Sustainable Financing and Inclusive Management to Perpetuate Madagascar’s Locally Managed Marine Areas

Locally Managed Marine Areas (LMMAs) are a cornerstone of sustainable conservation in Madagascar, yet they lack sufficient legal and institutional recognition. This gap does not guarantee the community rights to effectively govern and manage these areas, limits the development of sustainable financing mechanisms and prevents the full implementation of community-driven solutions to protect marine and coastal biodiversity while securing local livelihoods. Increasing pressure from illegal and destructive fishing, coupled with unsustainable resource use, further threatens both ecosystems and coastal communities.

Building on the achievements of the GEF-6 MPA project (ID 9546), this “Sustainable Financing and Inclusive Management to Perpetuate Madagascar’s Locally Managed Marine Areas (LMMAs)” aims to promote conservation and sustainable use of coastal and marine biodiversity in LMMAs across three seascapes in Western Madagascar by facilitating sustainable financing solutions and effective and inclusive management practices, and strengthening the conservation and sustainable use of costal and marine biology. Acting on three key levers — the legal institutional environment, sustainable financing, and inclusive local LMMA governance, management, and development — the project will contribute to the inclusive and sustainable management of the LMMAs network in Madagascar. The project will create an enabling environment for the effective management of LMMAs , foster innovative financing solutions through national CTFs to strengthen the financial capacity of LMMAs, and support the sustainable development of LMMAs and coastal local communities.