Peut-on conserver sans sécuriser les droits : ce que révèle l’affaire Tsiazompaniry (Madagascar)

The Tsarafara community, operating as a Vondron’Olona Ifotony (VOI), successfully defended its management of the Andriankely Tsiazompaniry forest against a private land claim in the Court of Cassation of the Supreme Court of Madagascar in 2024. The case highlights the critical role of legal personality and 'intérêt à agir' (legal interest to sue) in ensuring local communities can access justice to protect conserved areas. The document argues that Madagascar's contribution to the global 30x30 target depends not only on expanding conserved areas but on securing the rights of the communities managing them, a priority reflected in the National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan (NBSAP) 2026-2030.

• The Tsarafara community successfully restored its rights to manage the Andriankely Tsiazompaniry forest after a legal process that spanned from 2019 to 2024. While the Court of First Instance initially dismissed a private land claim in 2020, the Antananarivo Court of Appeal overturned this in 2022, ordering the community to vacate. The Court of Cassation of the Supreme Court of Madagascar finally quashed the appeal court's judgment in 2024, upholding the original decision.
• The legal standing of the Tsarafara community was supported by two primary legal foundations: a natural resources management transfer agreement concluded with the State under Law No 96-025, and Article 5 of Law No 2015-003 (the revised Environmental Charter), which establishes that environmental management and conservation are matters of public interest.
• The formal organization of local communities into legally recognized associations (VOIs) is a critical prerequisite for accessing justice. While the Tsarafara community's legal personality was not contested, many other Fokonolona (traditional communities) lack formally recognized legal personality, which significantly constrains their ability to defend collective rights in court.
• Local communities are essential partners in Madagascar's forest governance due to the limited capacity of the state administration, where a single forest officer may be responsible for approximately 200,000 hectares of forest.
• The achievement of the global 30x30 target in Madagascar requires more than just increasing the size of conserved areas; it necessitates the security of enforceable rights for the communities managing those areas to prevent land-use conflicts and land grabs.
• The National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan (NBSAP) 2026-2030 identifies the strengthening of land tenure security for protected and community-managed areas as a key priority, including commitments to monitor land-use changes and ensure community access to justice.

APA

Martens, C. (2026). Peut-on conserver sans sécuriser les droits : ce que révèle l’affaire Tsiazompaniry (Madagascar). Natural Justice. https://naturaljustice.org/peut-on-conserver-sans-securiser-les-droits-ce-que-revele-laffaire-tsiazompaniry-madagascar/

Chicago

Martens, Claire. Peut-on conserver sans sécuriser les droits : ce que révèle l’affaire Tsiazompaniry (Madagascar). Natural Justice, 2026. https://naturaljustice.org/peut-on-conserver-sans-securiser-les-droits-ce-que-revele-laffaire-tsiazompaniry-madagascar/.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Martens |first1=Claire |title=Peut-on conserver sans sécuriser les droits : ce que révèle l’affaire Tsiazompaniry (Madagascar) |publisher=Natural Justice |date=9 July 2026 |url=https://naturaljustice.org/peut-on-conserver-sans-securiser-les-droits-ce-que-revele-laffaire-tsiazompaniry-madagascar/ |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{martens2026peuton, author = {Martens, Claire}, title = {{Peut-on conserver sans sécuriser les droits : ce que révèle l’affaire Tsiazompaniry (Madagascar)}}, institution = {Natural Justice}, year = {2026}, month = jul, url = {https://naturaljustice.org/peut-on-conserver-sans-securiser-les-droits-ce-que-revele-laffaire-tsiazompaniry-madagascar/}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }