Natiora Defenders is the first organisation in Madagascar dedicated to recognising and promoting Madagascar’s environment and conservation heroes.
While regenerative work is essential, the people who are relentlessly working to restore the health of natural resources and the economy are just as important, given the success they have achieved so far despite numerous challenges.
In Madagascar, small-scale fisher communities face various challenges, including environmental degradation, the decline of fish populations and illegal fishing practices, leading to social and economic hardship of fisher communities. Small-scale fishers and their families also face various threats from environment offenders including violent intimidation, legal harassment and their homes set and fires. Many have faced life-threatening situations while protecting marine environments. This is made worse by the fact that small-scale fishing communities are also often located in remote areas, making it harder for their voices to be heard. The struggles they are facing and the tremendous work they are doing to overcome them often end up being overlooked.
This situation has led to Natiora Defenders creating the Ocean Defenders programme to recognise this invaluable work.
Natiora Defenders have selected 10 ocean conservation heroes through a pre-established scoring grid generated by partners from civil society and non-profit representatives alongside board members of Natiora Defenders. The programme plans to expand these heroes’ recognition and visibility to potential partners and funders, from local to international levels, and to strengthen the technical capacities of local ocean defenders through training and exchange of experiences. This in turn will regenerate the economy through improved management and conservation of marine resources, which will foster production and trade.