Reforestation

Reduction of fuel consumption through cookers

Preserving nature and creating food security with trees

Up to half a million hectares of forest are lost in Madagascar every year. Reducing fuel consumption by cookers will not be enough to preserve the forests in Madagascar. The education and awareness-raising measures have a long-term effect and will not be able to solve the problems in the short term. That is why ADES is also involved in reforestation. With partner organisations, ADES implements larger reforestation projects. Together with small village communities, ADES fights to preserve the fertility of the soil and to improve the food supply through reforestation.

Over the past twenty years, ADES has gradually expanded its afforestation efforts. ADES' experience in this field has grown accordingly. Staff members are continuously trained and pass on their knowledge to the partners. Partners are mainly village communities or non-governmental organisations.

Reforestation project video

Planting trees

Reforest hectares of forest

Reforestation projects

Annual afforestation targets 2024

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With village communities and partner organisations

It takes about three years from a seedling to a well-grown tree. For this period of time, a tree costs three francs. This includes protective measures, training, monitoring and maintenance. ADES runs its reforestation projects with a long-term time horizon.

ADES carefully selects its reforestation partners. The goal is not fast growth, but sustainable growth that benefits the environment, the local population and the partners. In this way, ADES ensures a long-term commitment. The most important principles are:

Native hardwoods are planted in a targeted manner. A large part of it is neither cut down nor used for economic exploitation, but is cared for as a (living) basis for humans, animals and the climate.
ADES plants mixed forests of hardwood, felled timber, fruitwood and does not accept monocultures.
The forest is owned by the village community or partner organisations.
From a certain time onwards, the forest provides fast-growing firewood and timber for the own needs of the neighbouring villages.
Especially in the poor and arid south, ADES empowers village communities to plant gardens within the irrigation radius of the reforestation projects. These improve the nutritional situation of the villages and ideally provide additional income.
Partner organisations and their staff use ADES cookers.

Madame Rasoha

Madame Rasoha, Association locale Samovo:

"We women are involved because we want to earn money and because the men are too weak on their own. We make up around 50 per cent of the association's members. I have planted more than 6,000 trees in the last five years and that makes me proud."

Reforestation with the local population

ADES is constantly stepping up its reforestation efforts. To this end, ADES is also working with local, specialised organisations. Projects can only be successfully implemented in the long term if the local population benefits from reforestation measures from the outset. Village communities that used to clear the forest down to the last tree become reforestation partners who look after the forest themselves and manage it sustainably.