Cohort description of the Madagascar health and environmental research-antongil (MAHERY-Antongil) study in Madagascar

Authors: GOLDEN, CHRISTOPHER - Harvard University; BORGERSON, CORTNI - Montclair State University; RICE, BENJAMIN - Harvard University; Allen, Lindsay - A; ANJARANIRINA, JEAN - Ministry Of Public Health Madagascar; BARRETT, CHRISTOPHER - Cornell University; BOATENG, GODFRED - Harvard University; GEPHART, JESSICA - National Socio-Environmental Synthesis Center; Hampel, Daniela; HARTL, DANIEL - Harvard University; KNIPPENBERG, ERWIN - Cooper Institute; MYERS, SAMNUEL - Harvard University; RALALASON, DERA - Ministry Of Public Health Madagascar; RAMIHANTANIARIVO, HERLYNE - Ministry Of Public Health Madagascar; RANDRIAMADY, HERVET - Ministry Of Public Health Madagascar; Shahab-Ferdows, Setti; VAITLA, BAPU - Harvard University; VOLKMAN, SARAH - Harvard University; VONONA, MIADANA - Ministry Of Public Health Madagascar

Submitted to: Frontiers in Nutrition
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 7/1/2019
Publication Date: 7/19/2019
Citation: Golden, C.D., Borgerson, C., Rice, B.L., Allen, L.H., Anjaranirina, J.G., Barrett, C.B., Boateng, G., Gephart, J.A., Hampel, D., Hartl, D.L., Knippenberg, E., Myers, S.S., Ralalason, D.H., Ramihantaniarivo, H., Randriamady, H.J., Shahab-Ferdows, S., Vaitla, B., Volkman, S.K., Vonona, M.A. 2019. Cohort description of the Madagascar health and environmental research-antongil (MAHERY-Antongil) study in Madagascar. Frontiers in Nutrition. 6:109. https://doi.org/10.3389/fnut.2019.00109.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.3389/fnut.2019.00109

Interpretive Summary: The Madagascar Health and Environmental Research-Antongil (MAHERY-Antongil) study cohort was set up in September 2015 to assess the nutritional value of seafood for the coastal Malagasy population living along Antongil Bay in northeastern Madagascar. Over 28 months of observations and sampling, we aimed to understand the relationships among different marine resource governance models, local people’s fish catch, the consumption of seafood, and nutritional status. In the Antongil Bay, there are three general ways that fisheries are managed: traditional management, marine national parks, and co-management. Traditional management involves little to no involvement by the national government or non-governmental organizations, and focuses on culturally accepted Malagasy community practices. Co-management and marine national parks involve management support from either a Non-Government Organization or the national government. Five communities of varying governance strategies were enrolled into the study including 225 households and 1031 individuals whose diets, resource acquisition strategies, fisheries and agricultural practices, and other social, demographic and economic indicators were measured over the span of three years. Clinical visits with each individual were conducted at two points during the study to measure disease and nutritional status. By analyzing differences in fish catch arising from variation in governance (in addition to intra-annual seasonal changes and minor inter-annual changes), the project will allow us to calculate the public health value of sustainable fisheries management approaches for local populations. There is hope that coastal zones that are managed sustainably can increase the productivity of fisheries, increasing the catch of seafood products for poor, undernourished populations.

Technical Abstract: The Madagascar Health and Environmental Research-Antongil (MAHERY-Antongil) study cohort was set up in September 2015 to assess the nutritional value of seafood for the coastal Malagasy population living along Antongil Bay in northeastern Madagascar. Over 28 months of surveillance, we aimed to understand the relationships among different marine resource governance models, local people’s fish catch, the consumption of seafood, and nutritional status. In the Antongil Bay, fisheries governance takes three general forms: traditional management, marine national parks, and co-management. Traditional management involves little to no involvement by the national government or non-governmental organizations, and focuses on culturally accepted Malagasy community practices. Co-management and marine national parks involve management support from either an NGO or the national government. Five communities of varying governance strategies were enrolled into the study including 225 households and 1031 individuals whose diets, resource acquisition strategies, fisheries and agricultural practices, and other social, demographic and economic indicators were measured over the span of three years. Clinical visits with each individual were conducted at two points during the study to measure disease and nutritional status. By analyzing differences in fish catch arising from variation in governance (in addition to intra-annual seasonal changes and minor inter-annual changes), the project will allow us to calculate the public health value of sustainable fisheries management approaches for local populations. There is hope that coastal zones that are managed sustainably can increase the productivity of fisheries, increasing the catch of seafood products for poor, undernourished populations.