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A decade of community management to preserve the Amoron'i Onilahy Protected Area

Posted on 28 April 2025

Located in the Atsimo Andrefana region, north of Toliara, Amoron'i Onilahy officially obtained its protected area status on April 28, 2015. Bordering the Onilahy river, from which it takes its name, the area extends over 102,482 ha and covers two districts (Tuléar II and Betioky Sud) and fifteen communes. A true ecological gem, Amoron'i Onilahy stands out for its rich biodiversity and vital ecosystems. Home to a multitude of endemic species characteristic of southwestern Madagascar's ecosystems, it harbors rare treasures, some of which are still secretly hidden. It is home to a Ramsar site covering 75 km (47,105.11 Ha) of the lower reaches of the Onilahy river. This wetland of international importance encompasses a complex of interconnected aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems, which provide essential water resources, forestry and fishery products for local populations, as well as regulating the hydrological regime, erosion and carbon sequestration. Amoron'i Onilahy is also an ecotourism site, offering a selection of varied circuits that are well worth discovering, despite the miles of sandy and winding roads.

Its role remains crucial to the survival of biodiversity and communities. However, these precious treasures are not immune to anthropogenic threats, mainly deforestation and uncontrolled fires. Amoron'i Onilahy illustrates the challenges and hopes associated with the preservation of protected areas in Madagascar, through the implementation of safeguard and sustainable management measures. The Amoron'i Onilahy Protected Area has now been under joint management for a decade by the local communities grouped together in the MIHAVAO federation and the association of communes known as OPCI OHEMIHA.

With WWF support, this co-management has enabled the surrounding communities to gain food and financial autonomy by reducing their dependence on the forest, thanks to the development of income-generating activities such as market gardening, agroforestry, the manufacture of improved stoves, fish farming and rock salt. Market gardening, particularly of peppers and leafy greens, is one of the mainstays of the local population's livelihood. The inhabitants are now making good use of the sustainable and modern techniques they have acquired, increasingly reducing their dependence on forests. For Mrs. Lalao, farmer and Kamado woman leader, « WWF's support has enabled us to develop the cultivation of leafy greens. We are very satisfied with this activity, as it has enabled us to send our children to school and build brick houses to replace our straw huts. It is also thanks to the cultivation of leafy greens that we are able to rebuild the village church, which was destroyed after the cyclone ». The President of the MIHAVAO federation, Rakotomanana Ratsimbazafy, emphasized the importance of the federation's role in the well-being of the communities: « We are particularly concerned with the subsistence of the population, because if they don't have enough income, they will fall back on the forests. We have seen a significant improvement in people's living conditions within the protected area over the past ten years. Our goal for the next ten years is to maintain this momentum and halt deforestation completely ».

Highly involved in reforestation, the communities have succeeded in covering around 200 ha of forest. In the future, they intend to ensure rigorous monitoring of all reforested areas, in particular by stepping up surveillance and patrols. « Reforestation is one of our biggest initiatives to restore our forests. We will ensure that not a single seedling, not a single tree, is cut down. We are confident that the forest cover of the Amoron'i Onilahy zone can be fully restored » confided Soamitahy Ramarozafy, President of OPCI OHEMIHA. Indeed, one of the special characteristics of dry forests is their ability to regenerate naturally, even after being cut down. Increased protection and increased reforestation will effectively support this natural process.

As part of this co-management, WWF provides technical, material and financial support, consolidating the achievements of previous interventions prior to the creation of the protected area, and strengthening local governance. Since the creation of the protected area in 2015, WWF has supported the co-managers particularly in organizational development, having enabled them to strengthen their leadership and empowerment in natural resource management. Support that has led to the emergence of strong and respected local players, capable of making decisions to effectively promote the management of the Amoron'i Onilahy Protected Area.