Italian paper company Favini is underlining its commitment to protecting the environment by renewing its support for a community based project in Madagascar, off the African coast. The company is working to help improve the quality of life for the community of Sahavondronina by teaching more innovative farming techniques that make it possible to respect the local ecosystem while helping to develop a more ecological tourism industry.
The project is named “Voiala” and is a microcosm of community actions aimed at protecting and recreating natural resources that have been heavily exploited. The main goal of the project is to use the experience at Sahavondronina to develop a model for other local communities to follow. At present, the inhabitants of this village in the east Madagascar, are protecting 2,077 hectares of virgin forest and in reforestatiion around the village, which has been stripped bare by decades of exploitation.
For the first three years, Project Voiala focused on protecting 2,077 hectares of virgin forest from further destruction, exploitation and poaching, as well as on related education efforts. At the same time, infrastructure was created in order to help with reforestation. Between December and March, a period that coincides with the rainy season, the project has planted more than 12,500 plants donated by Favini, involving 300 people and 2 schools, covering 6 hectares. Quarterly reports are posted to the Favini website to highlight the progress being made.
Andrea Nappa, CEO of Favini, comments, "We are proud to be partners of a project that has a great social value that provides a real support to the people to preserve their own environmental heritage. We strongly believe in the need to protect and reforest valuable forest, which fully represents our philosophy and our commitment to protect the environment , this is an important 7 year project from 2009.”
Favini was the first Italian paper company to adopt the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) Standard as a guarantee to respect rigorous environmental, social and economic standards in the raw materials used to manufacture paper.
For more information on the project, please visit www.favini.com/madagascar/en/
