Update on social-development initiatives

Sherritt and the Ambatovy Joint Venture have continued their earlier work to raise the capacity of the local economies. The communities in the mountain and coastal areas where the Ambatovy facilities are located are economically and socially impacted by the Ambatovy Joint Venture. Sherritt and the Ambatovy Joint Venture make every reasonable effort to ensure that the total impact on these communities is positive.

Many meetings have been held with local groups to discuss plans and to resolve any possible grievances. Stakeholders have been consulted over the entire development area since the project was initiated.

Ambatovy Local Business Initiative (ALBI)

An example of building the capacity of communities around Ambatovy is the ALBI program, which was developed to enable local businesses to provide goods or services to Ambatovy.  Local suppliers have been found to prepare land for construction, to operate a tree plantation for replacement stock and for production of wooden pallets.  Companies in Toamasina have been engaged to produce uniforms for the Ambatovy work force. 

Agricultural training centre

An agricultural training centre has been built in the Toamasina area, not far from the Ambatovy refinery site.  The training centre is focused on providing skills to workers who are completing their contracts on Ambatovy construction.  The centre is also available to others from communities that have been affected by the Ambatovy Joint Venture.

Central agency for agricultural produce

The Central d’Achat de Madagascar (CAM) is a Ambatovy initiated, Malagasy-run agency that serves the Toamasina area to provide a central point for farmers to sell their agricultural produce outside their villages and to help supply the food requirements of Ambatovy. The agency has been successful, prompting the establishment of a second CAM in Moramanga, near the mine site.