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ExplorerHome Madagascar

By on November 10, 2020

Our mission is to infuse curiosity and interest about STEM fields to the public, inspire people to explore, discover and learn about how science is integral in all aspects of life, and make positive impacts for Madagascar.

What is the purpose of ExplorerHome?

ExplorerHome is dedicated to promote science communication and making science accessible to both the public and scientists. It aims to inspire, nourish curiosity and interest in Science Technology Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) fields, as well as increasing STEM literacy among the public at large in Madagascar.

ExplorerHome invites the public to explore the wonders of the world through the eyes of scientists.

ExplorerHome target children (5 to 15 years old) and their families. ExplorerHome’s field-based and online programs give a platform to STEM fields, scientists and offer science outreach, education, and entertainment at its best!

Field Programs

ExplorerHome has two field-based programs, Sciencing Out and Bioblitz.

Sciencing out

“SciOut” program proposes to bridge connections between scientists and non-specialists to articulate that STEM matters. This includes efforts to help students learn but also gives them opportunities to experience science alongside professional scientists and appreciate science while guiding their future action and decision-making towards global issues such as the loss of biodiversity and climate change. “SciOut” program raised the profile of diverse scientific disciplines including Primatology.

With the scientific knowledge shared by scientists leading each topic, students had the opportunity to experience real science: familiarizing with field methods, data collection etc. Each cohort of the “SciOut” program involves 10 high school students and 3 scientific disciplines. The team spend an average of 10 days in the field.

  • When : April and August
  • Total budget for one cohort : $7000
In 2019, ExplorerHome ran 2 cohorts for “SciOut”, with fundings from the National Geographic Society, impacting 21 high school students from 12 public and private schools from Antananarivo and surrounding, 6 scientists from 5 scientific disciplines, 2 educators, 1 storyteller, and 5 facilitators participating in the program.

Learn more about Sciencing Out

 

Bioblitz

This program brings groups of students (elementary school, secondary school, high school) for a day of outdoor exploration in a place where they can access wildlife (park, protected area, etc) using the iNaturalist app and benefiting from scientists’ guidance. We aim to 1) inspire curiosity for each participant about the nature around them, 2) offer the opportunity to participants to practice observation skills necessary for critical thinking involved in the scientific process, 3) use and familiarize themselves with an educative app like iNaturalist and Seek. Each trip for “Bioblitz” involve 25 students, 3 scientists, 5 facilitators.

  • When?: one per month
  • The total budget for each trip (in Antananarivo): $500
  • The total budget for each trip (outside Antananarivo): $2000

In 2019, ExplorerHome ran one Bioblitz in the NAP of Maromizaha, with fundings from the National Geographic Society, involving 48 students, 3 scientists, and 5 facilitators.

Learn more about BioBlitz

Online Programs

As focusing on science communication, education, and outreach, ExplorerHome is very active online.

The NGO developed 5 main programs all centered on three main components: STEM fields, Scientists, and non-scientists. These programs provide a platform for scientists to share their works and incorporate adapted science communication tools to make information more accessible to the public in the form of video. ExplorerHome staff edit and share short storytelling videos to convey messages. Its social media platform: Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube channel are used to broadcast these short educative and informative videos featuring the 5 programs:

“Ask a Scientist”

It features a scientific topic and one host (a scientist) to talk about one STEM-related field topic for two weeks. Questions from the public will be answered during a short series of interviews. Interviews are in Malagasy with English subtitles. Here’s an example of
“Ask a Scientist” featuring Primatology.

“One word a day”

This program is dedicated to kids aged 8-12 years old and explains scientific words in a very simple way. Videos are in French. Here is an example of “One Word a Day” featuring Primatology”

“Science facts”

Scientific papers are turned into short explained videos free of jargon, for the general public to better understand. Videos’ voice over are in Malagasy, contents are in French. Here is an example of Science facts featuring “Wood Sciences”.

“Happy place”

A call for participation is sent out to scientists according to a specified topic. Scientists are free to talk about their research, the species they are working on, fun field anecdote, etc. Video submission is received and will be edited by the ExplorerHome team.

Videos are in the scientist’s mother tongue with subtitles either in English or Malagasy. Here is an example of “Happy place” featuring Primatology

“SCiTia program”

Unlike the other ExplorerHome programs, SCiTia encourages the public to share and contribute to scientific data (such as vernacular name and species record).

