas identified and mapped, the areas 1, 3, 4, 8, 10, 11, 16, 15 and 18 have been identified as "Priority Areas" based upon their proximity to the park/reserve complex and based upon human pressures as determined by the current socio-economic studies (See Map). o Vegetational habitat maps are under preparation by both the University of Michigan and WWF/MINISUP. o Currently, no plans have been drawn up to undertake silvicultural estimates of sustainable timber volume in either the park/reserve complex or the community forests. o No Cadastral (Land Tenure) surveys have been undertaken to delimit land tenure. Approximately 50% of the people in the study area appear to be landless. Better understanding this issue could be vital in having land husbandry practices developed and in controlling farm encroachment on forests.
B. Planned Output: Evaluation of native forest utilization around protected areas Actual Output: Socio-economic studies of 17 Fokotany (equivalent of counties in the United States) comprising 63 villages have been conducted which begin to identify forest utilization (See Map).
C. Planned Output: Detailed biological inventories Actual Outputs: There is still a need to design and undertake systematic biological inventories which identify critical plant and animal distributions and their habitat in a spatial manner.
D. Planned Output: Long Term Plans for Montagne d'Ambre National Park and Ambre and Ankarana SR's and preliminary plan for Analamera Actual Output: Currently, no plans exist.
E. Planned Output: Fire protection plan for Montagne D'Ambre and Ankarana Actual Output: Not accomplished, though one small experimental firebreak of a few hundred meters was established along the main road cutting through Ankarana reserve. There has been no attempt to initiate early dry season controlled burning as a pasture management technology, either in or outside of the park/reserve complex as an option to the current repressive policy of making it illegal and uncontrollable.
F. Planned Output: Clearly marked boundaries for Montagne D'Ambre NP, Ambre and Ankarana SR's Actual Output: 1.5-2 meter wide paths, based on compass readings between existing markers, have been cut by APN's. Due to the steeped sloped nature of the topography and the failure to use clinometers under such circumstances it is likely that great inaccuracies exist in the location of these boundaries o o o o
Park National Montagne D'Ambre :16 km out of 80 km Reserve Speciale Montagne D'Ambre: 7 km out of 75 Reserve Speciale Analamera: 4 km out of 90 km Reserve Speciale Ankarana : 30 km out of 70 km
There is still a need to have this undertaken by a trained surveyor either from the Service De Domain et Topographique (appears understaffed and backlogged) or someone from the private sector whose work they will accept as official.
G. Planned Output: A sufficient number of trained and equipped guards for effective protection of Montagne d'Ambre NP, Ambre and Ankarana SR's Actual Output: Currently in addition to the Chef De Parc, there are 2 Chef de Reserves, 2 Chef de APN's and 19 APN's that are trained (See Table – not available). According to the National Project Director, there is a need for an additional 3 APN's and one Chef De Post to complete the staff for the Analamerana (Analamera) Reserve . However, regardless of how many people are placed in the field to protected the park/reserve complex, the future of these natural areas will depend more upon reaching a compromise with the rural community over what natural resources may be exploited as economic resources by the rural community in return for protection of these critical areas.
H. Planned Output: Two completed training courses in conservation and reserve management for forest guards and forestry administration personnel in extreme north Actual Outputs: None
I. Planned Output: Radio communication system for Montagne d’Ambre, Ankarana and Antsiranana Actual Output: None are in place to date.
J. Planned Output: Adequate infrastructure and personnel for long term administration and protection of Montagne d'Ambre and Ankarana
Actual Output: Access road still in need of repair. Park headquarters is still not finished. There is still debate as to whether the old structure is structurally sound and can be renovated (USAID engineer's opinion) or whether the building needs to be demolished and a new site and building placed under construction (WWF's engineer's opinion). The U.S. Department of Defense Army Corps of Engineers will be rehabilitating the main road to the Park in May/June 1992. 2.4 RECOMMENDATIONS, CONSERVATION ACTIVITIES A. Conservation/Development Links. Begin orienting the project towards true conservation and development through sustainable management of community forests "Forets Dominial" in peripheral zones as economic resources that cover the costs of the inputs necessary for rural development. B. Conseillier D'Administration "Steering Committee. Establish a steering committee consisting of but not limited to ANGAP, SPEF, MINIAG, CIREF, MINISUP, COMODE, local governments especially at the village level where the various resource users are to be found, etc. in order to develop more cooperation between the project and agencies responsible for various natural resource management activities. Some people on the project and in WWF feel this may be difficult to realize. However, in collaboration with the WWF Dept Swap project which will train and equip DEF Agents Forestiers and APN's, there is room for an attempt in this area. C. Big Picture Planning. A five year plan is needed, which integrates and programs all aspects of the project. This should include rural development, conservation, park development and environmental education activities. Without this plan the project will continue to undertake activities in a haphazard uncoordinated manner and see little results for its efforts. D. Training of APN's and Agents Forestier. APN's and DEF Agents Forestiers should be oriented towards management of the community forests. This will require basic training in silviculture management. It is possible that the WWF Debt Swap project can collaborate with the project in this area. E. Consider More Involvement of Ministry Of Agriculture Extension Agents. As the role of APN's turns more towards natural forest management, consideration should be given to handing over more of the on-farm rural development such as agroforestry, improved seed varieties and pest control to Ministry of Agriculture extension agents. The project may have to find ways of providing them with transport (e.g., bicycles or motorcycles), per diem and training. F. Equip De Inventaire Forestier. Consider establishing a local forestry inventory team that can carry out inventory of sustainably usable timber or other forest products in the Community Forests and possibly in natural area buffer zones within the park/reserve complex. This team may be associated with the project or SPEF depending on recommendations from the "Steering Committee." Its establishment, training, etc. may be covered by the project or in collaboration with WWF Debt Swap activities. Consideration should be given to linking such activities to the USAID policy reform project "KEPEM" (Knowledge and Effective Policies for Environmental Management) which will be looking at current legal and policy constraints to local stewardship over wildlands natural resources. The Amber Mountain/Peripheral Area complex could serve as a model to test a number of policy reforms. However, the project should not begin waiting for KEPEM to come on line, but begin immediately negotiating with DEF to test various policy reform hypotheses at a village(s) level. G. Developing A Library Of Existing Data. As part of the project planning process that will lead to the collection of baseline data and the development of on-site management plans,
consideration should be given to contacting the Museum of Natural History in Paris and organizations such as CTFT (Centre De Technique De Forets Tropical) to obtain existing information dating back to the colonial era on the Amber Mountain complex and/or on research carried out in other parts of Madagascar that may provide insight into how to best manage the resources in this area for sustainability, and to assure that topics that have already been thoroughly studied are not restudied without purpose:
Socio-cultural research Agronomy/Soils including commercially exported crops Natural Forest management practices Natural History/Biodiversity Research Range Management Speleology and Cave Exploration General Tourism
Prior to more baseline studies that risk to reinvent the wheel, a library of literature should be developed by the project and maintained in a project library as well as left with the biodiversity library being established in ANGAP. It is possible that this could be contracted out to a consultant. H. Collection Of Baseline Data. Until adequate baseline data is available from within the park/reserve complex and within the peripheral areas it will be difficult to clearly understand the interaction between these zones and thus impossible to develop a viable and sustainable management plan which will assure protection of these natural areas while generating economic development for the rural communities in the area. It is recommended that baseline studies be designed and programmed as part of the five year plan in the following areas:
Biodiversity Surveys of plants and animals in the park/reserve complex and within the community forests. They should be GIS (Geographic Information System) compatible and should be evaluated not only for their unique ecological value but also for their potential economical value if exploited on a sustainable basis. Silvicultural Surveys of commercially viable timber within the park/reserve complex and within the community forests that is GIS compatible. Socio-economic Surveys that describe the rural and urban community's interaction with the areas forests and their needs if rural development is to be realized.
Any researcher or scientist wishing to undertake studies in the park/reserve complex or peripheral areas should be required to provide a "Plan" based upon scientific design that will be reviewed and approved by the Steering Committee. A legally binding contract should be signed by the researcher which requires that a draft report on all findings be left behind and that a final report be provided within a given time frame. Such research should be oriented to complement the needs of better understanding and managing the Amber Mountain/Peripheral Area Complex. Close collaboration should take place with the soon to be formed Biological Planning Service (BPS) to select standardized data collection methodologies so that baseline information can be compared against results from the nationwide complex of parks and protected areas. It should also collaborate with BPS to either manually and/or electronically map out the above information based upon photo/satellite image interpretation and ground-truthed transect data. This information can then be spatially overlaid in order to develop park/reserve/peripheral area management plans. Most importantly rather than waiting for a researcher or scientist to haphazardly walk into the picture as part of the long-term planning horizon which should be 5 years, the types of specialist
needed should be programmed over time. This should include but not be limited to botanists, zoologists, silvicultural specialists, businessmen who deal in minor and major forest products, soil scientists, agronomists, integrated pest management specialist, non-traditional agricultural marketing specialists, sociologists, etc. It should be determined whether they are to collect data or train teams to collect data and analyze the data. No one should be allowed in unless they can budget for a Malagasy counterpart who will provide the institutional memory and follow-up once they leave the country. If the project contracts out for what it needs in the area of baseline data, it will have a greater control over the type of data collected and the timely presentation of a report. I. Long Term Technical Assistance. This project has many facets (e.g. park management and development, forest utilization and on-farm rural development) and thus if it is to succeed will require a number of long term technical assistants. Currently, WWF negotiates one year contracts yet says that it has long-term goals of seeing these areas develop. They should take a close look at their pay scale and the length of contract if they hope to draw competent people that will bring over their family for the duration in order to provide continuity to the project. Most people will not do so under the terms of a year to year contract. In discussions with the National Project Director, it was her recommendation that if she could have three long term technical advisors, they should be by order of preference:
A natural resource management planner with big picture planning capabilities who could plan with her and her staff the orchestration of short term technical specialists and trainers over the next 5 years and then work with them to implement this plan. Ideally this person should come out of a silvicultural background given the urgent need to begin valorizing the resources in the Forets Dominial as the primary driving force to rural development. A person with experience in communication and management of people both for the purpose of training people to better reach out to the peripheral communities and of working with each other in an integrated and coordinated fashion on the project. This person might be a overall Project Administrator with experience in both project and personnel management An agronomist/soil scientist who can work with short-term marketing specialists to begin looking at non-traditional agricultural exports given the climatic and soil limitations in various portions of the project area. The goal would be, in addition to natural forest management as an economic resource, to begin helping the farmers go from a subsistence lifestyle to a cash economy maximizing the comparative economic advantage of the farm lands. Rice will provide them with a guaranteed subsistence while appropriate use of their uplands may offer them unique opportunities to enter into a moneyed economy along with appropriate exploitation of their natural forest resources.
Each of these individuals should have a Malagasy counterpart. It is likely that a socioeconomic and park management technical advisor should also be brought into the picture with local host country counterparts. These advisors/planners should be in-country for a minimum of 3 years with an additional 2 year option on their contract. This needs to be studied in detail during the period of project revision and programmed into the new project budget. J. Development of Park/Reserve, Community Forest and Peripheral Area Management Plans. Interdisciplinary teams of sociologists, foresters and rural development specialists(e.g. agronomists/soil scientists) should as part of their field visits begin undertaking interactive community meetings to develop preliminary community based "Bottoms-up" park/reserve/community forest management plans which give more and more local empowerment to control access to and the right to economically benefit from sustainable exploitation of the area’s natural resources with the goal that the revenue from such use will support rural development in the area while preserving the unique and biologically diverse natural resources.
