JRS grantee Wildfowl and Wetlands Trust, Madagascar have been hard at work developing their Wetlands Knowledge Base (WKB) since their project launch in January 2024. This past July, team members showcased their work at the COP15 held in Zimbabwe and shared the following brief summary of that event.
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From July 22-31 2025, the WWT Madagascar team participated in the 15th Meeting of the Conference of the Contracting Parties (COP15) of the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands, held in Zimbabwe. The conference was attended by more than 3,000 delegates representing 172 countries.
The Ramsar Convention, in force since 1971, is a global treaty to protect and use wetlands wisely. It asks member countries to identify important wetlands, called Ramsar Sites, and ensure they are managed sustainably. Every three years, a Conference of the Parties (CoP) gathers all countries that have joined the treaty to set priorities and to guide global wetland policy.
The WWT team was composed of Harison Andriambelo, Country Manager, and Dimby Razafimpahanana, Coordinator of the Wetland Knowledge Base (WKB) Project, who both formed an integral part of the Malagasy national delegation. The delegation was led by Mrs. Ratefason Tojotsara, Director of Protected Areas within the Ministry of Environment, and included Mrs. Narisoa Andoniaina, National Focal Point for Ramsar; Ms. Razanakolona Onjanirina, National Youth Focal Point for Ramsar; Mrs. Andriamaro Luciano, National Focal Point for the Ramsar Scientific and Technical Review Panel (STRP); and Mr. Andriamihajaniaina Mamiarisoa Jonah, Monitoring and Evaluation Officer at Asity Madagascar.
For Madagascar, wetlands are essential to sustain biodiversity, food sources, watersheds, and to safeguard climate resilience. Protecting them is a national priority that directly supports local livelihoods and helps meet global commitments like the Ramsar Convention, CBD, and SDGs.
This global event provided a valuable platform to share the WKB project initiative and to present the beta version of the WKB Portal. To showcase the work, the team prepared a roll-up banner highlighting the Portal and produced a short demonstration video, which was displayed on a monitor at an exhibition stand.
In addition to presenting the project, the team actively participated in several side-events on data sharing, Earth observation, and wetland conservation. COP15 also offered an excellent opportunity to strengthen partnerships and establish new collaborations with a range of international stakeholders, technical experts, and other Contracting Parties.
Read more about the Madagascar Wetland Knowledge Base here.