  • The Totem&SCiTia program allows Malagasy scouts to share the vernacular name of their totem, and scientists are sharing the scientific information about those totems. Both are gaining knowledge and exchanging information through the program.
  • Voninala&SCiTia program is  ExplorerHome’s program focusing on teaching and encouraging the use of iNaturalist for the public at large, this to encourage exploration and documentation of the nature surrounding us and beginning in our garden. Learn more here.
Implementation of online programs: All year long
Total budget: $750/month

Funding

ExplorerHome collaborates with local organizations (For examples: NGO Sadabe for the “SciOut” program in Mahatsinjo forest, GERP Madagascar for the “SciOut” program in the Maromizaha’s NAP, private school “La Printanière” for the 2019 Bioblitz, etc).

ExplorerHome was able to run its field-based program with one-year funding from National Geographic Society. The online program is funded by a private donor as well as personal funds. We are constantly applying for grants to support our programs.

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Madagascar Lemurs Portal

By on April 10, 2019

The Madagascar Lemurs Portal aims to improve the conservation state of lemurs by addressing existing data gaps and facilitating exchanges and sharing of expertise and data between a wide group of stakeholders with a role in lemur conservation.

Supporting lemur conservation through online international and national awareness

The significant and unique biodiversity resources found in Madagascar are under extreme pressure from anthropogenic activities including slash and burn agriculture and hunting. As the country’s most emblematic species, Madagascar’s 112 lemur species represent a clear example of the biodiversity threat dynamic operating in Madagascar.

Despite awareness within conservation and research circles of the growing threats experience by lemur species, and a passionate international and national conservation community that has leveraged significant support for investment in research and field-based conservation actions, efforts to date have failed to reverse negative trends in lemur conservation status.

A contributing factor to this failure is related to weak biodiversity information and access to knowledge on the part of stakeholders involved in conservation activities. Specifically, there is a lack of a robust mechanism to create positive feedback loops between research, policy decisions, and on the ground conservation actions.

Following a technical meeting with over 40 representatives of lemur conservation organizations in February 2016, a consortium of local conservation partners – FAPBM, WCS, and GERP – proposed to address this problem by developing the ‘Madagascar Lemurs Portal’.

The Madagascar Lemurs Portal is an online project which aims to reach the public at large both national and international users. The project is supported by the Madagascar Biodiversity Fund.

Learn More about this Project Visit the Madagascar Lemurs Portal!

The office is based in Antananarivo, yet several capacity sessions are conducted by the lemur portal team in different region of Madagascar where local NGO and partners are based. These trainings were conducted in Toamasina (Eastern region), Mahajanga (Western region), Ranomafana (Southeastern region), Morondava (Southwestern region), Mahajanga (Western region), and Antananarivo (Central region).

Vision for the Madagascar Lemurs Portal

Data collection on lemur and awareness raising to the local communities

The vision of success for the Madagascar Lemurs Portal is for a technically and scientifically robust, user-friendly, open-access tool that is regularly used by a wide range of user groups; that becomes an essential tool in certain conservation evaluation and decision making processes (e.g., IUCN Red List assessments and donor and partner monitoring of protected area effectiveness); and that is continuously evolving with the addition of new data shared among users.

User Groups

The Lemurs Portal team identified several user groups for this project. We aim to address their specific needs we identified during the project planning process and we have used to drive the development of the Portal functions. These user groups include:

  • academic researchers (international and national),
  • conservation practitioners,
  • Government policy and decision makers (particularly the Ministry of Environment, Ecology and Forests and the National Environmental Office),
  • tourists and tourism professionals,
  • the private sector,
  • and the general public.

Goals for the Madagascar Lemurs Portal

From November 2016 to October 2019, the team plans to have:

  • Engagement of 20 partners, to contribute and validate data
  • Inclusion of 10,000 lemur occurrence records on all 109 species
  • Registration of 500 users on site, half of which participate in the forum
  • Visitation by 5,000 non-registered users
  • Evidence of portal use including references in academic press, grey literature and social media

Community Partnerships and Sustainability

Community partnership

The Lemur Portal ensures collaboration between a wide ranges of stakeholders related to lemur conservation from decision-makers to the local community.

Information, communication, and education (ICE)

ICE includes our key activities for supporting local communities, especially local technicians and protected areas manager. We gather data/information on lemurs while also engaging local communities to format and insert these collected data in the portal. Our team builds local capacities on biodiversity data management, geographical information, and strategic planning for the academic student, local technicians, and those involved in protected area management.

