Second Quarterly Report 2015 July 2015 Guy Randriatahina, Programme Director Lot IVH 169 N Ambohimanandray Antananarivo Madagascar guyhrand@hotmail.com a
These activities were possible through support of the following AEECL Zoo members and partners If your logo needs updating, please email it to administrator@aeecl.org b
Table of content 1. Conference on Climate Change... 2 2. International Tourism Fair Madagascar (ITM)... 2 3. Celebration of the Earth Day in Analalava... 4 4. Celebration of the World Environment Day... 6 5. SGT Activities... 6 5.1. Meetings with MNP staff... 6 5.2. Participation to the WED... 7 5.3. Possibility of language training... 7 6. Meeting with the partners of the park... 7 7. Renewal of the headquarters agreement... 8 8. Possibility of funding activities to Sahamalaza... 8 9. Labour Day celebration... 8 List of photos Photo 1 Panelist during the conference... 2 Photo 2 Map and indication at the entrance Photo 3 Schedule... 2 Photo 4 Conference Photo 5 Stands at the "Espace Baobab".. 3 Photo 6 International exhibitor (Salle Foyer)... Photo 7 International exhibitor (Salle Ravinala)... 3 Photo 8 Stand without panel Photo 9 Panel on the floor... 3 Photo 10 Some of our visitors... 4 Photo 11 Carnival (authorities in front). Photo 12 Carnival (local association and pupils)... 5 Photo 13 Rope pulling contest Photo 14 Radio crochet... 5 Photo 15 Environmental talk Photo 16 Beach cleanup... 5 Photo 17 Carnival Photo 18 Authorities... 6 Photo 19 Place of the celebration... 6 Photo 20 Meeting at the MNP office in Maromandia... Photo 21 Meeting with villagers at Marovato Sud... 7 Photo 22 Staff cleaning the yard in Antsohihy... 8 Acronyms BNCCC: ITM: MN: RTOS: WED: Bureau National de Coordination des Changements Climatiques International Tourism Fair Madagascar Mikajy Natiora Regional Tourism Office of Sofia World Environment Day 1
1. Conference on Climate Change On 21 May 2015 the director of AEECL attended the conference on climate change organized by the Ministry of Environment, Ecology, Sea, and Forest through the "Bureau National de Coordination des Changements Climatiques" (BNCCC) in collaboration with Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung Foundation. This conference was held in Antananarivo. The aim of the conference is to inform, educate and sensitize the general public and all sectors which may affect the fight against Climate Change in the country. Climate change is not a story but a reality for Madagascar. According to the BNCCC Director, reforestation and population awareness are among the strategies that Madagascar should implement. Photo 1 Panelist during the conference 2. International Tourism Fair Madagascar (ITM) The 4th edition of the International Tourism Fair took place at Carlton Hotel Anosy Antananarivo during 3 days from 28 to 30 May 2015. The fair plays a role in the exchange and networking to enhance tourism in Madagascar and the Indian Ocean. Photo 2 Map and indication at the entrance Photo 3 Schedule 2
Photo 4 Conference Photo 5 Stands at the "Espace Baobab" For this year, the organization has improved. There were 3 exhibition venues including 2 indoors and 1 outdoor, the exhibition area was also increased. International participants and major hotels located in Madagascar occupied the indoor exhibition while the Regional Tourism Offices and industry trade were located at the outdoor exhibition. Photo 6 International exhibitor (Salle Foyer) Photo 7 International exhibitor (Salle Ravinala) The Executive Director of Regional Tourism Office of Sofia (RTOS) informed us a month in advance that we will participate in the ITM but 2 days before the fair he informed us that RTOS will not participate to the ITM because of the lack of funding. This renunciation of RTOS has modified the organization that we have developed. In addition the ITM organizer has even removed the RTOS panel. We insisted to put back the plaque so that Sofia plaque was on the ground not hang out. Photo 8 Stand without panel Photo 9 Panel on the floor It is noted that participation of the fair is free thus it was an opportunity to present the tourism in the Sofia Region especially to talk about the ecotourism of Sahamalaza. Therefore AEECL and the Travel Agency Mada Best Trip prepared a stand. Any hotel operator in the region 3
Sofia is present during the fair. Due to the lack of time preparation our stand was poorly presented compared to other exhibitors; however we tried to satisfy the visitors who visited our stand by providing more information about the Park and distributed flyers about the Sahamalaza National Park. We printed 200 flyers and all of them were distributed on the first day, any flyer left at the second day. Photo 10 Some of our visitors Sofia region remains unknown area for many visitors. Among the 250 who visited our stand, 75% of them did not know where Antsohihy is located. However people are interested in this region. At this fair, the Director of AEECL had an opportunity to talk with the General Director of Madagascar National Parks (MNP), he mentioned that the MNP would like to support ecotourism in Sahamalaza but he did not mention the policy that MNP will adopt to develop the ecotourism there. The Executive Director of Regional Tourism Office of Sofia Rabesaina Jonah was nominated as Regional Director of Tourism. We hope that this appointment will bring a new look for tourism in the Sofia region. According to the Madagascar National Tourism Office, the ranking of foreign visitors in 2014 is as follow: France (47.45%), Italy (15.20%), Réunion (9.04%), Mauritius (2.80%), China (2.29%), Asia (2.18%), United Kingdom (2.04%), Germany (2.03%) and the United States of America (1.97%). As it is shown, visitors are mainly French. 3. Celebration of the Earth Day in Analalava Twenty second (22) April is the worldwide celebration of the Earth Day. Earth Day s Global 2015 Theme is "It s Our Turn to Lead". In order to achieve this goal and to join the international movement to protect the PLANET and to ensure a sustainable future "A billion of green act", the Association Mikajy Natiora celebrated the Earth Day in Analalava from 24 to 25 April 2015. The city of Analalava was chosen the Sahamalaza-Iles Radama National Park is within this district. In addition this is the city that MN did not yet organize any education and outreach activity. Although Analalava is located near the park still few people know the Park. The goal of MN for this event is to increase local people awareness about the environmental protection. 4
