Zoe Razafimbelo

About me

I’m an agronomist engineer from Antananarivo University, graduated in 2015, with a strong commitment to rural development and climate justice. Born from a farming family, my interest in agriculture and rural development was sparked early by the reality in the countryside and the daily rural challenges.

I began my career as a Livestock and Fishing Project Officer in 2016, then Agriculture and Livelihood Project Officer and Agriculture Specialist, before running two food security project manager positions with Catholic Relief Services. I then transitioned to a new marine conservation project funded by USAID in 2024, with Blue Ventures.

In the world of conservation and particularly with my project, I’m especially interested in how conservation through approaches like ecosystem-based adaptation and small grant mechanisms can build resilience for both nature and vulnerable rural communities facing climate change.

During my spare time, I volunteer with a local SCO (Move Up Madagascar, member of AIKA platform), promoting youth engagement to tackle climate issues, raising public awareness, and promoting climate action. Additionally, I volunteer with JCI Iarivo regarding the youth entrepreneurship program and the JCI environmental program. Lastly, I’m a member of the Malagasy youth biodiversity network.

I believe that our current climate actions and decisions related to our planet will determine the next generation's situation, and youth and rural communities, if empowered, can bring solutions to reduce the impact of climate change and its devastating effects.

My role

At WWT and with my project, conservation efforts can empower local communities and improve their livelihoods. I am more than committed to pursuing my passion through community-led conservation. I believe that lasting conservation success depends on local engagement with shared vision and responsibility.

My role as a Project Coordinator at WWT entails developing, and piloting a new mechanism providing small grants for ecosystems-based adaptations to climate change, to the community-based wetland managers, in selected sites in Madagascar.

Experience and interests

• Food security
• Climate change
• Agriculture and livelihood
• Private sector engagement and Local Service Providers development
• Youth, women and rural empowerment and entrepreneurship
• Marine/biodiversity conservation and community-based organization supports
• Climate activist/climate Justice (YALI Alumni, NSSCJ Alumni, Move Up Madagascar, JCI Environmental program)
• Youth entrepreneurship program/ Entrepreneurship/ Rural entrepreneurship (JCI Entrepreneurship program)
• Malagasy Youth Network Biodiversity