Over two years, we have trained more than 300 local technicians from various regions of Madagascar.

Data/information from local NGO’s and community will be transferred via the lemur portal to decision-makers, tourists, and international organizations for lobbying and raising awareness.

Sustainability

The Madagascar Biodiversity Fund, as the consortium leader, are implementing a sustainable funding mechanism that will involve the Foundation itself and other potential funders. Also, the project are currently applying for diverse grants related to lemur conservation and database sharing. To encourage the support of local potential funders, various fundraising programs are currently in preparation. In addition, the team has applied to many grants that emphasize the use of technology for biodiversity conservation.

Collaboration with protected areas manager – Madagascar National Parks in Zombitse Vohibasia

 

Visit the Madagascar Lemurs Portal!

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Conservation International

By on February 12, 2015

Conservation International Madagascar

What We Do

For more than 25 years, Conservation International (CI) has been protecting nature for the benefit of human wellbeing. Thanks to the help of our 900 person staff, we now reach communities in over 30 countries to help build a healthier, more prosperous, and more productive planet.

CI’s impact on lemur and environmental conservation in Madagascar is achieved through on-the-ground work and through research, publication, and grant-giving initiatives at the international level.

How We Protect Lemurs And Other Wildlife

CI has been working on a variety of programs in Madagascar since 1980 including biodiversity protection, environmental policy, and community programs. At the international level, CI’s Primate Action Fund—in partnership with the Margot Marsh Biodiversity Foundation—has contributed to global biodiversity conservation by providing strategically targeted, catalytic support for the conservation of endangered nonhuman primates and their natural habitats for over ten years. In addition, CI is well known for its role in publishing newsletters, journals, and books that aim to connect field researchers, conservationists, and captive-care professionals. Notably, CI was a key supporter and financier of the Lemur Action Plan; the document around which this website was built.
Conservation International 10675574_742758362445343_5124538466504412962_n

Other CI publications include:

  • The Tropical Field Guide series, which includes Lemurs of Madagascar and various other pocket guides
  • Primate Conservation, an open access scientific journal which publishes in-depth articles of interest to primate conservationists
  • Dozens of articles, reports, and scientific manuscripts published by CI employees about their work in Madagascar and across sub-Saharan Africa more broadly

In addition to working on-the-ground in Madagascar, CI develops the tools needed by governments and NGOs around the world to combat habitat degradation. One example of this, is Firecast, which is a fully automated analysis and alert system that uses satellite image technology to provide real time updates about active fires and fire risks to users around the world. This technology has been used in Madagascar to analyze fire risk in the country’s national parks, and helps track where fires are most likely to occur and when.

What Lemur Species We Protect

Through the Primate Action Fund, CI has helped fund conservation programs for dozens of lemur species, including everything from basic research on the northern sportive lemur (which has less than 50 individuals left in the wild) to the impacts of cyclones on black-and-white-ruffed lemurs in eastern Malagasy rainforests. In addition, the organization’s work on the ground (such as in the Ankeniheny-Zahamena Corridor – one of the largest vestiges of dense rainforest in the country) has impacted well over thirty species.

How We Support Local Communities

Conservation International
In Madagascar, CI works closely with local communities to increase its impact by providing financial and technical support, building capacity, and supporting strategies of development towards a green economy. Financial support is provided both by headquarters – through the Primate Action Fund and via other initiatives – and by programs managed by country-level staff.

For example, the Node Small Grants Program awarded small subsidies to local communities in order to provide economic incentives for conservation programming. This enabled communities to undertake environmental conservation activities while improving local livelihoods. This program funded 316 micro-projects benefiting over 7700 households in six sites around Madagascar through 11 partner organizations.

Conservation International

Another example, CI’s Project Tokantrano Salama brought family planning services, access to drinking water, and sanitation services to areas in Madagascar with high biodiversity. Coupled with environmental education, this program aimed to decrease the impact on natural areas and to increase human wellbeing.

Finally, CI has worked—and continues to work—with local communities on a variety of eco-tourism projects. In the past, they helped build the capacity for communities to manage parcels of forest (100 to 2500 hectare) in eastern Madagascar. This project aimed to impact over 74,000 people in 23 towns along the Ankeniheny-Zahamena Corridor, a 384,000 ha forest that contains vast amounts of Madagascar’s biodiversity.