The project should adopt the philosophy of "”Adaptive Management•" which negotiates initial management plans based on current information with the goal of immediately winning over the rural communities through the generation of some revenue and the meeting of basic needs with regards to forest resources. As the baseline studies are undertaken, in collaboration with the rural communities in a given peripheral area more refined decisions can be made with regard to sustainably exploiting the valuable natural resources of the area. For this to succeed the management plans must be developed with the communities and not imposed upon them. Communities must represent both genders, as well as all political and ethnic groups. Equitable distribution of benefits must be decided and documented beforehand. There will certainly be areas where all parties will have to agree to compromise; the communities in agreeing to leave certain areas for complete protection; the environmentalists in agreeing to allow sustainable utilization of certain areas and resources that the rural communities have had to access illegally, or have accessed with great difficulty, or have been completely cut off from accessing as an economic resource that can be the catalyst for rural development. A large part of these plans, where feasible should begin organizing villages into rural-based enterprises to take full advantage of sustainably managing their natural resource base. K. Pasture Management Plan. Through collaboration with the peripheral communities, the project should consider the development of an early dry season controlled burning plan as a means of improving grazing land for livestock and in order to minimize the destructive nature on forest cover of late dry season burns. This may or may not require placing firebreaks. L. Project Sustainability. All baseline surveys should not only be collecting biological data but information on the marketable value of the areas' natural resources if it is used in a sustainable manner. An "”Economic Management Plan" should be drawn up based upon projections of the potential value of the area's resources, along with plans for revenue streams to assure that the rural community, and the resource managers needs are adequately addressed. If deficits are recognized that could put in question the sustainability of the park/reserve complex and its peripheral areas, this must be recognized early on and plans draw up to address these shortcomings. For example typical of forest parks, due to the projected low volume of tourists that will use this area, it is unlikely that sufficient revenue will be generated from tourism to pay for staff salaries, operation and maintenance of buildings, roads, camp facilities, etc. on a sustainable basis. Although this may seem somewhat radical to say, it is hypothesized that in order for the Amber Mountain Complex to justify its existence economically, thus assuring sustainability, portions of the park/reserve complex may have to be set aside for multiple use in order to generate revenue from sustainable exploitation of hardwoods and minor forest products. It is further hypothesized that this can be undertaken without destroying the unique natural beauty of the area, the biodiversity, nor the tourism potential. This is not unique. For example at any one time two thirds of Kruger National Park, South Africa is managed for sustainable use. It is the experimentation with such innovative thinking that should be tried on a pilot basis if there is to be any hope of sustainability without being propped up by the donors.
3.0 TECHNICAL EVALUATION RURAL DEVELOPMENT 3.1 FINDINGS RURAL DEVELOPMENT Land Tenure. From discussions with villagers and the head of the project's socio-economic team it would appear that about 50 percent of the adult population is landless. Even some farmers who own land must rent land from others in order to have sufficient land to feed their families. Furthermore, many of those who are considered traditional owners of their land have no legal title from the government. In order to obtain legal title, one is obliged to have his/her land surveyed by the government Service De Domain et Topographique. This is very expensive for the average farmer and can be a long drawn out procedure. Many farmers have asked the project for money to have their land legally titled. Since the project cannot do this, it is encouraging them and helping them obtain bank loans for this purpose. The failure to have legally registered land can have major implications for the project and for the small farmer: Land Grabbing is already a major problem in the project area. In Joffreville many peasants have had a private agro-industrial company go over the heads of the traditional owners, obtaining legal title to their land and forcing traditional owners in joining the ranks of the landless farmers. These landless farmers have asked the project to help get their land back. As this has not been possible, many farmers look upon the project with animosity. Increased Risk of Encroachment On Park/Reserve Land and on Forets Dominial by these new landless farmers greatly increases. Adoption of Agricultural Improvements by landless tenet farmers is known from past donor experience to be very difficult. Lacking ownership a tenet is unlikely to invest his time or money into husbanding the soils and in adopting new agricultural practices, risking to jeopardize many of the rural development practices put forth by the project. In considering land tenure issues this project should begin looking beyond just ownership of agricultural lands. From an innovative and empowerment point of view, villages or groups should be linked to ownership or exclusive rights to control Forets Dominial and pasture lands. Maps need to be developed as part of this study that geographically demonstrate these linkages as the basis for developing an overall management plan. Socio-economic Studies. As noted (See Table and Map – not available), socio-economic surveys have been made of 17 Fokontanys (political district equivalent to a French "Commune" or an "American County.") and 64 villages or "hameaux. These studies summarize at the level of Fokontany the following information:
General Geographic conditions Social Environment Economic Environment Agriculture. Livestock and Range Management, especially fire control. Fishing. Hunting. Forests, both forest products and names of Forets Dominial used and attitudes towards forests as resources Water management, especially for rice culture.
These studies provide excellent insight into the existing setting and the attitude and basic rural development needs of the different fokontanys around the study area. The next step should be to
enter at a village level into the same type of information, especially linking individual villages to Forets Dominial, understanding their use of the forests and other resources. This should be closely tied to the cadastral survey and should look at the villagers and how they currently managing their farm lands. With this information and the information collected from the forestry and biodiversity surveys, peripheral area management plans can be developed which begin valorizing and helping rural people to begin managing both their on-farm and wildlands natural resources. At this point in time there has been little attempt to interpret these studies or to use them in trying to determine what interventions to make on behave of the villages in order to help them achieve their perceived rural development needs. Regardless of findings the response by the project has been to give them a tree nursery where often their perceived priorities may be schools, roads, clinics and renovation of antiquated irrigation systems and agricultural inputs. Appropriateness of Agricultural Practices Being Promoted.
Tree Nurseries. While of potential value, the only real practices being promoted by the project that were evident during the field visit include (See Table for detailed locations): o o o
Demonstration Centers with tree and vegetable seed propagation nurseries (2) Tree Nurseries (21) Vegetable Seed Nurseries (2)
A five day training course for tree nursery establishment and management was held for project APN's, village animateurs, project nurserymen, village nurserymen, 10 nurserymen from SPEF. As noted in the technical analysis of conservation activities, it appears that tree nurseries will have little impact on decreasing the extraction of hardwood or charcoal from natural forests by villages situated close to the park/reserve complex or near the Forets Dominial. These villages prefer fruit trees from the nurseries over trees for firewood/construction due to the easy access to natural forests.
On-Farm Trials. Though in various project technical and progress reports, it is claimed various on-farm activities are occurring such as terracing for water conservation (e.g., Joffreville) nothing was ever observed by the team members.
Lack of Soil Sampling or Other Agronomic Analyses. There has been no soil testing to determine what if anything physically or chemically in the soils is limiting agricultural production. Even the tree seedlings being grown do not appear to for the most part to be used for agroforestry purposes other than as borders around fields. As noted, most are fruit rather than leguminous trees that can fix nitrogen in the soil. However, in many instances tropical soils have other factors than nitrogen that are limiting such as pH (acidity) and micro-nutrients such as boron and zinc. Furthermore quantity of rainfall and periodicity, days and intensity of sunlight along with other climatic factors can limit the range of crops best grown in a given environment. A number of farmers interviewed requested fertilizer inputs. However, unless soil sampling and other agronomic analyses are is undertaken, it is unclear whether the classic NPK fertilizers will solve the farmer's production problems.
There have been no attempts to assess what to do about pest control as a means of improving crop production. Many farmers interviewed requested pesticides to help in this area. There is a need to look at this issue from the standpoint of integrated pest management. According to the project's head of rural development, in the pilot village of Antsalaka composting, fertilizer and pesticides were tried with minimal improvements in production. At another site demonstration plots were set up where seeds were planted in rows instead of the less labor intensive sowing.
Additionally, weeding was undertaken, something that most farmers do not practice. Although some improvements were observed, they were not significant enough to convince the farmers that the increased investment in labor and money were worthwhile. Unless a soil scientist/agronomist becomes involved in such activities, the expected improvements in on-farm agricultural production will likely continue to be quite limited!! There is a major need for the project to staff up in this area.
Improvements in Rice Irrigation Systems. This is a major issue that comes out in all of the socioeconomic surveys. To date, nothing has been done about this issue.
Improved Cook Stoves. There has been some collaboration with Cooperation Swiss in addressing technical issues. Apparently, as a means of reducing the demand on firewood there has been an attempt to introduce improved cook stove and alternative cooking systems initiated. According to staff members the constituency of the clay used did not lend itself structurally to such activities. It is possible that fired bricks may have to be brought in for such activities.
Other. There have "6" experimental beehives introduced but there has been no success in getting the king and queen bees to begin a colony. APN's are being trained in improved hen houses and poultry raising and as well as livestock related activities. As noted above, this really appears to be the role of animateur villegois or vulgarisateur and not an APN who should be more involved in wildlands natural resource management. o
Village Animateurs. According to the National Project Director, it was is planned that 9 animateur villageois should be recruited. In a memo from the WWF chief technical advisor in Tana, it is suggested that animateurs should be recruited for each village touching the park. To date 2 Village Animateurs have been hired. One resigned and a new animateur was hired to replace him. According to the National Project Director, additional animateurs have been hired because of the difficulty of providing them with adequate training. She envisions that agricultural extension agents "vulgarisateur" from the Ministry of Agriculture be involved as the most practical solution. A similar comment was made by the project head of the rural development department. The animateur's major role should be in agricultural extension "vulgarization." During the field trip no animateur villageois was encountered. It is unclear how the role of animateur/vulgarisateur will be different from the APN at this point in time unless the APN moves away from on-farm activities and becomes more involved in natural forest management as suggested in the technical analysis of conservation. It is also clear that both the APN's and the 2 animateur's are duplicating the role of the Ministry Of Agriculture extension agents. Based upon conversation with the project's head of rural development, the Ministry of Agriculture extension agents "vulgarisateurs" are well trained, in the field but have little or no ability to be effective due to the lack of transport or materials.
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Pilot Villages and Innovators. There are 5 Pilot Villages and 6 innovator farmers-paysans pilots (See Table – not available). These villages are in principal strategically situated so that they may serve to introduce and demonstrate new on-farm technologies that can be adopted by nearby satellite villages. Currently, there is apparently little or nothing being done in these pilot villages, other than tree and vegetable seed nurseries, that local villagers or satellite villages could adopt as appropriate on-farm or in-forest technologies. Furthermore, there was no evident analysis to demonstrate whether there were enough pilot villages that adequately link into satellite villages on a large enough scale to have an impact on conserving park/reserve resources. These spatial
relationships must be studied and mapped out as part of project planning. No innovator farmers were visited. o
Agricultural Marketing. One of the major shortcomings of most small farmers have in entering into a market economy is the need to overcome economies of scale. This requires: o o o o o o
Introduction of the above noted technologies Availability Of Inputs Information on what is economically most viable to cultivate given agronomic/climatic limitations and costs of inputs Helping enough farmers produce crops of a similar quality and quantity that it is economically feasible to develop a market transport and distribution system linked to appropriate middlemen Improved roads into what are isolated areas Helping the small farmers to organize so as to negotiate for their rightful share of the market value for their crops so that it is economically feasible to continue such production.
At this point in time there has been no attempt to bring in a marketing specialist, who, in collaboration with an agronomist/soil scientist could begin to address these issues. 3.2 PROJECT OUTPUTS RURAL DEVELOPMENT The following technical outputs have been planned by the Montagne D'Ambre Complex, Integrated Conservation And Development, Management Plan, Revised July 1989:
Rural Development o
A. Planned Output. An evaluation of socioeconomic trends and requirements for areas surrounding Montagne D'Ambre National Park, Ambre and Ankarana Actual Output: There have been 17 studies completed encompassing 17 fokotanys and 64 villages.
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B. Planned Output. A report on current land tenure status around Montagne d'Ambre, including land potentially available as an alternative to in-forest and inreserve cultivation. Actual Output. Nothing accomplished
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C. Planned Output. Improve tree seed availability and establish pilot nurseries Actual Output. Twenty-one tree nurseries have been established. However, most people, especially those living close to the park/reserve complex or forets dominial still appear to rely mostly on natural forests for hardwood, construction and firewood, while taking only fruit trees from the nursery. Thus there is no strong indication that nurseries in themselves will have a strong impact on taking pressures off of the natural resources.
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D. Planned Output. Trained personnel Actual Output. APN's and nurserymen have been trained in nursery installation and management. APN's have recently been given some training in basic animal husbandry and poultry raising.
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E. Planned Output. Train local personnel working in existing MPAEF village reforestation program Actual Output. There was a basic 5-day nursery installation and management program in April/May 1991 in which 10 nurserymen from SPEF and the project's APN's were trained.
