The south of Madagascar regularly suffers from droughts and progressive desertification of the soil. This is where our "Green Centre" is located, from where ADES implements reforestation projects with various village communities. While other NGOs have already abandoned the region, ADES is carrying out projects with great effort, which preserve the fertility of the soil and thus enable people to have a future in their home village. Around Ejeda, ADES supports the villages with know-how, advice and tree seedlings, while the work is carried out by the village communities. ADES plans wells with the villages to water the seedlings in this dry region. Once the saplings are big enough, vegetable gardens are established in the shade of the trees. The vegetable gardens contribute to the food supply of the villages and by watering the gardens, the shady trees are also cared for.

In the dry region around Ejeda, only a small number of trees per hectare can be planted. Despite the high cost of relatively few trees, the impact of these reforestation projects is immense and directly benefits the village communities who will own the forest after the project phase. For each project, ADES specialists work with the village communities to select a mix of slow-growing indigenous trees, fast-growing felled trees and fruit trees that provide additional food.

With the Salfa Hospital in Ejeda, ADES has reforested more than 10 hectares in close cooperation since 2012. This required seven years of irrigation. With relief plantings, ADES also protects the so-called sacred forest (forêt sacrée) and thus creates the conditions for this forest of about 734 hectares to be preserved. With the AFA project, ADES has created another small reforestation project that is having an increasing impact with wells, a tree nursery and plantings.

In Ejeda, a motivated and experienced team works successfully with the village communities. The farmers are motivated to learn and try new things. This is also related to the difficult drought and hunger situation in the region. The flagship park around Salfa becomes more beautiful every year. The sacred forest (forêt sacrée) provides another showcase. To prevent it from being overused or misused, it makes sense to create new forest resources.

In Ejeda, the risks lie in the heat. Fires make reforestation difficult, as do dry periods lasting several years. The overall situation is very difficult for the population and for years the region has been plagued by hunger.