The devastating impact of climate change on Madagascar
At Feedback Madagascar we’re mad about trees. They make oxygen, stop erosion, feed some of the world’s poorest people and provide a home for the world’s most wonderful animals. We have already planted and protected two million trees and with your help we want to plant a million more.
Landslide caused by cyclone leaves devastation in the rainforest
Madagascar, the fourth largest island in the world, located in the Indian Ocean, is known for its unique biodiversity, rich culture, and stunning landscapes. But it is under threat.
Economically Madagascar is the fourth poorest country in the world thanks to years of international exploitation and weak governance. It has a Gross National Income per capita of $480 with over 24 million people living in extreme poverty.
Poverty is the primary driver of the devastation of Madagascar’s rich biodiversity. As the demand for land and natural resources ever increases so do slash-and-burn agriculture, charcoal and firewood collection, and the unsustainable harvesting of wildlife.
More recently the island has been highly vulnerable to the destructive forces of cyclones. As climate change intensifies, the frequency and severity of cyclones in the region are on the rise, leaving a profound impact on the people, ecosystems and economy of Madagascar.
In February Cyclones Batsirai and Emnati hit the southern Ikongo district within two weeks of each tearing through communities and leaving an aftermath of destruction. Over 136 people lost their lives, thousands of others their homes and their livelihoods, whole villages were swept away.
These devastating cyclones caused fatal floods and landslides decimated crops causing famine. Climate change has made choosing planting times impossible with droughts and floods alike now unpredictable. The destruction of farmlands not only affects the livelihoods of farmers but also disrupts the food supply chain, exacerbating the challenges faced by already vulnerable communities. Planting trees has become a priority.
You can help by getting involved
Twelve years ago we launched our first Treemad campaign supported by Lee Durrell and Sir David Attenboroughand with a few of the poorest communities in Eastern Madagascar, we planted over 2 million trees.
The great majority of these trees are thriving and doing their job, providing more natural habitat, timber and fuel, food and money, and “ecoservices”, sequestering carbon, protecting watersheds, and stabilising microclimates.
Sir David Attenborough called it “ the most realistic and ambitious tree planting programme the island has ever seen. These young trees will grow to form the forest of the future. They represent the best chance the island's wildlife have.”
We relaunched this campaign to support school tree nurseries where children, teachers, and parents will all produce the saplings to be planted out on the forest’s edge, across watersheds, and around their homes.
Please support this campaign if you can. Together we can help these poorest communities provide for their future and ours. Plant a Tree by clicking here
