Page 7 - Madagascar Report

The constraints
Mangrove degradation

Mangrove play a key role in sustaining the Madagascar’s economy. For instance, mangrove ecosystem
encourages shrimp cultivation, a source of income for fisherfolk. The ecosystem also provides poles
for house building and timber. These activities including the uncontrolled coastal migration and Country Profile
anthropogenic activities is gradually exerting immense pressure on mangrove development and
productivity is putting pressure on the mangrove resource. For instance, between 1975 and 2005, The Republic of Madagascar
Madagascar lost 7 per cent of mangrove forest cover to the current area of 2,991 km (Giri &
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Muhlhausen, 2008) (World Bank, 2017). Other pressures on the mangroves include drought and
exploitation for fuelwood, timber and charcoal especially in regions like Toliara.

Increased sedimentation along the coastline is also impacting the mangroves. Sedimentation is
triggered by the loss of vegetation because of scotching of vegetation (for cultivation purposes) and
other unsustainable farming activities. Aggravated siltation rate has far-reaching effects of resulting
into mangrove death. Other challenges include: illegal exploitation and overexploitation, weak
institutional and legal framework and internal conflicts for instance in Morondara regions which has
significantly hindered implementation of mangrove conservation.

Degradation of coral reefs
Coral reefs provide many ecosystem benefits including breeding and habitat for some marine species,
food resources to most coastal species. They also have medicinal value and protect the coastlines
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by dissipating wave energy. The 2,230 km area of coral reef are habitat to about 6,000 species
including 700 reef fish species, 1,000 molluscs’ species and 700 shell fish species, among others.
The ecosystem also plays other cultural and biological roles. However, anthropogenic and natural
activities have led to the degradation of the coral ecosystem, in some cases leading to death of
coral reef. Due to the reducing coral reef, which is habitat for some fish species, most fishers are
encroaching into protected areas in search of new fishing grounds.

In addition, climate change is leading to coral bleaching and intense erosion caused by cyclones,
sea wave erosion and unsustainable fishing methods such as trawling and seining is also affecting the
coral. This calls for immediate conservation and management measures.

The opportunity
Mangrove conservation

The mangrove forests play an important role in mitigating the impact of major storms and are an
important habitat for the local animal species. They also provide resources for economic activities in
these areas. There are opportunities for conservation activities at all levels from communities to the
government. For instance, villages surrounding the Velondriake Locally Management Marine Area are
involved in conserving about 1,200 ha of mangrove forest in the Bay of Assassins in the remote southwest
of the country. The activities encourage reforestation activities and locally-led wise use including building
alternative livelihoods, for example sea cucumber and seaweed farming and mangrove beekeeping.
Community-led mangrove conservation is also present in the mangroves of Tsiribihina delta as part of a
new multi-use and multi-ecosystem Central Menabe protected area. This is part of the Menabe Region
Action Plan and development strategy (WWF, 2020) (Blue Ventures, 2019).

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