###A planting season marked by diversity and collaboration

Between December 2024 and March 2025, 10,933 trees were planted in Akamasoa in the name of Go Forest, corresponding to monthly orders from May 2024 to March 2025. The project takes place in a rural area of Madagascar’s Highlands, where 80% of the population depends on small-scale family farming. In Madagascar, land is not only a source of food and income — it is deeply tied to identity and security. Planting trees here is a powerful tool to help farmers secure their land tenure, improve the productivity and resilience of their plots, and reduce pressure on nearby primary and secondary forests.

The tree species were carefully selected based on farmers’ needs, the Highland climate, and soil characteristics. This diversity serves multiple ecological, social, and economic purposes. Examples of species planted include: 🌳 Acacia mangium: a fast-growing forest species used to stabilize slopes and enrich soils with nitrogen, while also providing firewood and construction timber. 🌿 Pink peppercorn (Schinus terebinthifolius): a cash crop whose berries can be sold as a spice on the market. 🍊 Persimmon (Diospyros kaki): a fruit tree providing nutritious fruits for family consumption or local sales. Acacias were planted mainly on steep and erosion-prone slopes, pink peppercorn trees along plot borders with lower gradients, and persimmons close to homesteads for easier access and maintenance.

This initiative brought together over 30 partner farmers, working hand-in-hand in a spirit of solidarity and mutual support. By planting trees, they establish a visible and productive use of their land, strengthen food security, and reinforce their land tenure rights in a context where formal land titles remain scarce.

###Closing the planting season and launching the monitoring phase

With the planting season ending in April, we have officially entered the monitoring and verification phase. For two months, our technical, field, and GIS teams are mobilized to: ✅ Verify on the ground that trees have been planted as planned ✅ Cross-check the accuracy of data reported from the field ✅ Create detailed maps of the planted plots using geographic polygons

These activities are carried out using KOBO, a digital platform that enables the collection of geolocated, reliable, and real-time data, ensuring the project’s transparency and quality. This first post-planting assessment is a key milestone, laying the foundation for upcoming maintenance activities and long-term monitoring of the planted trees.