Madagascar, memory and change in mountains areas

Because of dominant shifting agriculture practices, local ecological knowledge and traditional practice in mountain regions in Madagascar have long been seen as obstacles to development. Now, they are increasingly recognised as offering solutions to socio-ecological transformations constrained by rapid changes of the cultural, socio-economic and socio-political context. Instead of a passive acceptance of mass culture, there is a need to develop genuine cultural creativity, which takes account of different attitudes to culture, the environment and development.