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F. Planned Output. Improved quality and quantity of local vegetable seed availability Actual Output. Seed production at the two demonstration centers of Antsalaka and Joffreville
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G. Planned Outputs. Establish improved crop production activities, including rehabilitation of micro-irrigation schemes where feasible Actual Outputs. Nothing
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H. Planned Outputs. Improved institutional capacity within MPAEF for agricultural and afforestation extension activities Actual Outputs. Nothing, other than one training course in tree nursery installation and management
Water Utilization o o
Planned Output. Recommendations for sustainable water utilization on Montagne d'Ambre for industrial and domestic purposes. Actual Output. None
3.3 RECOMMENDATIONS RURAL DEVELOPMENT
A. Long Term Technical Assistance. Given the complexity of integrating conservation and development, the rural development section should have two long term technical assistants with Malagasy counterparts. They should be in the disciplines of agronomy/soil science and socioeconomics/anthropology. They and their counterparts should be involved in the proposed 5 Year Plan to program various goals and objectives and the type of short term consultants, training, development of various host country technical teams, etc. that will be necessary to collect baseline data and to make management decisions with regard to on-farm and wildlands natural resources management by local communities as a means of generating the wealth necessary for sustainable rural development. B. Land Tenure and Cadastral Surveys should be taken of the study area. This should not only include agricultural lands but begin linking forets dominial and pasture lands to control by certain villages and/or groups (e.g. extended families, clans, etc.). Information from these studies should then be applied to the development of an overall management plan for a given peripheral area with regard to both on-farm and wildland natural resources. C. Socio-economic Surveys should be undertaken at the village level to aid in the develop of a number of "Pilot Integrated Development Schemes" that will link land tenure, forestry, biodiversity and agronomic baseline data into an overall management scheme for valorizing and sustainably managing the villages resources. D. Agronomic/Soils Data surveys should be undertaken that are spatially related and which help to better understand the factors that are either limiting or which must be overcome to achieve better selection of appropriate crops and improved crop production given the limitations or costs of inputs.
E. Marketing Surveys should be undertaken which include but are not limited to:
Identification of non-traditional export crops that may be viable given agronomic/soil limitations Possible markets for major forest products Possible markets for minor forest products
F. On-Farm Trials with villagers (paysans pilots) should be undertaken based upon the above information with the idea of working with villages to overcome the problem of economy of scale. G. Rural Based Enterprises at a village level should be established to begin sustainably exploiting major and minor forest products. H. Ministry Of Agriculture "Vulgarizateurs should become involved in the above activities both during the data collection and implementation stages of on-farm activities. I. DEF Agents Forestier should be closely involved in all forest valorization activities where possible. 4.0 ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION AND PUBLIC AWARENESS 4.1 FINDINGS ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION AND PUBLIC AWARENESS (A) Environmental Education Materials. These materials have been prepared by a separate WWF funded project #1951. They are for the most part in Malagasy but appear to contain adequate theoretical and practical field oriented sections for primary schools to use in the classroom. (B) Application of Environmental Education Materials. It appears that most teachers are not using these materials in the classrooms. It is not clear exactly why except that the teachers feel already overburdened with curriculum. It is unclear why this material is not being used in teaching the "natural science" portion of their classes. (C) Follow-up on Environmental Education. The one school which was visited by the evaluation team had not been contacted for two years since it had first received its educational materials, but had been recently contacted by the new project educational specialist for a meeting of teachers to better understand how the curriculum could be better adapted (D) Adult Environmental Education. In principal, this is the role of the APN's and will also become the role of agricultural extension agents if they are brought on board. The form of education which the adults will need is utilitarian and not theoretical lectures about the importance of watersheds or the cultural heritage of mankind. This should include various income generating and management activities such as:
Soil Management Integrated Pest Management Appropriate Crop Selection Natural Forest Management Small Business Management
One of the biggest concerns of the projects environmental education chief is a frustration that the degree of success in sensitizing the rural farmer is difficult to measure. He feels that they know a lot about their environment and natural sources but apply very little of it. A utilitarian approach based upon economic development from sustainably using the resources may be a way of overcoming this malaise.
A plan exists for what is being called "Education Populaire" that is to bring the rural people on board by helping them achieve their perceived needs, hospitals, schools, roads, clinics, etc. It might be better to not give them these needs but to help them achieve economic wealth through sustained on-farm and wildlands natural resource management to attain these needs on their own and then to have a regular income to maintain these infrastructures. This will help them overcome the lack of care that results from handouts and from the development of a "Welfare Mentality." Earning the wealth to achieve these objectives on their own will give them pride in control over their own destiny, something that "cadeaus" cannot achieve. There are too many instances of "Donor Gifts" that 5 years later are in ruins. There is something to the old Chinese proverb "Give a man a fish and he can feed himself today. Teach a man how to fish and he can feed himself forever!!!" (E) Other. The environmental education team is also involved in:
Development Of Audio-visual shows for village meetings Amber Mountain Brochure in Malagasy for meetings and students Sensibilization Programs of which 20 have been conducted and another 13 planned for 1992 Radio and TV Emissions Posters Student Reforestation Programs, mostly fruit trees Ecole Pilots Development Of Educational Games
4.2 ACCOMPLISHMENTS OF PROJECT OUTPUTS, ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION AND PUBLIC AWARENESS
A. Planned Output: Establishment of a course in environmental studies in school curricula within geographical area Actual Output: Although quality environmental education material exists, there is a major need to determine how to integrate it into the existing school system. At present the material appears to be sitting on shelves and is not used by the professors.
B. Planned Output: Creation of small educational reserves connected to schools in the project geographical area Actual Output: There are xxx school reserves and school reforestation projects, though the evaluation team did not have the occasion to seriously investigate this.
C. Planned Output: Improved local awareness of conservation issues and in particular the need to integrate conservation and development activities Actual Output: Although the project is working in this direction it needs to find how to integrate the existing primary school curriculum into the everyday class room. It needs to find utilitarian means to educate the adult resource users.
4.3 RECOMMENDATIONS ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION AND PUBLIC AWARENESS A. Environmental Education in The School. Begin holding meetings with the Ministry Of Education and school teachers to overcome the problem of the educational materials not being used in the classroom. B. Utilitarian Adult Environmental Education. Begin working with other team members to valorize and market both on-farm and wildlands natural resources, providing the rural residents of
the project area with practical technologies that they can use to sustainably manage these resources. 5.0 TOURISM AND PUBLIC UTILIZATION” 5.1 FINDINGS TOURISM AND PUBLIC UTILIZATION (To be completed by Peter Gilruth) 5.2 ACCOMPLISHMENT OF PROJECT OUTPUTS TOURISM AND PUBLIC UTILIZATION (To Be Completed By Peter Gilruth) Ì
Establishment of a visitor/education center, overnight accommodation and improved visitor trails within Montagne d'Ambre Visitor information pamphlets for Montagne d'Ambre and Ankarana with appropriate local, national and international public support Trained visitor guides for Montagne d'Ambre and Ankarana Visitor utilization plan for Ankarana
5.3 RECOMMENDATIONS TOURISM AND PUBLIC UTILIZATION (To be completed by Peter Gilruth)
FIELD NOTES RANAMAFAN DEGEORGES November 15, 1990, arrive Ranamafana, stay at Hotel Ravinala November 16, 1990 1. Jean Emilien Rafididom, 30 years old. He and his brother’s Raphael and Jean Christ are guides for park. He is a traditional leader since his grandmother settled here in late 1800's and her son who was butchered by French. 2. The people here understand the importance of nature and uniqueness of area and found nowhere else in world and that they need to preserve this for their children. Already, since Fidi was a child, they have lost much forest. In 1972 between Ifanadiana and Ranamafana the area was covered in forest and today there is none-itinerant slash and burn agriculture. In a number of streams in deforested watersheds there is now no water at end of dry season in Sept. and October. 4. There are about 30 villages with 300 persons per village on average, though many villages are small. Later on Paul Farara says he is not sure how accurate this is. They average 4 ha/village in rice (yield 1 ton/ha/yr with one recolt/harvest) and rely on the slash and burn agriculture for 80% of their food. They realize that this is destructive but have no other alternative to date. They get dryland rice, manioc, etc. from the hills. Later on Patricia Wright says that it is more like 50/50 rice culture versus tavy (slash & burn agriculture). According to Fidi they cultivate for 1 year, let fallow for 3 years and cultivate followed by a last year of fallow. Normally the land is abandoned after this since after each crop the productivity diminishes. According to Paul he thinks it more like the classical 3 years straight and then abandonment. They have been told that an FAO project will come to work with them on new techniques to improve soil production but to date this has not happened. Other things which they get out of the forest includes:
Timber, before there was a timber operation here but it has been stopped for two years Vines/palm fronds to make mats Crawlfish under rocks out of streams Frogs and other minor forest products Medicinal plants since there is no decent pharmacy here
They have been told to stop these activities for two years but continue to poach (traditional use of forest) since they must feed their families. Alternatives that could help them are:
Patricia has already fixed up hospital There was a fruit cannery that could be rejuvenated Arts and Crafts coop for women to sell to tourists
The APN's conservation rangers have already caused problems. The threatened all the villages in the area with arrest if they used forest. It got to the point where the people were ready to come to violence over this. These APN's are "City Boys" and have no rapport with the villagers and do not understand their plight. A meeting was called by WWF and the APN's were stopped. Now they are paid but do nothing, hanging out in town. They have nothing to offer the people and the people have already lost confidence in DEF since this happened. Their only hope is that the funds be channeled through Patricia and Paul Firara, but not the Government who they feel will pocket the money and never help them. 2. Paul Farara, Researcher in Minor Forest Products. Says that per family it averages 1 & 1/2 ha in rice and 1& 1/2 ha in tavy (slash & burn agriculture) production plus fallow. Paul agrees that it will be hard for APN (Agent Pour La Protection De La Nature) to be effective in DEF uniforms since they will be seen as the opposition and because DEF continues to use repression. He also feels that they need to be in a structured program as Ranamafana and not just thrown out there. C.J. continues to defend the deployment of the APN's. Personally, for the reasons given above this is risky. Plus from my experience at the OMVG, it does little good to place people in a system that is not ready to accept them and use them as you hope. The system will quickly beat them down and they will follow the system. The system must be reformed before you use their numbers at such large scales, while at the same time on a pilot basis in projects such as Ranamafana and Amber Mountain you begin using them on a structured basis to integrate them into DEF at the lower end, out of uniform and as extension agents not enforcers. He has already had problems with DEF using repression making his work very difficult since they are wary of anyone that asks how they are using the forest. Flooding from cyclones continues to increase and people seem to be relating increased flooding to increased forest losses. Duke is funding a study using 7 local nurses, a medical doctor, all Malagasy and a PhD. student from UNC Chapel Hill School of Public Health. 3. Field Visit with Patricia Wright, Director of the Ranamafana Program, November 16, 1990 Sahavondronana Grade School. This is an area of cyclones, heavy winds and rains. They already lost one school from this. It was made of un-kilned bricks which we observed to be very soft The school is build of fire hardened bricks for the base with cement floors. Iqbal Chaudry feels that the walls must be of fire hardened bricks or they risk to collapse and will not support a roof in high winds. The roof should be a "V" roof with plenty of windows for ventilation and light. The Outhouse will be on the back side of the school down wind. There are no water supplies to contaminate. This is a Betsileo rice culture community. They practice mostly rice culture and a little tavy. Vohiparara Grade School. The village has 200 people. Their needs were:
Basic Education School Medical Center Barrage for rice culture Improved lifestyles Increased cultivable terraces (Tavy or Rainfed hillside-unclear)
Amedee Richard Adnrimanantsoa, an APN was there (He is not from this village). I asked the village how they saw his role. He has just been affected. They only said his role was advice. They really didn't really seem to know what kind. Richard says on one hand he understands that people still need forests and use it, and that his role is animation. On the other hand he says if people misuse forest it is his role to report them to DEF. I talked to him in private and he explained how difficult his role was that on one hand if he didn't report people, they would think that he wasn't doing his job while if he reported them he would lose his relationship with the people. The poor fellow is in a lose lose situation. I really think that he should be quickly integrated into the Ranamafana Project and given further training in extension: agricultural and forestry. I personally suggested that he should avoid any association with repression at this time. He also explained that he has already stopped using his uniform since the people see him in a different light when he wears it. He now only wears it at DEF headquarters but not here in the countryside. The dam site was visited. It was unsuitable for Iqbal since it was too wide, too marshy. He said that they needed to search a site further upstream that was narrower, held enough water (volume) and had the right soil/geological structure. Also the source of clay and sand/gravel mix needed to be found for the dam face. Topographic maps and rainfall is needed to estimate stream flow and thus if the amount of water will be there to fill the dam. He recommended that the local engineers undertake a prefeasibility study and then he can come back to verify their selection. There are three species of crawlfish that are found in area. We saw their holes in the rice ponds. This is a good sign since at least one species can live in the muddy conditions of the rice paddies and in fact should be investigated as a potential pond culture species in conjunction with rice. The locals have a belief that the crawlfish in their ponds is bad for the temperature and thus the rice production. Already there appears to be a cultural constraint. As Pat says just wait and see if it makes money, that constraint will quickly disappear. Ambatolahy. This is a mixed Tanala and Betsileo culture village that does more tavy than rice paddy culture and is on the edge of the park. They want to help them with dams but after the last village, they realize that they better get the local engineers involved before they call in REDSO (U.S. Agency for Economic Development, Regional Development Office, East & Southern Africa). We looked at the school that is across the bridge on the opposite side but on the same level as the village. Iqbal suggested that they build on the cut and not on the fill area for structural purposes. He also recommended the simple "V" shaped roof and fired bricks. The distance from the river from which people get water is about 100-150 feet. It was recommended that it be moved as far as possible from the river. There will be about 50 children in the school. November 17, 1990 1. Visit Ranamafana Park Research Station. It is estimated that there are 25,000 crawlfish/month taken from park by 4 villages Larry Dew, plant ecologist is studying the relation between lemurs and seed distribution and germination. It appears for a number of seeds passing through the gut of certain species of lemurs digests outer coating making it easier for the seed to germinate than if there had been no digestion. Additionally, the lemurs distribute the seeds and spread them out. In many cases the seeds fall to the ground and are concentrated where they are fed upon by rats and others. By distributing them, the success of survival increases.
