Madagascar landscape blending nature and political history.

Madagascar's Conservation Crossroads: How Historical Politics Shape the Future of Its Ecosystems

Jordan Keane in Climate & Environment August 2025 • 4 min read.

"Uncover the deep-rooted history and political forces driving conservation efforts in Madagascar, revealing why a balanced approach is crucial for the island's unique biodiversity and its people."

Madagascar, an island nation renowned for its unique biodiversity, faces a persistent challenge: reconciling conservation with the livelihoods of its people. Efforts to protect its lemurs, forests, and other natural treasures are often complicated by poverty, historical inequalities, and the influence of international agendas. Understanding this complex interplay requires a journey through Madagascar's conservation history, examining the political and economic systems that have shaped the landscape we see today.

The story begins in the 1970s and 80s, when a dedicated group of scientists and policymakers recognized the urgent need to protect Madagascar's extraordinary flora and fauna. Mobilizing global attention, they laid the groundwork for international conservation efforts, influencing formal political negotiations and bureaucratic practices. However, their influence also extended into informal collaborations that spanned geographical and institutional boundaries.

A critical turning point arrived in the mid-1980s, as the emphasis on biodiversity, sustainable development, and neoliberal policies prompted a reconfiguration of power relations. This shift provided the political-economic context for transforming a scientific campaign into a well-funded foreign aid agenda, encapsulated in the Madagascar National Environmental Action Plan. While integrated conservation and development approaches were often advocated, the political, scientific, and financial strength of the international conservation lobby often overpowered these more comprehensive efforts.

Setting the Stage: Conservation and Conflict

Madagascar landscape blending nature and political history.

The debate over balancing conservation and development in Madagascar has raged for decades. The challenge is particularly acute given the island's unique biological wealth and the widespread poverty of its people. Critics argue that traditional conservation approaches often prioritize the lives of lemurs over the well-being of Malagasy communities, leading to calls for more equitable and effective strategies. The influx of international attention and funding, while invaluable, has also raised concerns about the unequal distribution of costs and benefits.

Finding a more equitable path forward requires confronting historical legacies, addressing conflicting ontologies and values, and acknowledging the disproportionate influence of foreign institutions and organizations. It's about moving beyond simplistic narratives and recognizing the complex interactions between humans and the environment.

Effective conservation in Madagascar requires:

Examining historical processes and political-economic systems.
Addressing power imbalances between international and local actors.
Reconciling competing values and priorities.
Critically assessing the impact of conservation efforts on local livelihoods.

The seeds of foreign-funded conservation can be traced back to early scientific expeditions and classification efforts that date back to the 17th century. However, the focus here is on the period from the 1960s to the 1990s, a time when a group of scientists and policymakers came together to galvanize global support for protecting Madagascar's unique ecosystems. Their influence was exerted through formal negotiations, informal collaborations, and strategic alliances built across multiple sites. These connections continue to shape conservation politics in Madagascar today.

Transforming Power Relations for a Sustainable Future

Ultimately, effective and equitable conservation in Madagascar hinges on transforming the power relations that have created both the island's environmental crisis and the efforts to address it. By acknowledging the historical context, challenging existing power structures, and prioritizing the needs and voices of local communities, Madagascar can move towards a more sustainable and just future for its people and its extraordinary environment.

About this Article -

This article was crafted using a human-AI hybrid and collaborative approach. AI assisted our team with initial drafting, research insights, identifying key questions, and image generation. Our human editors guided topic selection, defined the angle, structured the content, ensured factual accuracy and relevance, refined the tone, and conducted thorough editing to deliver helpful, high-quality information.See our About page for more information.

This article is based on research published under:

DOI-LINK: 10.4314/mcd.v12i1.4, Alternate LINK

Title: A History Of Conservation Politics In Madagascar

Subject: Industrial and Manufacturing Engineering

Journal: Madagascar Conservation & Development

Publisher: African Journals Online (AJOL)

Authors: Catherine Corson

Published: 2017-09-14

Everything You Need To Know

How did historical events and political shifts shape the approach to conservation in Madagascar?

Conservation efforts in Madagascar are deeply intertwined with its history and political systems. The initial phase involved a group of scientists and policymakers in the 1970s and 80s who raised global awareness and initiated international conservation efforts. These efforts evolved significantly in the mid-1980s with a greater emphasis on biodiversity, sustainable development, and neoliberal policies, leading to the creation of the Madagascar National Environmental Action Plan. Understanding this historical evolution is crucial because it reveals how foreign aid and international conservation agendas have shaped conservation practices, sometimes overshadowing more comprehensive local development approaches.

What was the significance of the Madagascar National Environmental Action Plan in shaping conservation efforts, and what key elements were potentially overlooked?

The Madagascar National Environmental Action Plan represents a crucial turning point, signifying a well-funded foreign aid agenda that significantly impacted conservation efforts. The plan, while aiming for integrated conservation and development, was often dominated by the political, scientific, and financial influence of the international conservation lobby. Missing from this approach were equitable considerations and power dynamics that often led to prioritization of conservation over local community needs.

What is the central challenge in balancing conservation and development in Madagascar, and what are some critical factors to consider for a more equitable approach?

The primary challenge is reconciling the need to protect Madagascar's unique biodiversity, such as its lemurs and forests, with the economic and social needs of the Malagasy people. This involves addressing the historical inequalities and power imbalances that have resulted in conservation efforts sometimes prioritizing environmental protection over the well-being of local communities. A more equitable approach would require considering the impact of conservation on livelihoods, addressing competing values, and acknowledging the influence of foreign institutions.

What role have foreign institutions played in Madagascar's conservation history, and how has their influence impacted local communities?

Foreign institutions have played a significant role in Madagascar's conservation efforts, stemming from scientific expeditions dating back to the 17th century and intensifying from the 1960s through the 1990s. Their influence is exerted through funding, policy-making, and the establishment of conservation agendas. However, this influence can lead to unequal distribution of costs and benefits, potentially marginalizing local communities and their needs. Recognizing and addressing the power imbalances created by this foreign influence is crucial for equitable conservation.

What does it mean to transform power relations in the context of Madagascar's conservation efforts, and how can this lead to a more sustainable and just future?

Achieving effective and equitable conservation involves transforming the power dynamics that have historically shaped both the environmental crisis and the responses to it. This requires acknowledging the historical context of conservation efforts, challenging existing power structures that favor international agendas over local needs, and prioritizing the voices and needs of local communities in conservation planning and implementation. Ultimately, it's about ensuring that conservation efforts contribute to a sustainable and just future for both the Malagasy people and the extraordinary environment they inhabit.