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WWF Madagascar

By on February 7, 2015

WWF The Panda logo

WWF Madagascar has been paving the way for lemur conservation in Madagascar for over half a century.

Supporting lemur conservation since 1964 with on-the-ground work in Madagascar

WWF Madagascar has been at the forefront of lemur conservation in Madagascar for over fifty years. Their first ever project involved setting up a small reserve dedicated to the protection and prosperity of the Aye-aye, leading to the creation of the Nosy Mangabe special reserve. Since then, lemurs have remained some the organization’s priority species at their project sites across the island.

What lemur species does WWF Madagascar protect?

WWF daubentonia madagascariensis

An Aye-aye (Daubentonia madagascariensis).

Over the years, WWF Madagascar has been key to the protection of many different lemur species. Nowadays – and alongside ongoing projects to protect numerous lemur species – WWF’s strategy (Fiscal years 2012 to 2016) identifies the Silky simpona (Propithecus candidus) as one of their flagship species for the Northern Forest Landscape, the largest remaining stand of humid forest in Madagascar. In 2011, WWF – in collaboration with Dr. Erik Patel (now at the Lemur Conservation Foundation), and international expert on the Silky simpona – conducted a vulnerability analysis on this species; the first of its kind.

This groundbreaking research – which helps conservationists understand more about the different threats facing a species – was expanded in 2012 in collaboration with the IUCN (International Union for Conservation of Nature) and again in 2014 with the help of GERP. This research now helps scientists and organizations better plan their conservation programs.

WWF Madagascar is currently performing fieldwork to collect vulnerability data and information on species viability. This project began in December 2014 and will be followed by updates of the Vulnerability Analysis (VA) until the end of 2017. The aim is to understand the factors that render the Silky simpona vulnerable in order to start implementing adapted management measures that will help the species to face future climate and non-climate pressures.

How is WWF Madagascar protecting habitat for lemur conservation?

WWF Verreuaxi Viktor Nikkiforov

Verreaux’s Sifaka (Propithecus verreauxi).

WWF has been, and continues to be involved in, the establishment and management of many protected areas across Madagascar, which serve to conserve and protect threatened habitats for many lemur species as well as a wide variety of other flora and fauna. In addition, WWF Madagascar carries out a range of actions in Madagascar aimed at protecting habitat. For example, in the Northern Forest Landscape, WWF trains and equips local communities to perform forest patrols. One of the functions of the patrols is to collect information on species locations and populations. Both the presence of the patrols and the data they collect are being used to combat poaching of lemurs and other animal species.

WWF are currently working on habitat protection issues across Madagascar in many sites, including: Marojejy, Kirindy Mitea, Tsimanampesotoe, Amoron’i Onilahy, Ankodida, Corridor Marojejy Tsaratanana, Anjanaharibe Sud, Nord Ifotaka, and Ranobe PK 32.

Influencing environmental policy to help lemurs

WWF Photo2_catégorie1_Ichiyama_ANTANANARIVOWWF Madagascar, and WWF as a whole, are able to raise awareness of the threats facing lemurs at the national and international level. An example of the positive impacts of their work include WWF’s debt-for-nature concept, which pioneered the idea that a nation’s debt could be bought in exchange for in-country conservation programming. WWF has used this program to generate over $50 million (USD) of funding in Madagascar for conservation from 1989 to 2008. In addition, WWF Madagascar was a key facilitator in the First International Conference on the Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources in Madagascar; this meeting was the foundation of the National Environmental Action Plan that was later implemented in Madagascar in the 1980s.

Partnering with local communities

WWF puts local communities at the center of their conservation projects. Local communities that live closest to valuable, fragile lemur habitats are pivotal to the success of lemur conservation because they are the ones interacting with, living in and depending on the forests and species on a daily basis.

WWF Team_Anadapa(Halleux)

WWF Madagascar’s team working in Andapa.

WWF manages a wide array of social development programming; in the past, the organization has developing eco-tourism projects, designed public health programs, and even worked with the Malagasy government to create eco-labels for Malagasy shrimp which are traded on the international market through the shrimp aquaculture industry.

