Social network analysis of conservation and one health governance in Madagascar

Abstract

Madagascar, a globally recognised biodiversity hotspot, faces escalating biodiversity loss and zoonotic disease risks. Weak response systems and fragmented governance further exacerbate these threats. This study identifies key conservation and health actors and analyses their connections to understand decision-making and information flow. The findings emphasise the need to integrate One Health into conservation strategies to address interconnected public health and biodiversity challenges. Following the Laumann-Marsden-Prensky framework, a social network analysis (SNA) survey was conducted between March 14 and June 24, 2022. The study involved 30 senior leaders (≥5 years experience) in biodiversity conservation and health in Madagascar. Key network metrics, indegree, outdegree, and eigenvector centrality, identified influential actors, while network density and centralisation assessed structural cohesion. Participants listed collaborators in conservation and health projects and funding sources. The strength of One Health integration and interaction was quantified. Among 287 identified actors, 54.4 % are international entities. SNA shows that foreign organisations dominate collaboration and funding networks in conservation and public health governance, while local government bodies have limited involvement. Only a few stakeholders have effectively integrated the One Health approach into their conservation and health governance practices. These findings highlight a reliance on international actors, primarily due to funding access, with limited local participation. While international support provides crucial resources, greater national and local leadership is essential for the sustainable implementation of One Health. This study provides insights to enhance local involvement in conservation governance.