PROTOCOLE BIOCULTUREL COMMUNAUTAIRE DES COMMUNAUTES LOCALES DU FOKONTANY SAHANDRAZANA, COMMUNE RANOMAFANA, REGION VATOVAVY

The document is a Community Biocultural Protocol (PBC) for the local communities of Fokontany Sahandrazana, located in the Commune of Ranomafana, Vatovavy Region. Validated in June 2023, it serves as a guide for external actors—such as researchers, students, and entrepreneurs—on the procedures, values, and conditions required to obtain prior informed consent for the collection and use of genetic resources and associated traditional knowledge within the territory.

• The protocol establishes a mandatory multi-step process for external parties to obtain prior informed consent before accessing genetic resources or traditional knowledge. This includes informing government authorities (CIREF of Mananjary), consulting the Chef du Fokontany and traditional authorities (Kings, Parents, and Youth leaders), and finally obtaining a collective decision through a community meeting.
• The community identifies several critical challenges hindering its development, specifically land tenure insecurity due to a lack of formal titles, the impacts of climate change (cyclones) on crops and housing, and extreme isolation. Sahandrazana is the most remote village in the Commune of Ranomafana, requiring a full day's walk to reach and lacking telephone networks.
• The community manages a variety of common goods, including forests, rivers, churches, and the royal palace (Tranobe). Genetic resources are primarily found in the forests, but access is strictly regulated; specifically, resources in 'forbidden lands' (Vatolahy, fasana, or alaloalo) cannot be touched except by the Kings, who perform the necessary traditional rituals.
• The community requests that benefits from the exploitation of genetic resources be shared equitably and prefers non-monetary benefits to avoid internal conflict. Priority non-monetary needs include the construction of medical and school infrastructure, the creation of a Fokontany office, road construction, and the establishment of telecommunication networks.
• Gold mining is a key livelihood activity in Sahandrazana, but the community notes that external miners from Fianarantsoa or Manakara often extract gold without consultation. The protocol asserts that the procedures for prior consent and cooperation should also apply to mineral extraction due to the potential destruction of genetic resources and the need to respect local rituals.
• The local governance structure is hierarchical, with eight Kings serving as the highest decision-makers who must validate any community decision. Other roles include the Chef du Fokontany, mobile quarters for security, animators for communication, and youth leaders. A 'dina' (community law) is applied to youth who fail to attend community meetings or participate in decided activities.

APA

Natural Justice (2023). PROTOCOLE BIOCULTUREL COMMUNAUTAIRE DES COMMUNAUTES LOCALES DU FOKONTANY SAHANDRAZANA, COMMUNE RANOMAFANA, REGION VATOVAVY. https://naturaljustice.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/Protocole-Bioculturel-Communautaire-Sahandrazana.pdf

Chicago

Natural Justice. PROTOCOLE BIOCULTUREL COMMUNAUTAIRE DES COMMUNAUTES LOCALES DU FOKONTANY SAHANDRAZANA, COMMUNE RANOMAFANA, REGION VATOVAVY. 2023. https://naturaljustice.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/Protocole-Bioculturel-Communautaire-Sahandrazana.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=Natural Justice |title=PROTOCOLE BIOCULTUREL COMMUNAUTAIRE DES COMMUNAUTES LOCALES DU FOKONTANY SAHANDRAZANA, COMMUNE RANOMAFANA, REGION VATOVAVY |date=June 2023 |url=https://naturaljustice.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/Protocole-Bioculturel-Communautaire-Sahandrazana.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{naturaljustice2023protocole, author = {{Natural Justice}}, title = {{PROTOCOLE BIOCULTUREL COMMUNAUTAIRE DES COMMUNAUTES LOCALES DU FOKONTANY SAHANDRAZANA, COMMUNE RANOMAFANA, REGION VATOVAVY}}, institution = {Natural Justice}, year = {2023}, month = jun, url = {https://naturaljustice.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/Protocole-Bioculturel-Communautaire-Sahandrazana.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }