Combining conservation with farming will protect resources and increase incomes.
Supporting communities to lead the way on natural resource management, NCBA CLUSA, in partnership with Tetra Tech, has begun work on the five-year U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) Mikajy Project to support national-level planning and local development in two key regions of Madagascar.
Working in Menabe and Mamabaie regions, the USAID Mikajy Project will address key threats to biodiversity through community-based natural resource management, enhancing well-being for communities near protected areas, and strengthening natural resource tenure and property rights for resource dependent communities.
As a technical assistance partner, NCBA CLUSA will contribute to the economic development of communities in those regions by facilitating the diversification of conservation-friendly livelihood opportunities. NCBA CLUSA will lead an initial assessment to determine which value chains in each region may have the greatest impact on biodiversity conservation while increasing farmers' incomes. Once value chains have been selected, NCBA CLUSA will facilitate market linkages with local, regional, national and international buyers and assist producers to meet market demands for conservation-friendly products. The expertise and outcomes from this work will bolster the knowledge management goals of the partner project in Madagascar—USAID Hay Tao.