On June 13, 2024, the University of Rhode Island’s Coastal Resources Center (CRC) announced the launch of the USAID Riake Project, a significant initiative aimed at promoting environmental conservation and sustainable development in Madagascar. With a funding allocation of $13 million, this project is set to double U.S. government investments in Madagascar’s environmental sector over the next five years.
The Riake Project, named after the Malagasy word for “sea,” emphasizes marine conservation, spatial planning, and the sustainable livelihoods of coastal communities in Madagascar. The overarching aim is to empower communities to maintain and thrive in biodiverse, well-managed marine ecosystems.
To accomplish this, the project will employ five strategic approaches:
- Sustainable Resource Management: Establishment of marine protected areas and locally managed marine areas.
- Diversified Livelihoods: Promotion of sustainable, varied economic opportunities for local communities.
- Improved Governance: Enhancing advocacy and anti-corruption measures to counteract illegal fishing practices.
- Community Resilience: Increasing the resilience of both ecosystems and coastal communities to climate-related shocks.
- Marine Spatial Planning and Tenure Policy: Strengthening policies around marine tenure and spatial planning to ensure effective management.
The project’s launch, held in Antananarivo, Madagascar, marked a collaborative effort involving local partners such as Blue Ventures, the Wildlife Conservation Society, and the University of Tuliar’s Fisheries and Marine Sciences Institute. Key project leaders from CRC, including Sarah Gaines and Karen Kent, expressed enthusiasm about working with local stakeholders to harness Madagascar’s natural wealth while addressing widespread poverty.
The CRC has been active in Madagascar for six years, emphasizing community-based marine and coastal resource management. Their previous experiences, such as those derived from the USAID Hay Tao project and the U.N. Development Program Ocean Innovation Challenge, will inform their efforts under the Riake Project. For instance, the Fisher Women Leadership Program, launched under the Hay Tao project to empower women in fisheries management, will also be integrated and scaled within the new initiative.
Gaines noted that the Riake Project’s launch reflects a growing recognition within the development community of the critical role that Madagascar’s coastal and marine regions play in both biodiversity conservation and the well-being of its inhabitants. By leveraging CRC’s global experience and methodologies, the project aims to foster sustainable development and effective management of Madagascar’s marine resources, realizing a vision where local communities can thrive amid the challenges posed by environmental degradation and poverty.