As example one species of tree for which benefits is "Rutra" (sp.??) which is good for furniture, the bark is used to make rum and the fruit is sold for consumption. There are 12 species of lemur of which the Eulemur fulvus, Varecia variegata and xxxx are the best seed distributers. There are 20 plant species so far identified that are used by the people such as for beads and medicine and in which the plant is not killed when they take what they need. Steve Zack, Ornithologist Yale has two students (Jean Claude Razafimahaimodison and xxx). They are studying the birds of the Vanga/family Vangidae (insectivore with bill diversity like Darwin's finches of which there are 14 species in Madagascar and 9 of those in Ranamafana. They have not been studied until now. And Asities (family Philepittidae) a fruit eater and pollinator to see how it is important to the survival of plants and visa versa. There are parrots used in the pet trade that are unstudied. Right now they have lists of Madagascar birds but no one has studied them for their ecology or behavior, only systematics. th
John E. Cadle, Herpetologist, Academy of Natural Sciences, 19 and Parkway, Philadelphia, PA 19103. Studying reptiles. Doesn't have much of an idea about applied use. We go into forest. The trails appear well put together with steps and pieces of wood to keep steps in place over steep areas. The one place selected for a campsite and possible cabin has a pit latrine and a garbage pit that are acceptable and in which there is no water supply problem in the vicinity. There is talk of putting in gas to solve the energy problem. We see the lemur Propithecus diadema edwardsi sifaka related to the Indri indri, but it has a tail. It is a leaf eater and is preyed upon by eagles/hawks and the fossa (Cryptoprocta ferox a strange cat/dog like animal). Look at bridge across river near entrance to park. Iqbal says it should be a suspension bridge 2. Meet with President and deputy of region and health team. The health team is studying 10 villages with Lon Keightlenger from UNC School of Public Health. They are making general health survey including: state of health, parasites, malaria, size and weight of infants, sanitary education and primary health (have a doctor). This is within 5 km of boundary. The goal is to eventually have a roving health team. Findings are that 11% of children severely malnourished. 80% parasitized with one intestinal species, 50% have malaria and 8% have diarrhea (during cold season and expected to increase during rainy season). Approximately 2.2% of children per family die. The average family is 6.1 children Schistosomiasis is a problem near the coast but not here. Germans around Mahajanga studying this. In west of Madagascar have intestinal schisto, Schistosoma mansoni, and on east have S. haematobium or urinary schisto. Talk to Steve Lelliled SOFAFI in Tana about diving. Maloprim 50mg/week very good for malaria prevention. 3. Ambodiaviavy, visit 2 dam sites, an old one poorly constructed and wiped out in a cyclone and a possible new site. Iqbal recommended fixing old one. New one - feasibility must be studied to see if there is enough land to irrigate.
MAHAJANGA WETLANDS & FISHERIES, MADAGASCAR FIELD NOTES DEGEORGES APRIL 1991 1. April 29, 1991 Meeting with Gabriel Razafintsalana, President Du Comite Executif Faritany Mahajunga and his staff In the Massive (region) of Ankarafantsika: Reserve plus buffer zone consists of 350,000 ha of which:
65,000 ha is a Reserve Natural Integral #7 of Ankarafantsika 70,000 ha is a forest reserve 215,000 ha is forest beginning to manage (Zone Tampone)
There are three projects in the region:
Gestion et Protection De Forets (GPF) PNUD/UNESCO Man And The Biosphere Reserve Elevage en Captivite (Projet Angonoka JWPT- Jersey Wildlife Preservation Trust)
The GPF provides 12 forest guards in four sectors working in sensibilization and in road construction. They have already caught a person making charcoal for the soap factory and President has refused him permit stopping him and shutting down the soap factory. In talking to Eaux et Forets agents they explained the following. Eaux et Forets is organized as follows:
Provincial Level: Chef Du Service Provincial Des Eaux et Forets (E&F) Chef Des Circumscriptions Des Eaux Et Forets - three for three regions Fivondronana: Chef De Cantonnement Chef de Triage
The Service De Peche et Aquaculture is relatively new as an organization. Prior to its development, Eaux et Forets took care of continental fisheries. It is involved in both marine (the most valuable) and continental fisheries. It places people in the field to the level of Circumscription. After that Eaux et Forets agents take on the responsibility. There are crocodiles in the reserve and they are not hunted. There is a hunting season for ducks from May 1 to first Sunday in October. They can get names of ducks hunted. There is much sport hunting by local people from Mahajunga with 12 gauge. There is some commercial hunting. They hear of Reunion people coming to hunt but think illegally. They think it a good idea to study populations establish more realistic seasons and develop a way for locals to make money from tourism using this resource. There is a rare duck in reserve only two are left: Halyetus vociferides. Looking up what was given – looks to be not a duck but Madagascan fish eagle (Haliaeetus vociferoides) Frogs are also heavily exploited and sent to Tana for hotels or exported, or sold on local market. Season officially is same as that for hunting. People involved are not fishermen. Sanglier (Potamochoerus larvatus) before 1990 protected now it is a gibier and can be hunted find 70 km from Mahajunga - could be key economic resource from sport hunting. There is a new texte coming out for E&F that gives more management responsibilities to locals.
Already E&F agents help form committees at Fokatany level to resolve natural resource conflicts, the agent being only an advisor and providing advice. E&F agent doesn't react unless asked to by committee such as issue a fine (Proces Verbal). Committee can interpret laws to suit its needs doesn't have to follow book word for word. APN's (Agents Pour Le Protection De La Nature) from local community - feel they are okay. Jean Philip Randrianatoandro Chef De Service Provincial Des E&F has worked in Both Ranamafana, to become a park and in the Ankarafantsika Biosphere Reserve. He feels that the biosphere reserve integrates the people into the activities of the area while the park puts the people directly in conflict with authorities since they are legally excluded from accessing the resources which they feel are necessary for survival. Feels that problem with Ranafmana is that land is no good for farming on slopes and that people could make more from logging than farming but they don't own resource but State owns and rich far from area in big cities are given cutting permit and locals get nothing thus it is not in their interest to protect the forest. Ducks that are hunted to not migrate very far from the lake in which they are found, but during the rainy season they disperse to eat rice in the cultivated fields. 2.0 April 30, 1991 Miandry Randriamiarisoa, Chef Division Aquaculture, Service Provincial De la Peche et la Aquaculture, B.P. 291 Mahajunga, tel 226.08. The example of Lac Itasy is an excellent one since it was an experiment by the Government in which the fishermen were allowed to form a cooperative (Association) and in turn the State gave them the right to control and manage their resource, the fish in collaboration with E&F. All other lakes officially belong to the State so that there is no proprietary feeling by the fishermen. It is possible that in the MAB project of Mahajunga that such an association could be formed. In the Mahajunga area there is no licensing of local fishermen. Fifty percent of the fishermen are migrants from the High Plateau near Tana, etc. and they can not be controlled in how or where they fish. The locals feel that because everything belongs to the State that they have no right to control what happens. This could change if locals were given responsibility for the resource by the State. This likely has not been thought of by Headquarters who feel their primary needs are more people in the field. This may be necessary but unless the Fokatanys and individuals are implicated more people alone will not solve the problem. A lake in the region of Marovoay has formed a cooperative of 25 fishermen. Since they are up set with the local administration they have decided to take things into their own hands by charging immigrant fishermen 25-50,000 FMG depending on length of fillet whereas normally the E&F charges 4,500 FMG/100m of fillet. The major reason for this beginning of self management is as follows:
For each kg of dried or smoked fish there is a tax of 9FMG, 6FMG/kg fresh fish and 12 FMG/Eel. The country is divided as follows:
Faritany = Province = 6 of them to receive 1.5 of 9 FMG Fivondronana = Prefecture to receive 1.5FMG of 9 FMG Firaisana = Canton to receive 3 FMG of 9 FMG Fokontany= Village to receive 3 FMG of 9 FMG.
The tax is normally (not always where there are no controls) given at Canton to the Regisseur de Recette and from there to be distributed to the other levels of Govt. Since the villages have received nothing they revolted in this lac. Feels that local management is the future but the problem is there must be some reasonable prices charged to immigrants. Migrant fishermen come in from May to October. There is another example of local management. Because the shrimp fisheries in the Mahajunga were being fished out, a decision was taken to give each fishing enterprise the legal right to a certain geographic zone. If the shrimp stocks aren't managed in the a given enterprise's zone and they are over exploited then the enterprise is out of luck and will have to shut down. This appears to work where there is exclusivity. In zones where there is more than one enterprise it is chaos. Also there is a cultural problem. The young Malagash do not have right to question activities of elders who come out of the colonial epic and follow the colonially dated laws. There is a new Fisheries Code and some new E&F text to come out. Mihandry was implicated in the Fisheries code. Regional and then a national meeting took place to address this but it isn't evident if these ideas are in the code. This needs to be investigated for fisheries and other resources. 3. April 30, 1991 Visit market Fivondronana of Ambato-Boeni. The major fish observed were:
Tilapia - Oreochromis macrochir at 200 FMG/30 small 3 inch fish Cyprinidae (carp) at 500 FMG/ 4 smoked-salted fish about 6 inches long Smoked Clupeidae at 200 FMG/5 fish about 5 inches long brought in from estuarine part of river One fresh Gobidae
According to William Booth the women sell the fish for 2x what they buy them, they pay 12,000FMG/stall/year in the market and there is a market 2x/yr. Highway recently wiped out by tornado (cyclone). 3. Germain Rakotobearison Assistant Technique Des Eaux Et Forets Captive Turtle Breeding Program: Project Angonoth sponsored by Jersey Wildlife Preservation Trust.
There are two endemic turtles:
The Angonoka = Tortue a Soc = Angulated turtle = Geochelone yniphora/Astrochelys yniphora, very rare. It is found 130 km from program at Soalala. In 1911 there were 400 in 1984 200m and in 1990 between 100 and 200. It is endangered because it is eaten by villagers, the sanglier eats the eggs and the young and the feu de brousse kills. The people in the area are mostly Muslim and don't eat the sanglier but there is a plan to bring in sport hunters to control its numbers and generate revenue for the locals. Plans exist to have a fenced in park of 10 x 7 km for the Angonoka. It is in a forest 21 km from closest village. There are currently 4 males and 3 females in breeding program. They originally were at Tamatave for 12 years. 3&1/2 years ago brought to MAB reserve. There are 4-6 eggs per nest/laid 3-4 times/year. The nest is 13-14 cm deep and a thermometer is inserted to assure nest temperature doesn't exceed 40 degrees C. When that high if no rains to lower temp they sprinkle water over nest. Jan-April lay eggs, Mate Sept to December. They hope to get 90 young after which they will wait 6 years before will turtle will be released that is planned.
Kapidolo = Pyxis planicauda = Flat Tailed Tortoise = Tortue A Queue Platte. It is found in Toliara area and sold as an aquarium pet, not eaten due to taboo. Very little is known about the life of this turtle. It lives in dense forest and aestivates in the dry season. So far there has been no captive breeding success and there are no ideas on numbers.
