From rapid response to lasting change: JOA’s monitoring visit to Madagascar

The monitoring trip focused on Baly Bay, a remote part of northwestern Madagascar and one of three focal landscapes of the Resources for the Wellbeing of People and Nature (VALIHA) project. Here, Ed was able to see how support from the people of Jersey, through JOA funding, has strengthened food security, improved financial independence, enhanced community health, and encouraged locally led ecosystem restoration.

During the visit, Ed met with two communities to observe the programme’s activities and hear directly from participants. In Antamboho, he saw the community’s mangrove restoration efforts and visited vegetable plots managed by members of the Farmer Field School, discussing their progress and challenges. He also met livestock recipients to understand how the support had improved household resilience. In addition, Ed engaged with the (VSLA) and members of the Village Association (VOI) to discuss the establishment of the Locally Managed Marine Area (LMMA) and its impact on community livelihoods. In Baly Bay village, he joined a focus group discussion with the local fishing community to gain deeper insight into how the programme’s interventions have strengthened economic stability.

Both communities also received lifesaving support from JOA and other donors following Cyclones Fytia and Gezani, which destroyed homes, schools, and fishing boats. In the days following the cyclones, which struck within 10 days of each other, JOA swiftly released emergency funds to provide food and hygiene supplies. Ed was able to meet with affected families and saw how this rapid response had been crucial in such a remote area, where little or no external aid had reached. A second phase of assistance is now underway.

Ed commented:

" It was a shock to see the devasting impact cyclones have on these communities who have so little. Thanks to our partnership with Durrell, the immediate needs of people have been met but the scale of damage remains significant. Homes, schools, and fishing boats were severely damaged or destroyed. In this remote coastal community, the loss of fishing boats has disrupted fishing at crucial time and left families without a source of income"

The visit also coincided with Durrell’s 40th anniversary celebrations in Madagascar, marking four decades of conservation and community impact. To mark the occasion, His Excellency Patrick Lynch, British Ambassador to Madagascar, hosted a reception at his official residence in Antananarivo, named Attenborough House. The event gathered senior government representatives, members of the diplomatic community, international donors, and conservation partners to honour Durrell’s long-standing work integrating species conservation with community development across one of the world’s most biodiverse islands. This milestone highlighted the value of JOA’s long term partnership with Durrell and their shared commitment to safeguarding Madagascar’s unique ecosystems while improving livelihoods.

During his speech at the event Ed said:
“Jersey Overseas Aid’s investment in Madagascar is an investment in the future of conservation itself. The communities of Alaotra, Baly Bay, and Sofia have shown what is possible when people are trusted with the resources and authority to protect their own natural world.”