Ankodida community, the forest keepers
Posted on January, 24 2020
The communities within protected areas of Ankodida and North Ifotaky, in Southern Madagascar, are committed to protect forest and the animal and plant species it shelters.
WWF is working with the Miaro association in Anosy and Androy region to strengthen the capacity of communities in forest protection and natural resources management. The communities in the region are highly dependent on the forest. Indeed, without the forest, there is no rain, which is vital for agriculture. "The forest is our ancestral heritage. It is also beneficial for us," says Manadily, President of Ankodida local Community. "We have an obligation to protect it and we will be very strict in enforcing the laws against those who still dare to clear it.”Apart from the application of the "Dina" which is ensured by the communities, the Miaro association also set up in 2015 the Polisinala (Rangers) to patrol the forest three times a month. Today, 35 rangers are working in Ankodida and 53 in North Ifotaka. As a result, zero cases of clearing have been recorded since 2017 compared to 200 cases in 2015.
In addition to these patrol activities, the communities are also involved in the reforestation of the region. Since 2014, each family from the six communities in the region has been planting 30 seedlings each year. "This year, we will triple the effort by planting 90 seedlings per family," says Tongasoa, a local conservation agent in Ankodida.