For resilient and equitable conservation, PA managers aspire to a better understanding and consideration of social issues. To this end, the MiRARI project conducted a five-day training course from 6 to 10 February 2023 in Andasibe and in villages near the Torotorofotsy and Maromizaha PAs. The training brought together 16 protected area (PA) managers from across Madagascar and involved two local community representatives. The training aimed to help managers understand and better manage social aspects such as identifying and measuring the social impacts of PAs and of safeguard and development projects around PAs. The aim was to help them design, implement and evaluate safeguard and development projects, and to estimate the levels of funding realistically required.
The different themes covered include:
- The principles of social safeguarding and its implications,
- Ethical principles related to PA management,
- Identification and monitoring of the different social impacts of PAs and of safeguarding and development projects around PAs,
- Identification of the populations affected by the establishment of PAs and the beneficiaries of safeguard and development projects,
The training started with direct interaction between the participants and the communities in Torotorofotsy. We proceeded with the viewing of the film "Voices of the Forest" to share and initiate various thematic discussions between the participants and the local communities. The film was followed by a role-playing game that allowed participants to put themselves in the position of the different conservation actors: local communities, protected area managers and donors. The enthusiasm of the participants made for both lively and hilarious debates and facilitated local communities to share their perspectives with PA managers, contributing greatly to the training.