Madagascar, the fourth largest island in the world, is home to priceless biodiversity. Within this natural paradise, there are complex forest resource management challenges. According to a recent RRI study, in 71.7% of Madagascar’s community lands, representing 41.72 million hectares, the rights of communities are not legally recognized.
Unfortunately, Madagascar still lacks adequate legislation to secure these lands, exposing Indigenous Peoples and local communities to constant pressure from the private sector seeking to appropriate their territories. Faced with these challenges, RRI and the German Agency for International Cooperation (GIZ) initiated a new project called “Strengthening Community Land Rights Through Coalition Building, Land Tenure Reform, and Research to Improve Forest Management and Strengthen Community Livelihoods in Madagascar” with the Initiative Solidarité des Intervenants sur le Foncier (SIF).
The project represents tangible hope for a more sustainable future for the big island.
Madagascar, the fourth largest island in the world, is home to priceless biodiversity. Within this natural paradise, there are complex forest resource management challenges. According to a recent RRI study, in 71.7% of Madagascar’s community lands, representing 41.72 million hectares, the rights of communities are not legally recognized.
Unfortunately, Madagascar still lacks adequate legislation to secure these lands, exposing Indigenous Peoples and local communities to constant pressure from the private sector seeking to appropriate their territories. Faced with these challenges, RRI and the German Agency for International Cooperation (GIZ) initiated a new project called “Strengthening Community Land Rights Through Coalition Building, Land Tenure Reform, and Research to Improve Forest Management and Strengthen Community Livelihoods in Madagascar” with the Initiative Solidarité des Intervenants sur le Foncier (SIF).
The project represents tangible hope for a more sustainable future for the big island.
A groundbreaking initiative
SIF and RRI deployed an exceptional transformative influence to directly reach the community council of the FOKONOLONA. The FOKONOLONA, Madagascar’s local communities, are the traditional custodians of Malagasy lands and the community council has played a key advisory role within the community since time immemorial.
SIF and RRI’s collaboration are a response to the complex challenges of land management and biodiversity preservation in Madagascar. Since 2019, SIF has been supporting the drafting of the country’s Community Land Law. Their actions include regional consultations, capacity-building workshops for civil society organizations (CSOs), advocacy for secure land rights, and active promotion of the inclusion of women and youth in the law.
This approach embodies a collective commitment to comprehensive and equitable land reform in Madagascar, demonstrating a willingness to create solid legal foundations and foster inclusive participation for the well-being of local communities.
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