4. May 1, 1991 Betsiboka River, Ambato-Boeni Village Fish in Market:
Heterotis niloticus - Introduced Fibata – Snakehead Channa sp. - Introduced Megalops cyprinoides, small max 55 cm Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus), majority of fish - introduced Macrobrachium spp. Small (Anguille) common but not observed
90% fish are fresh, some smoked. Fishermen say total catch decreasing and there are more fishermen. Reason given is due to extension of culture on flood plains, sedimentation fills in lake surfaces, introduction of Fibata and more pesticides being used. Often wash bidon (Can/bottle pesticide comes in) in lake water. Major cash crops are cotton, tobacco and tomato. Main pesticides are D-6 (DECIS), Dimethoate and Endrin. The fishermen are seasonal. Most do not own their own nets. They work for someone who owns net. The owner gets 1/2 of profits and the rest is divided by helpers. At first they say it is not possible to organize. They use seines and gill nets. In flood plain lakes can use any size mesh but in permanent lakes must be greater than 4 cm mesh. This is not respected and most use small mesh nets. They live for today and don't think of tomorrow. They pay tax of 7,400 FMG/yr/net of 100m seine and gill nets. Many don't declare all of nets so hard to really get idea of effort. Others declare none of nets. Only one fisheries agent for area.
If fish are transported to another village need a certificate: Certificate de Salubrite (Certificate of quality & health). Many migrant fishermen come month of May and local farmers work for them. At end of meeting, many fishermen said they came here to work as field hands in cotton field and took up fishing off season. They feel like often migrants fix prices with merchants and that they have no control. A local buyer said reason prices change depends on TANA and also there is cost of transport. Last year catch dropped by 2/3ds due to decreased flood. In a good year fish from May to October. Fish culture station in area, but run down. 75% of fishermen eat fish. One fishermen said that his family eats 1kg/day/4persons. There is no storing of even dried fish in fishermen's homes even out of season. This is because of humidity and rats. Also in rainy season fish don't conserve well due to high lipid content. There are about 200 fishermen including locals and immigrants. They also rent pirogues from farmers at 30©40,000 FMG/month/metal boat and 15,000 FMG/month/wooden boat. Dried fish average 4 fishermen/ton/month-small Tilapia for cow food at 450 FMG/Kg caught in lakes with seine. In river use mostly gill net. At first fishermen say wish that price could be controlled in Tana by Govt since feel they have no control over buyers. There is no conflict resolution and they don't think of organizing. There is no hope of controlling market, no hope of controlling price of materials and no hope of controlling fishing pressure. They buy fillet from Indian merchant and it takes 4 years to pay off but only lasts one year so are always in debt. Average fillet costs 150,000 FMG/Fillet/100m . 80% of fishermen are not owners of their fishing gear. Even if organize still fear over evacuation-major concern. Then say to control fishing need more fishing agents but I explain likely with FMI/IMF will not happen and they need to consider taking responsibility and collaborate with Direction De Peche. They finally say that if they can get control by Fokotany that they would be ready to start collaborating with Direcction Du Peche to control fishing in allotted geographic area. There are some taboos (Fadys) on fishing: Example no fishing or anything Tuesday or Thursday. There is also a lake where they can fish for auto-consumption but that which they can't commercially sell. They exploit frog, but there is a market problem. Also crocodile on increase and no taboo against taking it.
They also say prior to colons they had a system to control fishing season but lost by colonialization and politicians. Many afraid to talk because if express their ideas may be affected by owners of nets. The one fishermen and one collector who talked most are independent and have no fear. If Fokotany was in control of zones they would control and likely tax migrants. To be decided. 5. May 1, 1991 Marovoay Market
500 FMG 2-3 Heterotis niloticus or 2-3 Fibata, large Heterodotis 2000 FMG (about 2&1/2 feet long), 250-1,000 FMG/4 mangrove crabs depending on size, 2 carp 1,000 FMG said to be best flesh, 20-30 Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus), 200 FMG, mostly fresh.
Fish in rice paddies after harvest let in flood. Fishing nets of lake fishermen 1/2 profits to owner and rest to fishermen. Two ways of letting out net:
Some rent net and fish Other not fishermen 1/2 action.
Fishermen belong to Fokotany (Village) coop that takes care of basic needs. A group buys net pays 25,000FMG per right to fish in Fokotany's lakes. They also pay 20 FMG/kg of catch to help coop. There is some local management then by Fokotany and local fishermen have auto control since they have idea how many fishermen a lake can handle and won't put money into filled lake. Sometimes a rich person will pay up to 200,000 FMG to exclusivity right for a lake and sell shares. To fish rice paddies pay Fokotany 20 FMG/kg of catch. Rent pirogue for 1,000-1,500 FMG/year/pirogue. Grow mostly corn, manioc and rice. Rice most important crop, second highest yield in country other then Lac Alaotra. E&F closes season from Dec-March reproductive season. Crops sell some and other keep for own consumption. Some rice field owned others rented to grow rice. Rice bought by private concerns. Fishermen no idea of what happens to money give Fokotany. No pesticides used in area. Annual catch closely related to degree of flood. They cohabit with migrant fishermen, no problem. Transport pirogue from lake to lake by using fishermen or chariot.
Net costs 300,000 FMG, one month's catch, can't afford it. Wives control money. Pirogue costs 700,000 FMG. Fillet if maintain lasts 2-3 years while pirogue lasts 10 years. Crocodiles hunted with flashlight, spear and pirogue taking 3 men to pull it in boat. Indians buy skin refuse to give us price and know it is illegal. Tail aphrodisiac, oil anti-asthmatic, eggs eaten, meat not taken. Crocs belong to invisible owner who protects. They get protection "gris gris"?? 6. Lac Amboromalandy, Fokotany d'Ankazomborona Impoundments were created in 1950 and are managed by a State run organization FIFABE that operates rice irrigation in area. GTZ provides technical support. Most fishermen are immigrants from TANA although there are some fisher/farmers. They use mostly cast nets and seines. Fishing season is from May to December. There are three impoundments of about 1,200 ha. Permission to fish is given by E&F and the Fokotany. The cost is 6,000 FMG/100m/seine, paid to the Fokotany and used for community development. Cast nets are free. Also 10 FMG/kg dried fish is paid to Fokotany all of the above money going for community development. There are major problems with fishing. Right now fishing takes place during the rice culture season and fishermen camping on the lakes and canals (mostly immigrants??) pollute the water that the people drink while cultivating and wading making them sick. They want to move the harvest from May to December in the impoundments to after the harvest of rice in November-October. Also fishermen lower lake levels by cutting canals through the impoundment banks to drain water so as to concentrate fish giving less water for irrigation. Also temporary houses of straw or wood are put on lake shores or canal banks. During the floods the houses fall in water blocking the canals and the dam overflow for irrigation. They have been asked to remove these temporary shelters before leaving the area. Before permission to fish was required by the E&F and the Fokotany. As of Feb 1991 also the FIFABE (Body running rice irrigation) is involved. They are waiting to see effectiveness of this. The number of fillets is not limited, the mesh limit is two fingers or 3cm. Most migrant fishermen own gear and owner gets half and fishermen get half. Principal fish are tilapia, carp and Heterotis. Large fish are sold fresh, small tilapia are sold dry in Tana. The area immediate around lakes has a green belt of mango trees. It is forbidden to plant rice within 15 meters of the canal bank. There is some fishing for the crapo (frog) and it is sent to Tana. Sport hunting for duck takes place but there is little control nor benefits to the community.
7. May 2, 1991 FIFABE, State run rice growing organization. They have watershed problems since there are rice field around the source and deforestation especially for raffia palm is resulting in low or no dry season flows from source to nourish impoundments. Also erosion of the lake is taking place. 8. Meeting with fishermen from Lake Amboromalandy, May 2, 1991 A 10 meter seine that is 2.5 meter deep with 2.5 cm mesh and #6 line costs 150,000 FMG. Cost varies with depth of net, size of mesh and diameter of thread. A cast net (epervier) costs about 40-50,000 FMG. Farming and fishing time is divided as such:
Closed Fishing Season from Dec-March. Rainy season crops of manioc, corn and sugar cane from Oct-May May-Oct fish after flood recession Mai to October also undertake recession rice culture: o Men prepare fields, women and children maintain them, men harvest o During preparation of fields, it is Fade (taboo) to farm on Tuesday and Thursday, but men can fish. Once fields prepared men devote time to fishing. Migrants fish all the time
In talking to fishermen about local control they expressed an interest and felt that they could advise the Fokotany president on how much fishing effort a given local could take and thus how many nets would be allowed. Based on this a certain number would be given to the locals and a certain but limited number for the migrants. In this way locals can control their destiny and can begin managing their resource. They would like to see a stock of nets sold at reasonable prices, compared to that given by Indian traders! Credit union?? 9. Rice Decortication, Private Sector, Fokotany d'Ankazomborona a. Average yield of 70 sacks paddy rice non-decorticated/year b. 1 sack = 80-90 kg paddy rice c. Once decorticated, 70% by weight of sack remains as white rice. d. There are 220 kapot (small approx. 1 pint sweet milk can)/sack of decorticated rice. This is how rice is sold. e. There are approximately 3&1/2 kapot/kg f. Value 200 FMG/Kapot now due to scarcity of rice. Can drop to 90 FMG/kapot. Rice Bran (Outer layer of rice grain) a. 90 FMG/kg, when rice not scarce can drop to as low as 10 FMG b. 4 sacs paddy rice per 1 sac bran, hand packed weighing 85kg c. 5 sacs paddy rice per 1 sac of bran at 120kg machine packed. d. Used for chicken and pig feed.
FISHERIES FIELD NOTES KEPEM 1. April 23, 1991, Benjamin Razafimahaleo, Chef De Service, Peche Continental Based on a 1963 study there are 165,000 ha of major lakes where fishing is important and 400,000 ha of minor or secondary lakes where there are no fishermen and/or fishing is for autoconsumption. FISHERMEN AND FISHING GEAR: There are 33,000 fishermen in fresh and estuarine areas. Except for Lake Alotra where there are full time fishermen, most are farmers or herders and fish part time. Fishing usually doesn't take place during the rainy season since roads are cut off or the water becomes too turbid to fish. Also lake levels are often too high for seines to be properly employed. Major fishing gear includes gillnet (fillet maillant), seine, cast net (epervier) and traps (nasse). Fishing is classified into three areas:
Industrial Fishing: high tech usually in ocean Artisanal Fishing with motorized boats less than 25hp Traditional fishing using canoes or from shore, but no motors on boats
On lakes one finds only traditional fishermen. FISHING REGULATIONS: Fishing licenses: Amodiation De Peche by legislative text helps control fishing by:
Giving exclusive rights to fish by zone Giving rights to fish with s certain type of gear (example the right to use 100 meters of gill net.
Fishermen sometimes pay an individual to protect their fishing area or gear. The authorization to fish above on fishing zones or year must be renewed annually but in principal is good for 100 years with a maximum of 25 years for one interval of time (assume after 25 years would have to request renewal for another 25 years, this continuing up to 100 years). Prior to a decision made by the Direction du Peche, the local Fokatane president with local community determines who can fish where using what. Fishing rights by surface area of a lake or water body is thus broken up at a local administrative level and then signed off on by the Direction du Peche. Where there are full time fishermen, fishing rights of an area or zone are usually requested at the level of a cooperative. November and December (rainy season) are closed because this is the reproduction time on freshwater bodies.
In theory mesh size limitations on gear help to control the size of fish caught, thus giving a chance for smaller fish to be recruited into an economically exploitable stock:
Mesh on gillnets and seines must be greater than 4 cm Mesh on cast nets must be greater than 3 cm
An exception is at Mahajanga where there are vast floodplain fisheries. After flooding, reproduction and exceptional growth, the water recedes into small ponded areas, the fish are concentrated with limited space, food and oxygen. If they are not caught out they will die. Thus the mesh can be inferior to 4 cm for gill nets and seines. An example is Lac Terrisable??? CURRENT STATUS OF FISHERIES AND ENVIRONMENTAL FACTORS Major fishing lakes usually have ready access by road permitting ease of evacuation (transport) to major markets (e.g., Lac Alotra and Itasy). Fishing pressure on many of these lakes is believed to be so great that stocks have significantly decreased over the last 25 years. For example in 1965 about 1,500 metric tons/year of fish was taken from Lac Itasy whereas today the average is 300 tons/year. What is not really known is what factors really are contributing to the decline in lake fisheries:
Increased numbers of fishermen and fishing pressure Improved gear and thus catchability of fish Degraded fish habitat from watershed degradation and such factors such as erosion covering nesting grounds (note nesting is in rainy season when erosion is greatest), pesticides from farming, general decline in water quality All or some of the above.
