Villages Receive Park Funds Again

After more than ten years of waiting, communities near protected areas are once again benefiting from revenue from national park entrance fees.

Madagascar National Parks (MNP) is relaunching this mechanism to support local development and strengthen environmental protection.

The official ceremony took place in Analamazaotra-Mantadia National Park, in Andasibe. The Minister of the Environment and Sustainable Development, Max Andonirina Fontaine, led the event alongside local officials. During the meeting, the Ministry presented the funds to the 28 Protected Areas Steering and Support Committees (COSAP) from several regions of the country.

In his speech, the Minister emphasized the essential role of the link between nature and the population. “Environmental protection is inseparable from the development of its inhabitants,” he emphasized. Max Fontaine called on every citizen to strengthen the preservation of national parks. According to him, the increase in the number of visitors directly leads to an increase in revenue for municipal projects.

The redistribution covers revenue collected in 2024. The amount reaches nearly one billion ariary (217 thousand USD), shared among the 28 COSAPs. Municipalities and local authorities, with the support of the committees, select the projects to be financed. The funds support the implementation of social, economic, or infrastructure projects that have a concrete impact on the population.

This return of the mechanism marks an important step forward, according to local authorities. For more than a decade, difficulties in the tourism sector had blocked redistribution. As a result, municipalities no longer received their share of the revenue. Today, the MNP is demonstrating its commitment to relaunching sustainable cooperation between the state, local authorities, and residents.