Sakondry Squad, Year Two: Expanding Madagascar’s Sustainable Protein Program

Wildlife Madagascar is proud to kick off the second year of its sakondry program in the villages surrounding Anjanaharibe-Sud Special Reserve (ASSR).

  • Hands hold a metal plate with small fried insects and a serving spoon placed on top.
  • Two brown cicada exoskeletons attached to a green plant stem with frosty edges on the shells.

Sakondry (Zanna tenebrosa) are protein-rich, edible insects native to Madagascar, affectionately nicknamed the “bacon bug.” They feed on the stems of a native bean plant called tsidimy (Phaseolus lunatus), and when fried, they taste like bacon. Nutritious, easy to store, and deeply tied to local culture, sakondry farming offers families a sustainable food source without clearing a single tree.

  • Two women kneeling among dense green vines, examining leaves while a man with a backpack stands behind them in a field.
  • Woman sitting in a lush garden under a wooden trellis, looking up at the leaves, hands folded in lap.

Led by program coordinator Aro Andriamanalina, year two will focus on follow-up training workshops across the six village clusters surrounding ASSR, evaluating farm productivity, and tracking how farming practices are spreading organically between communities. Since its launch, the program has grown into a strong example of how local knowledge, science, and creativity can come together to support both people and wildlife.

Wildlife Madagascar is thrilled to continue this work alongside participating communities and with the support of the Taronga Conservation Society Australia.

Learn more about sakondry farming here.

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