Since there is no active water quality or fishery monitoring much of what is said is speculative. This implies a major need to begin investigating these issues if there is any hope of establishing a management program for these fisheries. CNRE (Centre National de Recherches sur l'Environnement) plans a major limnological study of lakes and is searching donor financing. USAID might consider some help in this area along with establishing a fishery monitoring program. In most of Madagascar's lakes the idea of maintaining biological diversity is many years too late since various species of Tilapia from Africa have long ago been introduced and are the dominant fish in Madagascar's water bodies today. These include
Tilapia zilli Tilapia mossambica/Oreochromis mossambicus, Tilapia macrochir/Oreochromis_macrochir, Tilapia nilotica/Oreochromis niloticus
Tilapia zilli is commonly used in rice paddies Tilapia macrochir is a planctophage (eats phytoplankton) and in Lake Alotra was a major part of the fish catches but is now in decline believed to be due to increased turbidity in the lake from erosion coming off degraded watersheds resulting in decreased plankton productivity and biomass. Paratilapia pollen (endemic) nest at the edge of Lake Alotra and have had their populations greatly decline due to silt from the degraded watersheds covering their nests. This has been compounded by the illegal introduction of an aquarium fish "Fibata" (Ophiocephalus striatus/ Channa striata - snakehead, family Channidae) which escaped and
which has, like the Nile Perch in Lake Victoria, begun to exterminate or greatly reduce fish populations in most of Madagascar's freshwater lakes. On one lake (??Name??) large quantities of pesticides are used for cotton production, which are believed to have an impact on the fish stocks. IS THE FISHERMAN THE CAUSE OR THE VICTOM OF THE PROBLEM???!!! ENFORCEMENT: A big problem with fishing is that the Fisheries Department is understaffed and has no way to control what is happening on the lakes. Benjamin hopes to establish some fish checking stations along major evacuation routes from key lakes in order to begin monitoring catches by species, tonnage and size in order to have some information on which to make management decisions. As fish stocks decrease, fishermen use smaller and smaller mesh to catch out fish breaking laws and compounding problem of degraded stocks. Based on his experience in Lake Alotra, he has no hope of fishermen managing their own fishery - they are independent and while legally waters belong to the STATE, the fishermen claim that the fish and waters belong to them and their ancestors and the State has no right to intervene. They even stopped closure of fishing one time by going to the President of Madagascar. Don't forget here they are full time and have no other occupation. On the other hand the part time fishermen of Lac Itasy have in recent times supported some closed seasons to permit fish stocks to recover. It appears that no one has ever tried to interact with the fishermen and to obtain their cooperation or to use their knowledge in managing the fisheries. It has been more a classical relationship of confrontation rather than cooperation between the "Managers" and the "Exploiters!!" BIODIVERSITY: When asked where pristine water bodies might exist where protection could take place for the purposes of biodiversity, he mentioned Ranamafana where the rivers and streams are still pristine and there are endemic species of shrimp (Macrobrachium) and crawlfish. Also in the Diego Suarez area there is an area famous for its Machrobrachium that is still pristine. The Machrobrachium can be up to 4-5 inches. This could be managed as a major commercial fishery while preserving biodiversity. As tourism develops, high prices by hotels might be obtained for machobrachium and crawlfish - Valorization of a resource in the name of biological diversity. Both have potential for management as wild fisheries and for culture. Get information on:
Geographical Locations Estimated harvest Value Scientific Names
NOTE: There is also an endemic "crapo" or frog that is exported to France for its "frog legs." According to LeGrand of WWF this has great potential as an economic resource but a life history and population study is necessary to assure it is sustainable. Possibilities for culture also: Get information on:
Scientific Name Quantities exported Value Geographic location
2. April 23, 1991 Alex Rabelamatra, Chef Du Service Aquaculture: Information summarized in above interview. Says fish culture in many areas has problems due to lack of water so for moment taking many of the juvenile fish raised for culture and stock lakes. 3. Olivier Langrand, WWF Langrand in recent meeting in Switzerland has been put in charge of fresh water bodies and Martin Nichols in charge of coastal. Contact Lucien Wilme 32482 Missouri Botanical Gardens in Tana on where to visit on Lac Alotra. There are 2 or 4?? endemic species of fish believed to be in Lac Alotra but Langrand has never seen them in the small mesh gill nets used by fishermen. Big question is do they still exist??????: Obtain scientific names and information on where last sighted in lake!!!!! Other endemic species that can become economic resource include ducks. Get information on:
Species Annual recorded Harvest Current Value from license fees. Areas where pilot projects might be established (e.g. Mahajanga)
Langrand thinks this could be important economic resource to locals. Right now locals receive virtually nothing. Reunion Island hunters come here and harvest uncontrolled. NEED POPULATION STUDY AND QUOTAS ESTABLISHED AND FEES CHARGED THAT STAY IN VICINITY OF VILLAGES©WWF interested in carrying out such a study and then valorizing this resource on pilot scale. ???What policy reforms will be necessary????? Reports: Arnoult, J. 1959. Faune de Madagascar. Poissons des eaux douces. Publications de L'Institute De Recherche Scientifique,Tananarive, Tsimbazaza. Keiner, A. Poisons malagaches. Extraits des Bulletins de Madagascar, Avril, Mai, Juin, 1961, Nos. 179, 180, 181 Burgis, M.J. and J.J. Symoens. 1987. African wetlands and shallow water bodies. Editions ORSTOM. 4. Lindinby Ramandimbison, Tecnician National de Projet Crocodile. EXAMPLE HOW CITES ANNEX I ANIMAL CAN BE TAKEN OFF LIST AND MANAGED AS ECONOMIC RESOURCE. FAO/PNUD/DEF Project. There are four zones for harvesting eggs of indigenous Nile Crocodile (same as on African continent-endangered) and one hunting area: a. b. c. d. e.
Bezalampy, Manigoza, Sambao Mahavavy Antsalova, Menambolo Mangoky East side of Madagascar for controlled hunting
Only in Zone 1 last year they harvested 2,400 eggs at 1,000 FMG/egg by about 20 collectors on an experimental basis. There is a potential of harvesting 8,000 eggs from Zone I at 20-70 eggs/nest. Ten Percent of hatched crocodiles after the age of one year when survival rate is highest in wild will be put back into wild. Also the number of nests harvested are only a small percent of the total number (estimate will harvest 100-200 nests out of a total of 300????). Currently 85% hatching success-lower could be 90% but bought all eggs on trial basis even infertile clear eggs - next time will buy only fertile eggs. Have 5 days to get eggs to hatchery. Incubation temp 32 degrees C plus or minus 0.5 degrees. Problem now for private operators to monetize this and to get export permits: POLICY DIOLOGUE Also project NEEDS HELP TO EXPAND PROGRAM INTO OTHER ZONES - USAID COULD HELP. CITES has given right to harvest and export 2,000 hatchery raised skins in 1991 and 4,000 in 1992 but since not yet commercialized no skins to export. It takes three years to have harvestable crocodile at a length of 35-45 cm. There are 150 persons wishing to become operators (establish hatcheries) right now there are only 3 active operators, the largest being in Perinet. Another big problem: Hotels in Tana sell wild crocodile products that are confiscated at airport. Why are they allowed to keep them on shelf. DEF (Direction des Eaux et Forêts/Malagasy Water and Forestry Service) and MPAEF (Ministry of Animal Production, Waters & Forests/Ministere de la Production Animale et des Eaux et Forets - under which DEF appears to fall) both have crocodile projects. MPAEF blocking commercialization of crocodile egg harvesting and farming: POLICY DIOLOGUE: WHY????? 5. April 24, 1991, Martin Nicols, WWF In a meeting with WWF headquarters, Gland, Switzerland it was decided that WWF/Madagascar would begin looking into coastal area issues. We discussed the fact that large rivers are areas of major sedimentation but there are no coral reefs, only mangroves. Coral reefs tend to be found in areas where there are no major rivers and thus sedimentation is less. Based upon my Caribbean experience, I suggested that instead of putting the emphasis on controlling what happens in the sea around these reefs, though important, especially as tourism increases, the major cause of reef degradation will be from landbased pollution. Since the watersheds that drain into these reefs are small relative to the major rivers, it should be relatively easy to control what happens in them. Model watersheds could be selected that drain into areas of critical coral reefs and activities that may cause pollution in the sea could be addressed in collaboration with local governments and communities. This should include but not be limited to:
Activities That Increase Sedimentation such as tavy (slash & burn agriculture, overgrazing, logging Activities That Increase Pollution, such as human sewage, and solid waste disposal from coastal tourism development or coastal urban areas, the use of pesticides, or industrial discharges. Assuring That Coastal Development takes into account critical habitat such as mangrove habitat, turtle nesting beaches, bird rookeries, primary dunes, lagoons, grass beds and coral reefs.
This may require a number of donors working together to divide up activities within a watershed. By September WWF must decide if they will enter into this area. A copy of the mangrove/coral reef symposium held in September 1990 in Mombasa and partially sponsored by USAID, and a copy of the paper the REA presented on coral reefs and landbased pollution was provided to Mr. Nicols as background information for this new area of conservation and development.
6. April 25, 1991, Lucien Wilme, Permanent Representative, Madagascar Research and Conservation Program, Missouri Botanical Garden. She studied the endemic waterbirds of Lac Aloatra:
Delacour's Grebe (Tachybaptus rufolavatus) Madagascar Pochard (Aythya innotata)
She did not see these birds in her three month study on the lake spread between September 1989 and March 1990. They appear to be on the verge of extinction if not already extinct. The primary causes appear to be:
Poaching Changes in aquatic vegetation from introduced plants and modification in the lake from increased sedimentation Introduction of exotic fish Increased encroachment on marsh habitat by rice farmers Burning of aquatic plants.
She spent much of her time with fishermen while searching for these birds. She feels that they are ignorant of hunting and fishing laws as are DEF agents. They also pay no taxes. She feels that there is no local control of fishing on the lake and that it is every man for himself. The waterbirds are seen as rice field pests. They are hunted with nets, snares, called in with living decoys and clubbed and trapped. She feels there needs to be 1-2 reserves to protect unique habitat. She says that fishermen will be able to describe before and after the 1959 FLOOD when Tilapia used in fish culture escaped into the lake, and there were changes in aquatic plants. Also the predatory fish FIBATA was introduced within the last 5 years and has had a major impact on reducing fish populations. It is found all over the lake and not esteemed as a food fish. In addition to tilapia and Fibata, carp and black bass have also been introduced. Interestingly enough there appears to be some variation in fish populations geographically within the lake:
Southeast around Ambatosarata (Brigade de Peche) the lake has a small littoral zone deepening quickly and has large numbers if Fibata On the swampy western side of the lake tilapia dominate In the north carp dominate.
Nearby on Lac Antsomanjana, it is deep and no Fibata are found but there are many carp (Cyprinus sp.) and tilapia.
If we are to go there in a short amount of time and obtain information, she suggests we locate her colleague, a medical student who is accepted by the fishing community: Mihanta Rakoloaunesy, (R+5)1 Park9, C.V. Les 64 Ha Sud, Tana
7. April 26, 1991 Michel Louys, Society Voay. Michele is French descent but his family has been here for about 100 years. They have a graphite mine in Perinet and he is working on establishing a commercial crocodile farm tied to the FAO project. He has formed an NGO called Association Des Amies Des Reserves Anosibe (AARA). He says that Perinet is a cut over reserve and only has 820 ha. Because he began seeing forest cover in the area of his mine disappear and because this is affecting dry season flows needed for mining he started AARA and helped to get an area declared as a park: Park National De Mantadia which UNDP will take over as a biosphere reserve. To date he has helped local people expand rice culture and reforest hillsides in ”Eucalyptus• ”globus• whose leaves are harvested (but not the tree) for oil extraction. After two to three years of growth can harvest leaves. Thus the people work in rice for about 6 months and then in leave harvesting for 6 months. He hopes this will provide income and also take pressures off of the natural forest. He has not yet begun looking into minor forest products and he is also interested in crawlfish culture in the rice paddies. With regard to crocodile farming, he has made a sizeable investment with 21 basins in which they have 1,900 crocodiles that they hatched from the eggs collected by the FAO project. Harvesting of crocodile eggs is from September through the end of October, any later and there is a risk that the eggs will have hatched. He estimates that 1/3 of the nests are harvested from the site and that they people make much more from the eggs than from hunting crocodiles for their skins (5-15,000 FMG) and selling them illegally. They people also traditionally eat the eggs. Also the crocodile has traditionally been seen as a pest killing livestock and 40-50 people per year. Under the new Code De Agreement Investissement, he has prepared a dossier for his farm. This should allow him duty free privileges for a one time importation of materials and 5 years of tax free status to get the farm going. He has made 1/2 of his capital investment in infrastructure already at 160 million FMG???, but another 21 larger basins are necessary to handle the larger crocs. It is estimated that each crocodile skin costs 100,000 FMG to produce and can be sold for 180,000 FMG ($US 100). Between the age of 0-2 years when the croc is harvested it will consume 50kg of zebu meat at 2,000 FMG/Kg = 100,000 FMG. The croc starts out at 50-60 gm and finishes at 14-15kg at a length of 1.4-1.9 meters, the real value being determined by the width of the skin at the breast. Also there is an expense of heating, since croc eggs must be kept at 31-32 degrees C, and the cost of salaries for farm staff at 21 million FMG/yr. It takes 3 years to break even and a 4th year to start making a profit.
