Co‑production workshop on policy instruments supporting climate‑smart and agroecological farming around protected areas in Madagascar

Summary

This workshop report summarises a full‑day co‑production session held on 8 April 2022 in Antananarivo, gathering more than 40 representatives from government agencies, universities, conservation organisations, rural development actors, technical partners and local community associations.

The workshop aimed to (i) assess the current state of climate‑smart and agroecological farming practices in Madagascar, particularly in communities living near protected areas; (ii) understand farmers’ perceptions of the barriers and catalysts influencing the adoption of these practices; and (iii) jointly explore policy instruments capable of supporting a sustainable agroecological transition.

Through presentations, group work using tools such as fishbone diagrams and force‑field analysis, and facilitated discussion, participants identified structural challenges including institutional silos, limited technical support, lack of secure land tenure, reliance on short‑term projects, and poor market access. They also highlighted opportunities—such as improved training, better coordination across sectors, locally adapted inputs, inclusive governance platforms and strengthened farmer cooperatives—that can help scale agroecology and climate‑smart agriculture nationally while reducing pressure on forests and supporting food security.

This paragraph has been translated from the report’s original language of French.