In September of last year, the third edition of the FSA auction was held during Whisky Live Paris 2024. This session enabled us to raise over €131,000, which was entirely donated to two organisations: the Goodplanet Foundation, and the FPA II (Prince Albert II of Monaco Foundation) for the creation of a marine protected area in Madagascar.
With just a few months to go until the next event and the next edition of the auction just around the corner, the Fine Spirits Auction team would like to take this opportunity to once again thank our partner brands and buyers who have made this initiative possible. We want to make it our essential duty to keep you informed about the progress of new projects and previous initiatives around the world.
Shared Governance of a Marine Protected Area in Sainte-Marie, Madagascar
The establishment of a protected area in Sainte-Marie began with the PCADDISM (Platform of Consultation and Support for the Sustainable Development of Sainte-Marie island) association bringing together local stakeholders. In 2024, an application for temporary protection was submitted to the Madagascan authorities, enabling provisional zoning and preliminary management rules to be established. This initiative aims to preserve biodiversity, both on land and in the sea, which face equally strong pressures, such as illegal fishing and migration due to drought and agricultural losses. These pressures heighten social and environmental tensions, making the studies and campaigns raising awareness for the support of development of the definitive rules vital.
Improving Access to Water through Solar Energy in Malawi
In 2024, 5 solar-energy pumps were installed in Malawi, offering access to potable water for local inhabitants. This advancement has transformed the daily lives of many women - the community members mainly responsible for collecting water - and means they can now devote their time to other activities, such as farming or pursuing alternative sources of income. Despite the general health of the population having improved thanks to cleaner water, food challenges persist due to climate disasters. In 2025, the project will focus on the maintenance of the pumps, the creation of nurseries, and irrigation to protect agriculture against drought.
Preserving Biodiversity in the Saloum Delta in Senegal
In August 2024, the second phase of a project to preserve biodiversity in the Saloum Delta in Senegal was completed, following a final audit highlighting the success of the economic, social and environmental objectives. As a result, the earnings of the female beneficiaries have tripled, improving their quality of life and their food security. As for the environmental plan, 10 hectares of mangroves were reforested, meeting the targets set. However, a need for support to ensure that beneficiaries have managerial autonomy has been identified. Actions are planned, in particular to strengthen the value chain, the governance of organisations and their professionnalisation. A third three-year phase (2025-2027) has been launched to ensure the sustainability of these impacts.
Developing Agroecology in Tarn, France
In 2023 and 2024, the wild and agricultural biodiversity of the Sidobre region in France was strengthened, including support for 15 new agroforestry farms, resulting in the planting of 4,900 trees over 31 hectares. 16 community volunteering projects were organised and 12 new ponds representing 840 m² of wetlands, were created. The network is growing with 112 farms involved and 15 farmers trained to preserve these areas. In addition, 4 partner schools raised awareness of sustainable biodiversity and agriculture to 240 students. Lastly, 12 public awareness days were held, attracting more than 1,600 people to local events.