Summary

Madagascar's forests are some of the world's biodiversity hotspots with a diverse range of endemic species, providing ecosystem services of global importance. However, forest degradation in Madagascar is widespread. Many rural communities depend on forests for their livelihoods, yet traditional practices including charcoal production and tavy (shifting agriculture) are becoming increasingly unsustainable. The remaining Magnafiafy littoral forest habitat in the Anosy region is designated the highest conservation status in Madagascar on account of its unique and endangered biodiversity.

In an effort to protect the country's forests, the Malagasy government tripled the area of land that is included in Madagascar's system of protected areas, from 1.9 million hectares to almost 6 million hectares. 14 ‘New Protected Areas’ of forest have been designated in the Anosy region. These are vital for conservation but in order for the system to work the needs of communities which traditionally depend on these forests for their livelihoods must be addressed.

Project Moringa was developed from Azafady's previous community conservation initiative, Project Volyhazo, which included the piloting of a variety of agro-forestry species to reduce community dependence on protected forest resources. Moringa oleifera is a drought-resistant and extremely nutritious plant that provides a rich source of protein and micronutrients (vitamins C & A, calcium, potassium, iron, etc.) that are severely lacking in the daily diet of south east Madagascar's rural poor. The uptake of Moringa oleifera as part of Project Volyhazo was so great – with information and inputs provided to over 500 households – that this initiative was subsequently developed into Project Moringa and expanded across the region. The project responds to the high demand from communities for training in the cultivation and use of Moringa oleifera and directly supports the Regional Office for Nutrition in their campaign to increase food security through the promotion of this hardy and nutritious tree.

Project Aim

To sustainably improve the health of rural communities in the Anosy region and reduce dependence on protected forest resources through the provision of essential training and inputs to promote the cultivation and sustainable use of Moringa oleifera.

Objectives

1. Communities have an established agro-forestry resource.

2. Communities are able and motivated to sustainably manage agro-forestry production.

Principal Activities

Train community members in the cultivation and management of Moringa oleifera
Moringa oleifera seedlings are cultivated in Azafady's tree nurseries and distributed to participating households. Community members are supported to plant the seedlings in optimum conditions, with training provided in the cultivation and management of Moringa oleifera. Azafady is using simple educational tools to reinforce this training by working with the Regional Office for Nutrition to produce simple pictorial guides in the local dialect, designed to be accessible to those with little formal education.

Hold culinary demonstrations
Azafady is holding culinary demonstrations specifically targeting women as those responsible for family diet in order to demonstrate the nutritional value and full range of uses for Moringa oleifera. These sessions are led by Azafady with assistance from the Regional Office for Nutrition and promote simple recipes using locally available ingredients.