Andavadoaka

Andavadoaka is a small fishing village located on the southwest coast of Madagascar. It is located in the Morombe District of the Southwest Region, 45 km south of the town of Morombe.[1] in the region of Atsimo-Andrefana.

The beach of Andavadoaka

The village lies on the edge of a shallow lagoon protected from the open ocean by a series of fringing and submerged barrier reefs that support substantial coral growth, providing a vital resource base for a local artisanal fishery. Owing to the remoteness and isolation, these coral reefs are thought to possess a significantly higher abundance and diversity of species than other reefs in southwest Madagascar. Andavadoaka is also home to the Vezo fishing people, who are known for their dependence upon the ocean.

Andavadoaka is one of the founding villages of the Velondriake locally managed marine area (LMMA). The village won the Equator Prize,[2][3] awarded by the United Nations Development Program (UNDP), in 2007, for its innovative approach to conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity. Andavadoaka is home to the administrative centre of the Velondriake Association, which was created in 2005 to manage the Velondriake LMMA.

Blue Ventures, a UK-based non-governmental organisation, runs a field research site situated next to the village of Andavodoaka, aiming to improve the community and promote the sustainable management of marine resources. Biodiversity studies have identified many hundreds of marine species in the waters in the area. The reefs around Andavadoaka represent some of the most well-developed coral reef systems in the Indian Ocean.

Andavadoaka is one of the few small villages in the South-West of Madagascar with general access to electricity. Eosol has got an electricity grid of high quality in Andavadoaka, fed by about 65 kWp of solar panels and backed by a battery bank. Eosol provides power to village until 10 pm daily, and then shuts off its system to conserve energy. The solar plant is run by a single employee who oversees all maintenance and functionality. This employee spends his days in a small office located in the center of the village, where local peoples can ask questions and request repairs. The vast majority of power is devoted towards keeping lights on in the evenings.

An airport serves the village.

Maps

Satellite image, zoomable to discern individual buildings.

Location of Blue Ventures in Andavadoaka.

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References
  1. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2007-10-02. Retrieved 2007-05-30.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  2. UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs. "Village of Andavadoaka, Madagascar: Marine Reserves for Octopus." Chapter in "Innovation for Sustainable Development: Local Case Studies from Africa."
  3. The Village of Andavadoaka, Madagascar - Equator Initiative


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