Madagascar presents natural wealth which is of major importance to face climate change thanks to the important pools of carbon and to the other ecosystem services its �Soil� and �Forest� resources offer. The Island is also among the priority countries for biodiversity conservation (� hot spot �) because of the continued degradation of natural habitats, mainly caused by human activities. Land uses as deforestation, conventional agriculture practices as slash and burn, illicit exploitation, disorderly and overcutting, and the unstructured land use significantly reduce forest covers and result, in greenhouse gas emissions, soil depletion and land abandonment.

In the parallel, Malagasy population is one of the poorest on the planet and agriculture is the main human activity. This agriculture is strongly dependent on climate. Climate change observed in recent decades may have negative impacts on agriculture, biodiversity, and more generally on the environment, societies and economies of the Big Island.

In these contexts, a strong mobilization of funds from various ministries to deal with global issues of climate change, food security and the fight against desertification and land degradation is then essential to support the initiatives and the implementation of various programs necessary for these natural resources "Soil" and "Forest"; the latter containing the Malagasy global biodiversity can withstand climate change. This mobilization goes beyond investment in all forms of conservation, the potential revenue from REDD+ or Reducing Emissions due to Deforestation and Forest Degradation and also payments for ecosystem services to best contribute to national development while considering these international issues.
Moreover, there are several initiatives for the production of important and official documents to the preparations of Madagascar into the various steps to the COP21 meeting.� These documents are mainly: the Master Plan of Research inside scientific research (which mentions among its priorities the fight against climate change) and international documents expected from Madagascar, like the "Negotiating Texts" and the "planned contributions determined nationally (CPDN)� (which take into account all the efforts and initiatives that should be entered in various components as adaptation, mitigation, REDD +, finance, technology).

This event aims to be a day of exchanges between scientists, policy makers and civil society around adaptation and mitigation of climate change issues while focusing on those "Soil" and "Forest" resources.

It will include presentations in plenary and a round table.

Specific topics reflecting context in Madagascar will be treated during the presentations in plenary, such as: (i) the past-present-future of climate change, (ii) Importance of Soils to face climate change, (iii) Agriculture within the context of climate change, (iv) Climate change, Forests and Biodiversity.

Round table will be hold with a panellist composed of policy makers, civil society, researchers, farmers and local community to discuss strategies implemented at national level to fight against climate change and the expectations of various organizations and political frames within negotiations for the COP21 as well.