Madagascar – Climate Change Adaptation in Diana Region

1. Title of your Project

Climate Change Adaptation in Diana Region

2. Name of organisation

Implemented by: WWF Madagascar and Western Indian Ocean Programme Officer (WWF MWIOPO)
Financed by: MacArthur Foundation

3. Location of project

Diana Region
Country: Madagascar

4. Project duration

Project started: January 2010
Project finished (if applicable): n/a

5. Contact information

Name of contact person: Alison Clausen
Name of organisation:     WWF MWIOPO
Detailed address:           BP 738 Antananarivo
Phone:                          (+261) 034 49 888 05
e-Mail:                          aclausen@wwf.mg
Website:                       http://madagascar.panda.org/

Website of your project (if different): n/a

6. Summary of practice

The project overall goal is to successfully implemented climate change adaptation models that can be scaled up for high-value conservation areas throughout Madagascar. The project specific objectives are:

• The Diana Region provides successfully implemented climate change adaptation models that can be scaled up for high-value conservation areas throughout Madagascar.
• The capacity of the Diana regional actors is developed to enable them to design and implement adaptation policies to enhance the resilience of coastal and marine conservation priority areas.
• Adaptation approaches are developed and implemented in 2 priority areas for conservation and 1 natural resources management project.
• Climate change adaptation is integrated into the Diana Regional Development Plan and lessons from Diana are shared at national level.

7. Context/Approach description

The Diana region in northwestern Madagascar is one of the most important regions in the country in terms of its marine and terrestrial biodiversity, which includes mangroves, coral reefs, small islands, dry and moist forests and transitional vegetation. Its diverse ecosystems have also made it the primary destination for tourists, as well as the main production site of shrimp, both of which provide important contributions to national economic development, and most of the region’s 486,000 residents rely on the region’s natural resources for their livelihoods. A national climate change vulnerability assessment and adaptation workshop of 2008, which was funded by the MacArthur Foundation, unequivocally demonstrated that climate change poses a serious threat to Madagascar’s biologically rich marine and terrestrial areas, and to the livelihoods of local communities that depend on ecosystem goods and services.

The Diana region is no exception and is vulnerable to the effects of climate change, both in terms of increased climate variability as well as extreme climate events, including cyclones. Adaptation planning in the region has been limited to date, and there is an increasingly urgent need to develop and implement adaptation measures to increase the climate resilience of Diana region’s ecosystems, and the goods and services they provide to local communities. This project will work with local communities and authorities to achieve this goal and thereby protect valuable biodiversity resources, while enhancing local livelihoods in the face of future climate change.

8. Community involvement

Community involvement will be through training sessions, community consultations, involvement in community based monitoring systems and general awareness raising activities.

9. Results & Lessons learned

9.1  Results

The project is in a start up phase and results achieved to date relate to training and capacity building of key project partners.

9. 2 Critical Success Factors

Local partnerships and strong involvement of local communities in the project will assist in its success.

9.3. Transferability 

The lessons learnt from the project will be used to inform similar activities in other regions throughout Madagascar.