Stay informed and ahead of the curve! Follow AgriTalker on WhatsApp for real-time updates, breaking news, and exclusive agricultural content. Don't miss out – join now!
Join AgriTalker Newspapers Channel
How Madagascar’s Baobab Forest Revival Also Secures The Future Of Local Communities
The baobabs of Madagascar are a wild, untamed spectacle of nature’s grand design. Today, they are under threat due to escalating climate change and deforestation risks.
EOS Data Analytics, a global provider of AI-powered satellite imagery analytics, took a close look at the problem of baobab deforestation in Madagascar and found a glimpse of hope that there is still time, people, and will to change things for the better in the region.
Reasons Behind Madagascar’s Baobab Decline
Madagascar is the sole home to six endemic baobab species, among them the world’s rarest, Adansonia perrieri. These baobabs are not only cultural symbols of Madagascar but also crucial sources of food, water, and employment for the island nation.
EOS Data Analytics connected with Dr. Seheno Andriantsaralaza, the president of the Group of Specialists Passionate about Baobabs of Madagascar (GSPBM) and the principal investigator of ARO Baobab Project. She identified several threats currently faced by baobabs:
- Climate change is causing increased dryness, which will most affect the widespread Madagascar baobab species, Adansonia za.
- Human activities, such as cutting baobab forests for wood export and mineral resource exploitation,.
- Slash-and-burn cultivation, which also leads to uncontrolled fires in the baobab forests,.
- Loss of large-bodied animal dispersers responsible for spreading large fruits and baobab seeds, resulting in many baobabs becoming orphaned.
“The loss of the baobab forests has far-reaching consequences not only for the biodiversity of the region but also for local communities that depend on these forests for their livelihoods.“Often, they live in extreme poverty, and cutting down the forests nearby might be their only way to earn money, and they can’t be blamed for that, ” according to Dr. Seheno Andriantsaralaza, Principal Investigator of ARO Baobab Project
Baobab Reforestation Is Underway
In April 2021, GSPBM launched a project to revitalise baobabs in Andranopasy, Madagascar. Initially, two nurseries were established, housing 50,000 native forest trees. These nurseries are crucial, as baobabs need daily watering and fertilisation within the first two years of their life. Then, they become strong enough to survive transplantation.
In February 2023, a team of 300 people, predominantly representatives of local communities, undertook the transplantation of several thousand seedlings from the first nursery.
“According to our latest vegetation survey, the survival rate of transplanted seedlings is around 75%, which is more than we initially forecasted. This is a very good start for the baobabs, considering that it takes at least 50 years for a baobab seedling to grow into a tree that bears fruit,” says, Dr. Seheno Andriantsaralaza, Principal Investigator of ARO Baobab Project
The management of the other nursery involves the local community directly. Through this approach, GSPBM aims to ensure the locals’ continued interest and care for the baobabs after transplantation.
Having a strong focus on the involvement of women in baobab conservation, Seheno has also made sure that women hold leadership and critical roles at each stage of this project.
Looking at Baobab Reforestation Through a Satellite Lens
Upon learning about the baobab revitalization project, EOS Data Analytics sought to determine if satellite data analytics could provide additional insights. However, in this case, several limitations need to be taken into account.
“Baobabs grow very slowly, and the best way to track their dynamics is to compare the state of vegetation in a span of one or more decades.“Furthermore, in Madagascar, baobabs grow among other trees, so tracking deforestation caused by fires or logging requires creating a custom machine learning model able to recognize and count baobabs in such forests.” according to Stanislav Poruban, Chief Product Officer at EOS Data Analytics
Nevertheless, we utilised EOSDA Crop Monitoring, an online satellite-based precision agriculture platform for field monitoring, to assess the state of the area where baobabs were transplanted.
The July 2018 and July 2023 NDVI maps for the area where baobabs were transplanted in February 2023. The contrast is dramatic. Source: EOSDA Crop Monitoring. Image: EOS Data Analytics Historical data from the past five years showed that vegetation in this area was always very scarce in mid-July. The area also did not suffer from fires, logging, or droughts.
Four-year data on precipitation and temperatures for the same area reveal that the climate situation hasn’t changed much. Source: EOSDA Crop Monitoring. Image: EOS Data AnalyticsYet in 2023, the Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI), the key vegetation index revealing plant and tree health in the area, showed positive dynamics for the first time. This must be attributed to the effect of the baobab seedlings.
The graph shows NDVI dynamics for the baobab transplantation area in 2020–2023. Starting from February 2023, NDVI remains strongly higher than its values in previous years. Source: EOSDA Crop Monitoring. Image: EOS Data AnalyticsSince the presence of baobabs creates a microclimate favourable for the growth of other plant species, it is safe to assume that the transplantation has already positively impacted the area’s biodiversity.
“Baobabs, with their large trunks and extensive root systems, can store water and nutrients, releasing them slowly and providing a stable supply for other plants in the vicinity.”“This can lead to an increase in plant diversity and density in a relatively short time. Furthermore, baobabs can provide shelter and food for a variety of animal species, contributing to the overall biodiversity of the area,” according to Vasyl Cherlinka, Soil Scientist at EOS Data Analytics
Passion And Science in the Service of Baobabs’ Return
EOS Data Analytics believes that science and technology are powerful tools for promoting sustainability and protecting the planet. ARO baobab project is proof of that: by leveraging scientific research and local knowledge, she’s building a sustainable future for Madagascar’s baobab forests.
“The work being done by Seheno and her team is a shining example of the kind of initiatives that give us hope for the future. With such people at the helm, the Earth is bound to become a better place for generations to come.”
