The Sustainable
Livelihoods Initiative aims to address the problem of
spiralling poverty and environmental degradation in
the region of Fort Dauphin in the south east of Madagascar.
This is a short documentary filmed
during a three month voluntary programme
in 2006:
Work focuses on improving local people's well being
at the same time as ensuring the conservation of the
environment. To achieve this there are three main areas
of action, which are inter-linked:
Sustainable Natural Resource
Management
involves research into forest resources and management
options for their sustainable use; establishing tree
nurseries and tree planting; environmental education
and training in building of improved stoves.
Food Security and Nutrition
involves promoting sustainable agriculture techniques
with rice, cassava, vegetables and pulses to increase
productivity, improve soil fertility and local nutrition.
Income Generation
involves developing small-scale and environmentally
friendly micro-enterprises including bee-keeping, weaving
and production of sun-dried fruit.
Azafady now works in every single Fokontany in the Rural
Commune of Mahatalaky and our extension workers are
working every day at helping the rural poor to build
small income generating activities into their livelihoods
strategies. This year we focus on the introduction of
the growing of leguminous pulses and the farming of
fish to an area starved of protein-rich food.
Participation
has been central to the whole initiative with local
people not only actively involved in all the proposed
activities but also determining new activities. This
has led to the development of a food security and nutrition
component. To ensure long-term sustainability of all
activities and the human development necessary to encourage
future self-reliance, there needs to be more than just
participation, even in its most active form. The initiative
therefore focuses on 3 key processes which can be described
as:
Skill
Development and Capacity Building - through
training and education
Institutional Development and Strengthening
- facilitating the establishment of new or supporting
the development of existing groups
Networking
and Skill Transfer- encouraging the exchange
of experiences and sharing of knowledge through
gatherings, information packs and a demonstration
site
Through this holistic and open approach the initiative
is contributing to the ecological, social and economic
sustainability of the area now and in the future.
The Sustainable
Livelihoods Initiative was designed together with local
stakeholders during a 3 month visit from April to July
2000. Preliminary funding was obtained from Disney Wildlife
Conservation Fund and activities began in October 2000.
In February 2001 the project won the Sting and Trudie
Styler award for Environment and Human Rights.
Jenny Rouquette
was co-ordinator of the Sustainable Livelihoods Initiative
from 2000-2003.
Our Sustainable
Livelihood initiative continues to develop on the work
started by Jenny. We currently have three field workers
who continue to teach skills to interested community
groups. Phase two will expand on this transfer of skill
through our training centre
at Lanirano.
