The Madagascar Foundation for Protected Areas and Biodiversity supports sustainable financing for protecting, maintaining and expanding Madagascar’s protected areas network, including certain buffer zones and ecological corridors.
Created in 2005 through a declaration signed by the government of Madagascar, Conservation International and World Wildlife Fund, the foundation is widely recognized as a model for Africa and an anchor for sustainable financing of Madagascar’s rich biodiversity.
In addition to a financial contribution of $1 million, the Global Conservation Fund (GCF) played an instrumental role in the creation of the foundation, from staff assisting with the redrafting of the existing Malagasy Foundation Law to ensuring that the structure of the foundation represents international best practices. Other partners also contributed to the fund, bringing its capital to $30 million.
In 2008, the governments of Madagascar and France signed the largest debt-for-nature swap agreement in Madagascar’s history, allocating roughly a further $20 million to increase the funding for the foundation. The landmark deal enabled the fund to meet its endowment target of $50 million.
The foundation is an important part of Madagascar’s goal to triple the size of its protected areas network and ensure sustainable financing for these critical areas. GCF investments have enabled the Malagasy government and partners to create nearly 600,000 hectares of new protected areas benefiting both people and nature as part of this ambitious program.