RT Journal Article
SR Electronic
T1 It’s not just poverty: unregulated global market and bad governance explain unceasing deforestation in Western Madagascar
JF bioRxiv
FD Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory
SP 2020.07.30.229104
DO 10.1101/2020.07.30.229104
A1 Ghislain Vieilledent
A1 Marie Nourtier
A1 Clovis Grinand
A1 Miguel Pedrono
A1 Alison Clausen
A1 Tsiky Rabetrano
A1 Jean-Roger Rakotoarijaona
A1 Bruno Rakotoarivelo
A1 Fety A. Rakotomalala
A1 Linjanantenaina Rakotomalala
A1 Andriamandimbisoa Razafimpahanana
A1 José M. Ralison
A1 Frédéric Achard
YR 2020
UL http://biorxiv.org/content/early/2020/07/31/2020.07.30.229104.abstract
AB Madagascar is recognized both for its unparalleled biodiversity and the high level of threat suffered by this biodiversity, associated in particular with anthropogenic deforestation. Despite sustained efforts to fight poverty and curb deforestation, forest cover in Madagascar is rapidly decreasing. To try to explain why it is so difficult to stop deforestation in Madagascar, we analysed the recent deforestation process in Western Madagascar through satellite image analysis and field surveys. We show that deforestation has increased from less than 0.9%/yr on 2000–2010 to more than 2%/yr on 2010–2017. We identified two major causes of deforestation, which were not associated with subsistence agriculture: slash-and-burn agriculture for the cultivation of cash crops (maize and peanut), and uncontrolled fires to create open pasture. Maize production is mainly at the destination of the domestic market and is used in particular for livestock feeding. Peanut production has boomed since 2013 and more than half of it is now exported towards asiatic countries. The money earned by farmers is principally invested into zebu herd acquisition. Trade of agricultural commodities benefits several intermediaries, some of whom have political responsibilities thus creating conflicts of interest. On the other hand, agents from institutions in charge of the management of the protected areas have no means to enforce laws against deforestation. In the absence of an efficient strategy to stop deforestation, we predicted that 38-93% of the forest present in 2000 will have disappeared in 2050. Forest loss, apart from biodiversity loss and climate-change global issues, will be at the expense of local population. In order to stop deforestation, international aid should be used to improve local governance to enforce environmental laws and pressure should be put on trading companies to buy certified agricultural commodities that are not derived from deforestation.Competing Interest StatementThe authors have declared no competing interest.