Madagascar Health and Environmental Research (MAHERY) began in 2004 when Dr. Christopher Golden first visited the Maroantsetra region of Madagascar. His research agenda spanned the intersection of human health and the environment and engaged a variety of students and local people to contribute to his work. Over time, it no longer became his research agenda, but an agenda set by local people and local researchers to address what they believed to be important questions about ways in which environmental change would be affecting their health. Through funding from the National Geographic Society, National Science Foundation, Rockefeller Foundation, Wellcome Trust, DEFRA (UK), Margot Marsh Biodiversity Fund, and Mohamed bin Zayed Conservation Fund, MAHERY has grown into a strong research organization providing hands-on research experiences for both American and Malagasy students.

Since 2004, MAHERY has focused much of its efforts on the following bodies of research:

    (1) the impact of overhunting and terrestrial wildlife declines on food security and nutrition

    (2) the impact of fisheries management and marine conservation on food security and nutrition

    (3) the use of traditional medicines by local people

    (4) the practice of pica and geophagy

    (5) barriers to accessing healthcare and adequate nutrition

    (6) the role of livestock husbandry in securing adequate nutrition

    (7) the role of wildlife hunting and consumption in zoonotic disease transmission

    (8) the disease ecology of various infectious diseases (i.e. malaria)

In each of these research activities, we have collaborated with local organizations and trained American and Malagasy students to understand how to carry out interdisciplinary research.

Tamin’ny fitsidihana voalohana nataon’i Dr Christopher Golden taminy 2004 tany Maroantsetra no niatombohan’i Madagascar Health and Environmental Research (MAHERY). Ny fikarohana izay ataony dia mikasika momba ny fifandraisan’ny fahasamalam-bahoaka sy ny tontolo iainana, izay ampandraisany anjara mavitrika ireo mpianatra sy ny mponina eny ifotony amin’ny fanatanterahana ny fikarohana izay ataony. Ny fikarohana izay natao taty aoriana kosa anefa dia tsy fikarohana niainga avy amin’ny hevitr’i Dr Golden manokana fa fikarohana niainga avy amin’ny hetahetampon’ny olona eny ifotony sy ireo mpikaroka Malagasy amin’ny lohahevitra tena heverin-dry zareo fa tokony hanaovana fikarohana mikasika ny fiovan’ny tontolo iainana ka misy fiantraikany amin’ny fahasalamana. Tamin’alalan’ny famatsiam-bola avy amin’ny National Geographic Society, National Science Foundation, Rockefeller Foundation, Wellcome Trust, DEFRA (UK), Margot Marsh Biodiversity Fund, ary Mohamed bin Zayed Conservation Fund dia lasa fikambanana matanjaka manao fikarohana i MAHERY. Ankoatra izany, manome sy mizara traikefa mivantana eny ifotony ho an’ireo mpianatra Amerikanina sy Malagasy i MAHERY.

Nanomboka tamin’ny taona 2004 dia nifantoka manokana tamin’ireto fikarohana ireto i MAHERY:

  •     (1) Ny vokatry ny fihazana mihoa-pampana sy ny fahalanian’ny bibidia amin’ny lafiny tsifanjariantsakafo sy ny fanjariantsakafo
  •     (2) Ny fiantraikan’ny fitantanana ny harena an-dranomasina sy ny jono amin’ny lafiny tsifanjariantsakafo sy ny fanjariantsakafo
  •     (3) Ny sakana samihafa amin’ny fahazoana fitsaboana sy fihinanan-tsakafo mahasalama
  •     (4) Ny fampiasana ny fanafody nentim-paharazana avy amin’ireo mponina eny an-toerana
  •     (5) Ny finankinanam-poana toy ny “pica” sy ny “geophagy”
  •     (6) Ny fifindran’ny aretiny azo avy amin’ny fihazana sy ny fihinanam-bibidia
  •     (7) Ny andraikitry ny fambolena sy ny fiompiana mba hahazoana sakafo mahasalamana
  •     (8) Ireo karazan’aretina mifindra vokatry ny fiovan’ny tontolo iainana (ohatra: ny tazo moka)

Ny tetikasam-pikarohana voalaza ireo dia niaraha-niasa tamin’ny fikambanana teto an-toerana, Amerikanina manampahaizana sy mpianatra Malagasy ka nahazoan’izy ireo traikefa amin’ny fanaovana fikarohana izay hifarimbonan’ny sehatra sy taranja maro.