The Menabe Antimena protected area continues to live under the pressure of heavy migration. Migrants pierce the eastern part to exploit the hard core at all costs.
FLEEING the harsh realities of the South, overwhelmed by drought, migrants mainly from the Mahafaly and Antandroy communities, according to reports from stakeholders in the protection of the environment of Menabe Antimena, are rushing towards Morondava. These migrants are interested in farming inside the protected area. It is the dry forest which is made up of a hard core of 43,676 ha that migrants or criminals take over.
It is the largest contiguous block of natural habitats such as dense dry forests with a center of micro endemism and a strong tourist attraction, called the “Ambadira” block. There is clearing, fire, logging, and selective logging on a large scale.
The East Zone of the protected area has been abandoned by the managing non-governmental organization (NGO) and the eleven stakeholders working to protect Menabe Antimena, and has thus become an uncontrolled zone and an area of insecurity. The stakeholders are divided according to the types of ecosystems.
Zone exploitable
The western mangrove landscape of approximately 13,947 ha or the “mangrove landscape” is managed by the WWF.
There is the buffer zone of 138,268 ha made up of wetlands with Lake Bedo of 1,000 ha which is part of the Ramsar site, Lake Kimanaomby of 1,900 ha. The buffer zone sees the presence of private properties such as the GSM (Grande Saline de Madagascar) with 357 ha, the Saline FIDA with 663 ha, the De Haulme property with 16,000 ha and the Aquamen which occupies 3,868 ha. The dry forest is managed by the NGO Durell and Cnferef, while the 6,620 ha special reserve is managed by Madagascar National Parks (MNP).
There are agricultural areas in the protected area of Menabe Antimena, which, it should be remembered, has a total area of 210,000 ha. There are areas with authorized occupation allowing a life in harmony with nature.
“The stakeholders of the Menabe Antimena all act in its conservation and according to their specific zones with currently a coordination of their activities for more impact. Currently we can say that the resident communities, particularly in the West zone, have already adopted agriculture that protects the environment”, indicates a local actor in the protection of the environment.
However, awareness-raising actions must be undertaken in the regions of origin of migrants with specific messages. Forests are not an agricultural destination and development is not necessarily an enemy of conservation and the environment.
“Politicians, elected officials need to understand the views of managers and not automatically side with the destroyers. Private operators are invited to respect the development plans of the protected area and direct their workforce only in the authorized areas, but not in the hard core,” he suggests.
The agricultural sector should also promote agricultural techniques that do not use fire to prepare the land for cultivation. And finally, migration issues need to be considered urgently.