Local conservation management

In the Northern Forest Landscape, a green belt composed of 39 community-based managed areas is currently being established around the newly created protected area of COMATSA (245,000 ha). Each area managed by local communities first undergoes a zoning process and then local management plans are developed. As the Silky simpona is a flagship species for the entire area, activities related to its conservation and resilience building will be developed for the protected areas as well as for all the community-managed areas where the species is present.

Environmental education

Since 1987, WWF Madagascar has been growing its environmental education program, in collaboration with the Malagasy Ministry of Education. The program now has 515 student clubs across 46 districts in Madagascar and impacts over 50,000 students in the country. In addition, the program also prints the Vintsy Magazine – an environmentally focused publication – which has been in print for 64 issues.

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University of Antananarivo

By on February 3, 2015

About the Mention Anthropobiologique et développement durable

The Mention Anthropobiologie et Développement Durable (ADD) houses the unique, primatology laboratory at the University of Madagascar which contains both lemuroid subfossils and holotypes of living lemurs.

ADD’s main objectives are to:

  • provide training programs about primates,
  • undertake research endeavors, and
  • promote conservation efforts.

The academics and technicians associated with this program partner with institutions at the national and international level including with non-profits, community associations, and government entities.

ADD is key to improving the abilities of Malagasy university students and helping them become leaders in the field of conservation. This is important as conservation does not just stop with protecting lemurs, but needs to encompass education, awareness raising, and helping local communities take ownership of — and actively engage with — conservation programming.

As a result of ADD, students and alumni now work in many different agencies and institutions within the country. Looking forward, ADD aims to continue working towards programming that supports and promotes the work of researchers and conservationists in Madagascar in a sustainable way.

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Chances for Nature

By on February 1, 2015

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What We Do

Chances for natureChances for Nature spread, communicate, and promote sustainable natural resource use techniques as well as raise awareness for Madagascar’s extraordinary biodiversity. We achieve these goals through outreach, education and capacity building in small villages in rural Madagascar. Chances for Nature currently focuses many of its efforts in Central Menabe (west Madagascar), but does not limit its education initiatives to just this region.

How We Protect Lemurs And Other Wildlife

Our work contributes to protecting lemurs by promoting sustainable use of natural resources. We work in areas which are home to lemur species and so this helps to limit negative impacts on lemur habitat.

What Lemur Species We Protect

Chances for nature - mouse lemurThe area where we have focused many of our efforts, in west Madagascar, is home to the largest remaining dry deciduous forest of Western Madagascar. This unique ecosystem is home to high floral and faunal diversity, including the world’s smallest primate: Madame Berthe’s mouse lemur (Microcebus berthae).

How We Support Local Communities

Chances for Nature works closely with local communities in order to establish new programs that help spread information about how natural resources can be used sustainably in remote and resource-poor communities. The work is done in close collaboration with local communities and involves a partnership with people and elected officials in the areas where Chances for Nature works.

Environmental education

Chances for nature OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERAWe use Malagasy-language multimedia presentations and films to promote sustainable use of natural resources. In 2013, we produced a film designed to illustrate the uniqueness of Madagascar’s biodiversity; the film also explained the consequences of unsustainable use of natural resources and presented three alternative sustainable techniques and behaviors that could be used to improve the lives of local people while reducing natural resource depletion. This film, as well as other multimedia presentations, reached Malagasy communities in 2013 and 2014 through the help of a mobile cinema. This mobile cinema works exclusively through pedal (bicycle) power and thus reaches a large amount of people – even in remote areas without electricity. The cinema was even used to raise awareness and supplement environmental education in several Malagasy schools.

Presentations have focused on educating Malagasy communities about:

  • SRI (Sustainable Rice Intensification)
  • Combining fish breeding with rice cultivation
  • Self-made ecological stoves (Fatana mitsitsy or Fatapera mitsitsy)
  • The benefits of ecological stoves (Fatana mitsitsy)
  • Ecologically-friendly charcoal

Ecological stoves

Chances for natureAs 80% of the energy consumption in Madagascar is used for cooking, the use of environmentally-friendly stoves can have a positive impact on habitat protection. Our approach combines environmental education, the promotion of sustainable techniques and behaviors, and modern media which has turned out to be very successful and motivated two communities to build and use the stoves.

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Madagascar Oasis

By on February 1, 2015

Madagascar Oasis Logo

Madagascar Oasis works with the country’s national zoo to increase the effectiveness of its captive lemur outreach.