While DEF supports this farm (Both Raymond of ANGAP and Philimon of DEF are aware of the problem) right now his dossier is blocked at MPAEF. He is not sure but feels someone wants a payoff. The danger is that if this cannot be resolved, the next harvest in September will have to be stopped, the local people will feel cheated and will go back to their old destructive ways, the two years of effort by the FAO project will be for not and an endangered species, the Nile Crocodile, that could be saved by making it an economic resource, the goal of SAVEM/KEEPEM could continue to be threatened. There were 8 candidates that originally applied for a croc farm license. Michele was chosen. There are two others who have tried with minimal investment but they have had a high mortality rate with the crocs. There has been a study undertaken on the small red (also blue) aquarium frog (Mantella sp.). It is bought captured from the wild at 20FMG, exported for 1,000 FMG and sold in Europe or the USA for 75,000 FMG. Here is where a Foret Jardiniere could be used to favor its habitat and negotiations with exporters made to assure that more of the money stays with the local community until the forest that houses the frog is more valuable as a forest to the local community than turning it into a cultivated field. There is also a lizard of great value!!! There are currently two other farms that handle 600-700 crocs/year.
POTENTIAL FOR CROCODILE FARMING – CASE STUDY April 26, 1991 MEMORANDUM From To
:Andre USAID/REDSO/REA :C.J. Rushin-Bell, USAID/Madagascar/EO
Concerning: Problems With Commercial Development Of Crocodile Farming In Madagascar As you are well aware, over the last few years FAO has sponsored a project to turn the Nile Crocodile, an endangered species on the Annex I list of CITES, into a valuable renewable natural resource for the rural community of Madagascar and the country as a whole. There are four zones for harvesting eggs of indigenous Nile Crocodile (same as on African continent-endangered) and one area proposed for hunting: a. b. c. d. e.
Bezalampy, Manigoza, Sambao: Zone 1 Mahavavy: Zone 2 Antsalova, Manambolo: Zone 3 Mangoky: Zone 4 East side of Madagascar for controlled hunting
The pilot project was undertaken in September/October 1990 in Zone 1. Approximately, 2,400 eggs were harvested and the farmers were paid 1,000 FMG/egg. Approximately 20 farmers were involved in this collection. There is a potential of harvesting 8,000 eggs from Zone I alone. Because of this activity, the local community no longer sees the crocodile as a livestock and human pest but a valuable economic resource worthy of protecting. The areas where crocodile nests are found were being encroached upon by rice paddies. Adults were being poached for their skins worth only 5-15,000 FMG on the black market. Today, the local community has set aside the nesting area to be protected and they are mounting their own anti-poaching forces. These eggs were bought by Michele Louys of the Societe Voay. His family has been here for 100 years and has the graphite mine at Perinet. He has formed an NGO called Association Des Amis Des Reserves Andasibe (AARA). Because he began seeing forest cover in the area of his mine disappear and because this is affecting dry season flows needed for mining he started AARA and helped to get an area declared as a park: Parc National De Andasibe-Mantadia which UNDP will take over as a biosphere reserve. In addition he has already invested a tremendous amount of capital in establishing the crocodile farm and currently has about 1,900 crocodiles which he is raising. He has made 1/2 of his capital investment in infrastructure already at 160 million FMG???, but another 21 larger basins are necessary to handle the crocodiles as they grow larger. Under the new Code De Agrement Investissement, he has prepared a dossier for his farm. This should allow him duty free privileges for a one time importation of materials and 5 years of tax free status to get the farm going. It is estimated that each crocodile skin costs 100,000FMG to produce and can be sold for 180,000 FMG($US 100).
Between the age of 0-2 years when the croc is harvested it will consume 50kg of zebu (cattle) meat at 2,000 FMG/Kg = 100,000 FMG. The croc starts out at 50-60 gm and finishes at 14-15kg at a length of 1.4-1.9 meters, the real value being determined by the width of the skin at the breast. Also there is an expense of heating, since croc eggs must be kept at 31-32 degrees C, and the cost of salaries for farm staff at 21 million FMG/yr. It takes 3 years to break even and a 4th year to start making a profit. While DEF supports this farm (Both Raymond of ANGAP and Philimon of DEF are aware of the problem) right now his dossier is blocked at MPAEF. He is not sure but feels someone wants a payoff. The danger is that if this cannot be resolved, the next harvest in September will have to be stopped. The local people will feel cheated and will go back to their old destructive ways (e.g. harvesting adults for their skin and meat, harvesting eggs to eat). The two years of effort by the FAO project will be for not. An endangered species, the Nile Crocodile, that could be saved by making it an economic resource, the goal of SAVEM/KEPEM, could continue to be threatened. The question that might be asked is whether in the interest of SAVEM/KEPEM, if there is a way for USAID to intervene. Maybe this is a time to test the efficiency and effectiveness of ANGAP to permit the privatization and valorization of this important renewable natural resource at a commercial level. If this simple well thought out project cannot be honestly realized, what makes us think that we are not wasting our money by investing in a dream? I would suggest that you invite Michele to meet with the USAID Directress to discuss this matter in more detail.
KEPEM POLICY REFORM ISSUES NATURAL RESOURCES MANAGEMENT
1.0 CONVENTION FOR INTERNATIONAL TRADE IN ENDANGERED SPECIES (CITES) 1.1 The Importance of Major and Minor Natural Resource Products as Economical Resources A major objective of the SAVEM project is to find ways to valorize Madagascar's natural resources in the vicinity of its parks, reserves and protected areas to the point where the rural community will find natural ecosystems (e.g. wetlands or forests) economically more valuable in their natural state versus being converted into agricultural fields or grazing lands. This will require a number of steps including:
Identifying economically valuable natural resources. Understanding their population dynamics and developing sustainable management plans. Helping the rural community to negotiate a representative percentage of the profits with the private sector.
There are already many animals and plants that are currently being exploited for their economic worth in Madagascar. In fact, exploitation of Madagascar's natural resources may be amongst the most profitable undertaking in the country. The private sector collectors that are currently given CITES permits must present a dossier to DEF. However, these plans do not require any understanding of the population dynamics of the plants/animals being exploited, nor do they have to demonstrate any attempt at sustainable offtake of the resources. What this implies is that at the moment all that SAVEM and KEPEM hope to accomplish through the valorization of natural resources at the community level could result in a mining and degradation of these renewable natural resources if appropriate policy reforms and actions are not taken over the next few years. Actual or potential natural resources that can be exploited include but are not limited to:
Crocodiles. This is the same species of Nile Crocodile as found in Africa. Until recently it has been perceived by the rural community as a human and livestock pest. Crocodiles are poached for their skins and oil, and their eggs are eaten. It was placed on the CITES Annex II list (Only for export if reproduced in captivity) because of its endangered status. Until 1988 the crocodile was classified as a nuisance in Madagascar permitting it to be hunted year round. In 1988 it was reclassified as a game animal falling under the MayOctober hunting season. In the same year, CITES made an exception of a quota of 1,000 skins from wild collected crocodile for exportation. Meanwhile, DEF began to negotiate with FAO to finance a project linking the rural community to a privately run crocodile farm. In 1989, at the CITES conference in Lausanne, Switzerland, the quota for wild skins was stopped because a sustainable offtake plan of wild crocodiles could not be demonstrated. However, CITES did support the idea of crocodile farming giving Madagascar an export quota of 2,000 pen raised crocodile in 1991 and 4,000 in 1992. Madagascar's Nile Crocodile appears to have the potential to become an important renewable natural resource for the rural communities over a large area of Western Madagascar and to a lesser degree in Eastern Madagascar. In return for 1,000 FMG/egg, the rural community in the region of the pilot project has agreed not to encroach upon crocodile nesting grounds by converting this critical habitat to rice
fields, and they are mounting their own anti-poaching forces to protect adults needed to maintain a sustainable population. This may be the beginning of “Protection Through Conservation" rather than "Preservation" often at the expense of the people, and animal/plant being protected and the habitat that they depend upon to survive.
A small red frog, Mantella sp., is currently bought from the rural community at 20 FMG, exported for 1,000 FMG and sold for 75,000 FMG (About $US 45). There is a terrible inequity with regard to revenue flow. The rural community exploiting this resource needs to be helped to assure that more of the economic worth of this frog stays with them. Also, research needs to be carried out on the life history and population dynamics of this organism so that a sustainable management program can be assured.
Currently, a number of endemic ducks are open to sport hunting (e.g., (1) Canard Boss or Knob Billed Goose (Sarkidiornis melanotos), (2) The White Headed Tree Duck (Dendrocygna viduata), (3) Sarcelle De Madagascar or Madagascar Teal (Anas bernieri). Large numbers of sport hunters flock to Madagascar from Reunion each year to exploit these species. Currently ducks are lumped into the May-October hunting season. There are no quotas or controls in the field over their harvest. Information is needed on their population dynamics and natural history in order to establish hunting seasons and quotas which will assure their sustainability. The rural community sees little or none of the revenue generated from exploiting these resources. Since it is unlikely that hunting will stop, assuring its sustainability and valorizing it at the community level seems the best alternative to undertake.
In the Mahajanga Area, the Jersey Wildlife Preservation Trust is trying to protect an endemic and endangered tortoise (Geochelone yniphora/Astrochelys yniphora), which is being menaced by a wild pig "Sanglier" (Potamochoerus larvatus). It is possible that control of the pig through sport hunting could help protect this tortoise while at the same time becoming an economic resource for the rural community.
There are three endemic frogs "crapo" harvested and exported for consumption of their legs; Mantidactylus guttulatus, Ptychadena madagascariensis/ Ptychadaena madagascariensis and Racophorus gondotti. Many people feel that natural history and population dynamic studies are needed to assure the sustainability of this resource. Once again, it is believed that the rural population is receiving only a very small percentage of the real value of these resources. Potential exists to investigate the pond culture of these species as currently takes place with the Bull Frog in Louisiana, USA.
The endemic crawlfish, Astacoides spp., is a major source of revenue for the rural community in areas where it is found (e.g. Ranamafana). It is found primarily in small forested streams. Currently, nothing is known of its life history, there are no seasons and berried females are collected. It is believed that the future of Madagascar's crawlfish may be directly related to the survival of its tropical east coast forests. Furthermore there is a need to investigate the possibility to farm crawlfish off season in rice paddies. Additionally, there needs to be better marketing of this valuable resource so that the rural community receives greater benefits from its exploitation.
There is also an endemic freshwater shrimp (Macrobrachium sp. – possibly Macrobrachium lepidactylus) and crabs of economic importance that deem further investigation in order to assure the sustainability of these resources and to assure appropriate marketing.
There are many endemic species of butterflies, lizards (e.g. gechos and chameleons), ornamental plants (e.g. Pachypodium spp., orchids) that are of great importance to the
overseas aquarium industry which need to have sustainable management plans established.
