TAPIA (Tantsoroka Ara-Pamokarana Iarovana ny Ala Tapia) – Support for the preservation of the Tapia forest and the resilience of community organizations in charge of its sustainable management in the Itasy region (Madagascar)
Planète Urgence acts for a planet of solidarity and sustainability, so that everyone can live with dignity and autonomy in a preserved environment. To this end, three missions have been set: to preserve forests and endangered biodiversity, to promote local community development, and to raise environmental awareness.
Overview of the project
The management of the natural forests of Tapia has been transferred by the Malagasy State to community organisations called VOIs. Their members and families, especially the most vulnerable, depend on the resources of this ecosystem for their food and income. However, the Tapia forest is overexploited in the Itasy region due to a high level of poverty, the limited means of the forestry administration, and the lack of capacity of the VOIs to ensure their role in the sustainable management of this forest.
The aim of the project is to strengthen the capacity of the grassroots community organisations (VOIs) responsible for the Tapia endemic forest in several communes in the Itasy region of Madagascar, in order to protect their ecosystem, improve their livelihoods and increase their resilience. The empowerment of VOIs is helping to regenerate this forest, and reduce pressures through parallel reforestation with a variety of species for wood-energy needs, and additional community income. The preservation of the Tapia forest contributes to carbon sequestration, biodiversity, and local adaptation to climate change. The reduction of the communities’ vulnerability is based on the strengthening of core values based on biodiversity, and on local frameworks for participatory governance of land use planning, and inclusive and sustainable management of natural resources.
The project is therefore divided into 4 areas
- the planting of trees of several species in the Tapia forests
- strengthening the VOI to improve their sustainable management
- raising awareness among local communities of the need to preserve these forests
- developing sustainable economic alternatives to limit human pressure on these forests
Contribute to the preservation of the Tapia forest and increase the resilience of community organizations in charge of its sustainable management in the Itasy region in Madagascar.
Ongoing research
- Plus d’un million d’arbres plantés
- Plus de 1000 élèves sensibilisés à la protection de l’environnement
- Plus de 2000 bénéficiaires directs du projet notamment grâce au développement de filières de sériciculture, d’apiculture et de maraîchage
The project was funded by Planète Urgence's own fundraising campaign, called "1 euro = 1 tree" - (https://planete-urgence.org/planter-un-arbre/)
organisation
Planète Urgence, an international solidary NGO created in 2000, works to strengthen women’s and men’s abilities for a sustainable and united planet. Humans are at the heart of the solution to environmental and societal issues. This is why its mission, through its volunteer programs, awareness campaigns, and forest preservation projects, is to allow each person to be more active in their own development, and that of their community.
Planète Urgence supports local initiatives by providing support adapted to the needs of development and environmental protection. The association’s conviction is as follows: everyone has the possibility of acting and getting involved at his or her own level, according to his or her means, whether by sharing skills or making donations, in order to participate in the co-construction of a fairer and more desirable world.
This vision can be broken down into three areas of intervention:
- Preservation of threatened forests and biodiversity
- Promotion of local economic development
- Raising awareness of the environment