Several regional and local authorities attended this event including the Head of region, the Regional Development Director, the Chief District of Analalava, Mayor and the Commander of the Gendarmerie Brigade of Analalava and the Heads of education. Photo 11 Carnival (authorities in front) Photo 12 Carnival (local association and pupils) Conservation NGOs working in the Sofia region were invited to attend this event including AEECL, DWCT (Durrell Wildlife Conservation Trust), Club Vintsy Antsohihy and SGT. The Regional Director of Environment, Ecology, Sea and Forest was unable to attend but He was represented by the Head of Cantonment of Forest in Analalava. Several activities were carried during the event such as carnival, competition sport games, environmental quiz, and projection of film documentary and beach cleanup. The opening day began with a carnival, the Head of Region and the local authorities led the carnival followed by local associations and school children from the 4 different schools. The opening ceremony started with different speeches of the authorities, the speeches consisted of conservation message. At least 500 people attended the celebration of the Earth Day. Photo 13 Rope pulling contest Photo 14 Radio crochet Photo 15 Environmental talk Photo 16 Beach cleanup 5
The Head of Region said in the speech that this kind of activity facilitates the transmission of the message for public awareness rising and he encouraged the organizer to carry on this interest into the future. 4. Celebration of the World Environment Day The worldwide celebration of the Environment Day is 5 June. In Madagascar, the national celebration was held in the town of Manakara in the southern part of the Island while the regional celebration of the Sofia region took place in the commune of Marotandrano. The theme chosen for this year is "Seven billion dreams, a single planet, consume with care." AEECL received an invitation to attend this event but unfortunately the Director was not able to attend it because he was retained doing the renewal of the headquarter agreement. Therefore, a member of SGT, Rabary Leon was sent to attend this event. The opening ceremony started with a carnival followed by official speeches related to the theme. Folk songs and a concert of a famous artist "Viavy Chila" animated the event. Photo 17 Carnival Photo 18 Authorities Photo 19 Place of the celebration 5. SGT Activities 5.1. Meetings with MNP staff The SGT members and staff of the MNP Sahamalaza have often organized meeting to improve the work method. At the beginning of April, some members of SGT encountered the Park Technical officer and the reception officer to discuss about the name of the circuits 6
which will be implemented within the Park. They decided that the trail from Marovato to Ankarafa will call "Belle-vue"; circuit "Mangamaso" for the forest of Ankarafa and circuit "Iles Radama" for the islets. On 29 May 2015, another meeting was organized at the AEECL office in Antsohihy. The purpose of the meeting is to remind guides the internal regulations of the guide service inside the Sahamalaza National Park, to plan the guide rotation and to revise the price of guided tour. This meeting is only for guides who have contracted with the MNP. These tourist guides are Rabary Leon, Rajaonilaza Arlette, Razafinandriana Holiarisoa, Hamid Said and Adama. 5.2. Participation to the WED One SGT member attended the regional celebration of World Environment Day on 5 June 2015 in Marotandrano. The delegation talked about SGT and brought up its value. He distributed their brochures to the authorities and people interested in their services. He spoke with the Reserve Director. Some member of SGT will be invited to accompany some people who will visit this reserve in September. The SGT wants to know more about Marotandrano Reserve. As it requires adequate funding, they would have great difficulty meeting the objective. 5.3. Possibility of language training The Mada Best Trip Travel Agency will organize english and italian languages training for SGT to improve their levels. 6. Meeting with the partners of the park The Sahamalaza National Park managed by the MNP has got the funding of the Environmental Action Plan, Environment Programme III. On 2 may 2015, donors organized a meeting with the local and technical partners in order to evaluate the progress since the project implementation. After a meeting at the MNP office in Maromandia, we visited the project beneficiaries in Marovato Sud village. There are mainly fishermen and beekeepers. Financial partners are satisfied with the outcome on site. Photo 20 Meeting at the MNP office in Maromandia Photo 21 Meeting with villagers at Marovato Sud 7
7. Renewal of the headquarters agreement The AEECL got an approval of the Malagasy Government as foreign NGO working in conservation area. The headquarters agreement is valid for 2 years but renewable. At each renewal, a form and a canvas must be completed. Information regarding the NGO and expatriate staff or volunteers and their activities must be provided in the renewal application form and sent to ministries that will review the documents. This disposition is made in the harmonization of the headquarters agreement renewal processes for a good understanding of the relationship and a supply of Ministries databases. Submission of renewal application not conform of the canvas may result inadmissibility of the application. 8. Possibility of funding activities to Sahamalaza A person might be financially contributed to the conservation activities of Sahamalaza. Although he was informed of the activities through reports, he asked a meeting via Skype to learn more about the activities. The Skype meeting took place on 25 May 2015 and lasted 50 minutes. Activities that AEECL undertakes were explained in details during the meeting. The person would be ready to support some projects and his contribution could focus on the development of ecotourism infrastructure improvement to the research camp Anabohazo, construction of school and partial of the infrastructure for the lemur captivity centre if it will be built. We hope an interesting follow up of our conversation. 9. Labour Day celebration Like many countries, Madagascar has ratified the first of May as Labor Day for a long time. It is a day off throughout Madagascar, workers have the choice to celebrate it or not. For the AEECL Antsohihy staff, they spent the day to clean up the office' yard. Photo 22 Staff cleaning the yard in Antsohihy 8