Madagascar is already famous for the Rosy Periwinkle (Catharanthus roseus) an endemic plant known for its cancer curing properties. While the two cancer curing alkaloids extracted from this plant have an annual worldwide wholesale value of $US 50 million, Madagascar receives no royalties since the plant is propagated in greenhouses in Europe and the United States. As a result this plant has no real economic value to Madagascar in the current market place. At the same time no royalties are being paid by the pharmaceutical company to protect the biodiversity of the environment from which this and possibly future critical medicinal herbs may come. There is a core of highly qualified technicians from the Ethnobotany Department of the Centre National Recherche Pharmaceutique, but they have little or no operating funds and could greatly benefit from such royalties if they were available. There is a need to devise protective devises to assure royalties for instances such as this or in cases where drugs identified from plants may be artificially synthesized.
Endemic hardwoods such as Palissandre (Dalbergia spp.), which have rotational cycles of from 200 to 400 years are currently being mined and exported from Madagascar with little or no returns to the rural community.
These and many other valuable endemic renewable natural resources exist that have the potential to be developed into important economic resources for the rural community, thus linking biodiversity to conservation to rural economic development However, in addition to basic population and natural history surveys there are a number of key issues that must be addressed.
2.0 POLICY REFORMS TO VALORIZE AND SUSTAINABLY MANAGE MADAGASCAR’S RENEWABLE NATURAL RESOURCES 2.1 Reorganization of the CITES Control Process in Madagascar. The Convention For International Trade In Endangered Species (CITES) has been in existence for many years. All living animals and plants or their byproducts legally exported out of a country must be accompanied by CITES papers and stamps before the country to which they are imported will allow such products across its border. CITES is concerned, and rightfully so, that Madagascar can't currently control that which is being exported out of the country in the way of major and minor forest products. It appears that currently in Madagascar anyone with the right connections and money can buy these papers to accompany exported animals, plants or their byproducts. Only a few individuals are benefitting from such actions and certainly not the rural community. In many instances this lack of control is resulting in the resources being mined rather than sustainably exploited. In fact based on very preliminary information, it might be argued that the degree to which Madagascar's natural resources are being mined is every bit as serious as the poaching of Africa's elephants! If a major goal of SAVEM is to begin sustainably managing Madagascar's natural resources as economic resources, then the CITES process must become the major means of assuring that sustainable management plans are adhered to and that quotas are not surpassed. To overcome this problem it is recommended that the following activities be considered: 2.1.1 Consider Establishing a CITES CONTROL BOARD in Madagascar. This will require negotiation of a major policy reform over the current exclusive control of exportations by DEF which appears to be abused.
This "Board" would consist of a representative from DEF, from ANGAP, from the proposed Association Of Natural Resource Professionals (we should propose this to bring together the technical expertise in this country, both host country and expatriates, to begin valorizing the country's natural resources), the NGO community and from the private sector. Based on scientific management plans, quotas would be established and handed out to each group of exploiters based upon the sustainable offtake estimate in the area from which they are operating. 2.1.2 The Need to Collaborate with CITES to use this Convention as a Means of Controlling and Valorizing Natural Resources. Traditionally, the world environmental community has seen CITES as a mechanism for taking endangered species off of the international market through placing these resources on the ANNEX I list. Once on ANNEX I detailed scientific studies on life history and population dynamics are needed prior to downgrading an endangered species from ANNEX I. Given the current human pressures on natural resources and/or their habitat to survive, there is a real danger that in making a resource non-economical by taking it off the international market, it will not be in the rural community's self-interest to conserve the resource or the habitat in which the endangered species is found. There is a great likelihood that the habitat will be converted to farm or grazing land resulting in the extinction of the endangered species where this occurs, since in not being able to economically benefit from the species, the land becomes more valuable taken out of natural production. Even if the land is marginal and produces low crop yields, it is still more valuable than a wetland or forest in which there are no valuable economic resources. There is also the danger that many resources will be mined and driven into an unregulated black market economy. If the controls (a CITES Control Board, and a PASA from the U.S. Fish And Wildlife Service, and an Malagasy Association Of Natural Resource Professionals) can be initiated in Madagascar, negotiations should take place with CITES to allow sustainable management of those species that have the potential to be turned into sustainable economic resources (e.g. as with the Nile Crocodile) and for the moment avoid pressure from the international environmental community to upgrade species to the ANNEX I listing unless recommended by the Madagascar CITES Control Board. 2.2 Support a Revision of the Forestry Code to Make Local Communities Proprietors of Major and Minor Forest Products. Under the current Forestry Code, plants and animals belong to the State and not to the local community. A local community cannot tell a duck hunter that he must pay a fee prior to hunting ducks on their wetlands. A local community has no negotiating power over collectors of minor forest products (e.g., orchids, frogs) since the local community has no say over who goes into forests adjoining their community. All of this is under control of the State and thus DEF. All plants and animals belong to the STATE and thus so do all remunerations. As with the Fisheries Decree No. 60-126 of October 3, 1960, the Forestry Code needs to be modified to give local communities the right to organize and in turn to control the access to and to economically benefit from the sustainable exploitation of all natural resources within their legal boundaries. In turn this will give negotiating power to local communities to assure that exporters provide them with an equitable share of the profits from sustainably exploiting minor forest products.
2.3 Adoption of Adaptive Management as a Major Theme in SAVEM. The immediate response by many in the conservation community is that we do not know enough about many of these natural resources and that it may take years of study before we can be sure of sustainably exploiting them. Unfortunately, this philosophy can put off any attempt at sustainable management. While the scientists go about collecting their hard data the resources risk to be mined and/or their habitat degraded to a point that when there is sufficient information available on how to best manage the resources there will be little or no resources left to manage. Realizing this, Zimbabwe, through its wildlife department and the Center For Applied Social Sciences (CASS) was one of the first countries to adopt a policy of “Adaptive Management" with regard to their natural resources. Many other countries, seeing the worth of this philosophy, are adopting this approach. Basically, this approach reasons that we will never have all the information about a resource which we would like in order to assure its valorization and sustainability. However, realizing that many natural resources will not survive until they become sustainable economic resources for the rural community, sustainable exploitation management plans will be developed and carefully monitored based upon what is known about the resource today. At the same time pure and applied research will be undertaken, as necessary, to better understand how to best manage a given resource. As this information comes on line, management plans will be refined to assure the long-term sustainability of a given natural resource. This has been the backbone of Zimbabwe's successful Campfire Program and should be strongly be considered as a major policy for natural resources management in Madagascar. 2.4 Adoption of Natural Resource Valorization as a Key Criteria to the Acceptance of SAVEM Project Proposals. Over the last five years, worldwide, too much emphasis has been placed on environmental education under the assumption that once educated about the biological importance of natural resources, the rural community would help conserve them. Unfortunately, environmental education does not feed empty stomachs, and in attempting to survive, critical habitat has continued to be degraded in order to help maintain subsistence lifestyles. ANGAP adopt ”a policy• that requires that all projects not only have a park component, an onfarm component, an environmental educational component, but unless good reasons can be given, a section of the project area should be required to be set aside as a "Multiple Use Area" where the day to day needs of the rural community for natural resources can be met, and more importantly where natural resources can be managed as key economical resources that in turn can be tied into rural development through the generation of revenue. 3.0 ACTIONS TO SUPPORT THE VALORIZATION OF MADAGASCAR'S RENEWABLE NATURAL RESOURCES 3.1 Establish a Malagasy Association of Natural Resource Professionals. One of the major problems that currently faces Madagascar is that they have no scientific data on which to base sustainable management of minor forest products. This not only jeopardizes those resources currently being exported, but places Madagascar at odds with many of the developed countries that fear they are mining these resources.
Many of these developed countries send their scientists to Madagascar on missions to collect information that will support placing, what they consider endangered plants and animals on the Annex I listing of CITES. With no data, Madagascar delegates sit defenseless and as a result resources with economic potential have or risk in the near future to be taken off of the market place. Establishment of a "Malagasy Association Of Natural Resource Professionals" could help not only collect information needed to develop sustainable management plans but could also provide a defense for what they are undertaking at the CITES meetings. There is a great deal of local knowledge in Madagascar in the government, the universities and in private hands about these resources. An attempt should be made to organize this expertise into a unified force which can begin collaborating with the rural community to work towards valorizing these economically and biologically important natural resources through the development of sustainable management plans to the advantage of local communities. 3.2 Establishment of Community Based Pilot Projects with Sustainable Management Plans to Exploit Minor Forest or Wetland Resources. As part of the philosophy of Adaptive Management, there should be an attempt to synthesize what is known about a given renewable natural resource and then develop sustainable management plans for community based pilot schemes. At the same time research by the above Association will be needed to collect the necessary information to refine and upgrade the sustainability of these plans. As part of these pilot projects, local communities should collaborate with DEF, the Direction of Fisheries and ANGAP to begin collecting the necessary long term catch, size, and effort data "Statistics" needed to manage Madagascar's fisheries and other renewable wetland/terrestrial resources. The DEF/FAO crocodile project can serve as an excellent model in how to undertake such programs in collaboration with the rural communities. 3.3 Consider a PASA for a U.S. Fish and Wildlife Agent. Consideration should be given to obtaining an expert in CITES from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service on a 3-5 year PASA (Participating Agency Service Agreement). Many might question the prudence of such an action. If in fact the natural resources of Madagascar and its people are considered the "Flag Ship" by the donor community for biological diversity and if the control of CITES is critical to valorizing these resources in order to conserve the biological diversity of Madagascar, then this idea should be worthy of consideration. If we can send Drug Enforcement Administration Agents to collaborate with host countries in order to control international drug trafficking, then there is no reason why control of illegal trafficking in endangered wildlife and plant species should not be just as important. 3.4 Consider PASA's for other U.S. Government Based Natural Resource Management Expertise. As an example, the U.S. Department Of Fish And Wildlife Service has a migratory waterfowl research station at Patuxant Maryland that studies the ecology of waterfowl and among other things helps to establish seasons and quotas for hunting. A PASA should be considered to bring a waterfowl biologist to Madagascar to establish a program to sustainably manage the huntable populations of Madagascar's ducks and geese. This can then be tied into community based programs to valorize this resource at a grass roots level.
3.5 Develop a Sensitization Program to Advise Local Communities of New Policy Reforms and of the True Value of Their Natural Resources. The problem with many people worldwide living in a rural setting is that they are isolated from access to information. Even if policies are reformed there must be attempts to reach out and inform the rural community of these changes. These communities need to be sensitized to realize that their destiny and the future of the natural resources depends upon their active involvement in managing these resources and their ability to organize as a collective unit (e.g. local "Private" not State controlled Cooperatives or Associations). Furthermore, there will be a need to inform the communities of the true value of their resources so that will not have to negotiate in ignorance with the private sector, giving them an opportunity to have greater access to an equitable share of the profits from sustainable management of the natural resources. 3.6 Access to Credit. Link the above activities to access to a credit program that helps resource users become less dependent on middlemen so that a greater percentage of the profits from sustainable natural resource management remains at a local level. 3.7 Private Sector Marketing and NGO Participation. Once sustainable management plans are in place at a local level, the private sector should be engaged to seek out the most lucrative markets in which to sell these resources. The private sector may include tourism operators, exporters to the collector and aquarium trade in Europe or the United States, European seafood brokers, etc. NGO's will be needed to work with the rural community to identify resources, negotiate with the private sector for a representative and equitable percentage of the profits, and in turn will be needed help the rural community turn this generated income into development efforts at the grass roots level. 3.8 Consider Funding a Worldwide Media Campaign on Sustainable Natural Resource Exploitation and Conservation. One of the reasons that many of the international conservation agencies avoid promoting the sustainable exploitation of natural resources as a means of conserving the World's biodiversity is because they obtain their funding from a misinformed public that has been fed the line that "”Preservation Is the Solution to Biodiversity." Unfortunately, one important formula has been left out of this message and that is man is an important part of the ecosystems in which this biodiversity is found and if we are to save these biologically important resources then man, who is degrading them, must be saved through deriving revenue from their sustainable exploitation. It is only in recent years with accelerated human population growth and concomitant pressures on the natural resources that we are beginning to realize the fallacies of this philosophy. Preservation has its place in very limited areas, but alone it will not save the World's natural resources. In developing countries where subsistence lifestyles do not permit the luxury of putting large areas completely off limits, this can only occur through turning biologically important resources into important economic resources in order for the rural community to improve its quality of life to the point where it is in their vested interest to undertake good conservation practices. Consideration should be given to asking USAID/Washington for a central grant to begin producing videos and articles on the “Valorization Of Endangered Natural Resources As A Means Of Conserving Biological Diversity” with the change in understanding of the people who contribute
to the world conservation effort there will be a rapid change in the international conservation agencies who are there to execute the wishes of their supporters.
