Mangrove forests develop in wetlands, at the interface between sea and land. They are a bulwark against the winds and waves, but also a breeding ground and nursery for thousands of animal and plant species. For their inhabitants, they are a reserve of wood essential to the construction of houses and canoes, but also a larder for those whose survival depends on fishing. On a global scale, they are a veritable lung, capturing up to ten times more CO2 per hectare than a conventional forest.
Thirty years ago, the island of Madagascar was bordered by 310,000 hectares of mangroves, i.e. 20% of African mangroves. Since the 1990s, climate change and massive deforestation have destroyed more than 80,000 hectares of these forests: 25% of Madagascar's mangroves have disappeared.
Louvain Coopération is working to preserve and restore these precious forests, particularly in the Menabe region. We support the local authorities who are responsible for protecting the forests, we encourage the communities and support them in setting up reforestation campaigns and temporary fishing reserves, i.e. areas where fishing is prohibited for a few months in order to ensure the reproduction of fish and other animal and plant species. In addition, we are supporting mangrove dwellers, most of whom are fishermen, in developing other sources of income in order to reduce and limit the degradation of mangroves and, more broadly, natural resources.
From 2017 to 2021 in the Menabe region, more than 100 hectares of mangroves have been reforested, with more than 482,000 propagules (mangrove seedlings) planted. 2,630 residents have been made aware of the need to preserve natural resources by taking part in collective reforestation campaigns.
Another aspect of our work on mangroves is the collaboration with the other university NGOs that are members of the Uni4Coop consortium, which are also working to preserve them, but in other countries. The aim is to pool the experience and knowledge gained from our projects, our universities and local stakeholders in order to guide our actions as effectively as possible and make them as impactful as possible.