Supporting lemur conservation through the creation of urban green spaces

Madagascar Oasis Photo1Madagascar Oasis’ actions contribute to the protection of lemurs through their mission to increase urban well-being by creating green spaces (parks with trees, flowers, and other vegetation) throughout the capital city of Madagascar, which is home to over 2 million people. Their work uses the environment to increase urban health and educate children to appreciate nature from an early age. In addition, a major portion of their activities involve rehabilitating Madagascar’s largest zoo – the Tsimbazaza Zoo – which houses several species of lemur and is often the only way in which urban Malagasy citizens are able to interact with their country’s most famous animals.

Helping lemurs in captivity

Madagascar Oasis Photo5

One of Madagascar Oasis’ larger projects involves the renovation of the Tsimbazaza Zoo, which accommodates over 400,000 visitors per year. The zoo – which is one of the only ways that the capital city’s 2 million residents can see lemurs – is key to many in-country outreach programs. In fact, schools from a 200 kilometer radius make sure to send their students on class trips to the zoo on a yearly basis. Given the zoo’s high visibility and importance to lemur conservation, Madagascar Oasis aims to transform the zoo into a showcase where citizens and tourists will be able to appreciate Madagascar’s biodiversity without distraction. As such, the organization hopes to refurbish the zoo’s basic infrastructure, including rebuilding pathways and providing lemurs with newer and more spacious enclosures. The organization – which has been working on this project since May 2013 – will also work to ensure that plant and animal descriptions across the zoo are updated, uniform, and informative. Madagascar Oasis hopes that their important work will increase visitation by 15% which amounts to an extra 5,000 visitors per month!

Partnering with local communities

Madagascar Oasis Photo4Madagascar Oasis’ philosophy is that they only initiate projects that fulfill a need in the local community and require minimum maintenance once they are closed. The organization always involves the local community throughout the entire project lifecycle, including prioritizing projects, gaining approval from decision-makers, implementation, and handing the project over to a local entity. Madagascar Oasis aims to ensure that programs continue following the hand-over to a local organization. Therefore, they provide technical training where necessary and discuss ideas with local communities of how revenue could be generated to ensure program continuity.

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Association Tantelygasy

By on January 28, 2015

Association Tantelygasy Logo.

What We Do

Association Tantelygasy uses innovative development and reforestation programs to protect lemur habitat and help conserve lemurs in central Madagascar.

How We Protect Lemurs And Other Wildlife

One of our larger objectives is to work with local communities to ensure the ongoing health of the forest, which protects and helps regenerate lemur habitat. Reforestation efforts were launched in 2014, planting over 1,300 trees in just six months! The Association continues reforestation work through tree planting and creating tree nurseries.

How We Support Local Communities

We work in partnership with village leaders and with local village associations to build capacity in the community and ensure the sustainability of our organization’s programming. In addition, we conduct a wide range of pro-environment programs in Ambositra to incentivize communities to protect remaining forest and gain income from non-forest sources.

Eco-tourism

We have been developing eco-tourism at our project site since 2012. In the first six months of this eco-tourism program, we built its foundation, attracted 45 visitors, and planted 1,300 trees!

Association Tantelygasy seeks funds to continue building up the community’s ability to accommodate and manage a tourist economy. This includes:

  • Training guides who can collaborate with tourism agencies and responsibly guide tourists through the protected forest
  • Creating and maintaining official trails through the forest to minimize human impacts on the local fauna and flora
  • Constructing a reception area at the entrance to the park
  • Constructing an area for security guards to stay overnight at the entrance of the park, so they do not have to travel a distance back to the local village
  • Conducting a comprehensive survey of the flora and fauna in the forests, with the help of specialists, who will also study how local communities use the forest’s plants in their traditional healing practices

Handicraft Association

Association Tantelygasy is working with local women’s associations to develop a local handicraft trade, including embroideries and baskets made of local products. While the local women’s associations obtain most of the financing needed for the handicrafts, Association Tantelygasy will be promoting sales abroad and raising the larger funds needed to advance these community associations.

Farming and beekeeping

As Association Tantelygasy progresses, we plan to implement farming and beekeeping programs to alleviate the need for local communities to rely on the forest for income and food. We’re currently raising funds to create model gardens where we will teach sustainable agriculture to local communities and provide the community with free and low-cost seeds and gardening equipment. In addition, Association Tantelygasy has its sights set on beekeeping, which can help both the environment, through pollination, as well as the community.

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