Fanamby means “challenge” in Malagasy. Fanamby is a non-governmental organization working for the environment; it was established in 1997 by a group of Madagascar conservation and development scientists and experts. Fanamby was created because:

Some habitats and a fair share of the biodiversity that lie outside the protected area network have no legal conservation status;

The benefits of conservation activities in Madagascar seldom effectively trickle down to the local communities, which in the long run compromises the efficiency of such activities. Local support to conservation projects is limited without the integration of the communities in decision-making processes and without a fair distribution of the benefits.

Thus, it is Fanamby’s belief that the preservation of natural resources heavily depends on the implication of all stakeholders, especially the constant implication of local communities in sustainable management and local development.

Challenge

In view of the urge to protect biodiversity while reducing poverty in Madagascar, Fanamby sets out to grant a protected area status (implying conservation and development activities) to its intervention sites. It also sets out to promote local and regional development through the implication of all stakeholders.

Fanamby’s priority intervention zones are located in biodiversity-rich regions that do not yet have a conservation status.