November 16, 2012

Landscape of the Week: Ankeniheny-Zahamena Corridor

On Wednesday the Landscapes Blog explored the role of forests in integrated agricultural landscape management. Trees become increasingly important features in a landscape when the needs of carbon sequestration for climate mitigation and increasing resilience to adapt enter the picture. A new project implemented by Madagascar’s Ministry of Environment and Forestry, and supported by the World Bank and Conservation International, is trying to marry forest conservation, community benefits, and sustainable agriculture in Madagascar’s Ankeniheny – Zahamena – Mantadia Biodiversity Conservation Corridor. It brings together many elements of a whole landscape approach – strong and transparent governance mechanisms, engagement of multiple stakeholders, innovative finance, and management that accounts for ecosystem service provision. 

The island nation of Madagascar off the coast of Mozambique, boasts some of the highest levels of biodiversity in the world, while at the same time housing one of the poorest populations. This confluence of low agricultural productivity from poor soils, and severe environmental degradation has also placed the country, and its human population of 22 million, in a position of great vulnerability to climate change.

The Ankeniheny-Zahamena Corridor (CAZ) corridor of forest stretches along approximately 425,000 hectares of the eastern coast of the island. A region with substantial conservation value (as a hotbed of biodiversity, with 14 endangered species of lemur), it is also home to hundreds of local Malagasy communities, and under pressure from slash-and-burn agriculture and illegal logging. The project, being designed with technical support from Conservation International and the World Bank’s BioCarbon Fund, is attempting to designate 370,032 hectares of rainforest in the corridor as a sustainable use protected area.

Focusing on alternative livelihoods, the protected area allows for wood and fruit gardens as counters to slash-and-burn agriculture (traditional production of tavy-rice). Through partnerships with local organizations in the region, the project is also helping to improve the agricultural productivity while ensuring markets for locally-produced products. Moreover, the project prevents soil erosion, protecting the headwaters that supply water to residents and farmers in the agricultural plains to both the east and west of the corridor. Management of the forest is placed in the hands of hundreds of local community associations, allowing for consideration of cultural and spiritual sites. 

What sets this effort apart is the link with climate finance to improve livelihoods and agricultural practices. As one of the first Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation (REDD) projects in Africa, the project is anticipated to inform how REDD can be implemented and replicated in other areas. Some of the carbon credits generated by the project and sold to the World Bank’s BioCarbon Fund will generate revenue to fund conservation activities, including aiding the local populations adapt to the effects of climate change while improving their livelihoods. The emission reductions generated by the project have been calculated using a new methodology developed by the BioCarbon Fund, approved internationally by the Verified Carbon Standard, and under audit by Rainforest Alliance. Once this process is complete, the carbon credits can be officially issued and sold to other buyers.

This effort at an integrated approach will undoubtedly provide important lessons for land managers and policymakers, and make strides towards developing a replicable model to address multiple ecosystem services and rural livelihoods.

Read the full story on the World Bank website and learn more about the AZ Corridor at the Conservation International website.

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