Agroforestry
brings hope
Madagascar: idyllic beaches, but also barren and arid land. People are struggling to survive. We’re stepping in to support existing recovery projects and help scale up recovery efforts.
Agroforestry
brings hope
Madagascar: idyllic beaches, but also barren and arid land. People are struggling to survive. We’re stepping in to support existing recovery projects and help scale up recovery efforts.
FIRST STEPS
Great potential
Several restoration projects have already been launched in Madagascar. Some individuals and organizations have been working for years to combat desertification caused by, among other things, deforestation.
Last October, we at Tree of Life set foot in Madagascar for the first time. At the invitation of local partners, Berthine and Christian traveled there to visit a number of projects and provide advice on the implementation of agroforestry.
STRONGER TOGETHER
It finally clicks
We are partnering with ARC (Accelerated Restoration Collaborative) and the Deichmann Foundation. They already have some wonderful projects underway, and Berthine has worked with the local project leaders to develop a number of “agroforestry designs.”
This builds on the existing plans. It’s wonderful to see how a simple suggestion about adding a certain type of crop can make the light bulb go off for the local farmers.
EVERY REGION IS DIFFERENT
Custom agroforestry designs
Regions such as Mahajanga, Miorandava, and Antananarivo are all different and each requires its own approach. Many parts of the country are very dry and vulnerable, while on the other side of the island, mangrove forests predominate along the water’s edge. The agroforestry systems we design at Tree of Life take into account what is locally available and which combinations work well, so that farming families
can work toward food security and land restoration:
