A development project regarding three of Madagascar’s biodiversity hotspots, incorporates the companion modelling methodology to facilitate the design and implementation of a process to monitor and evaluate the transfer of forest resource management from State authorities to local communities. Over the duration of the project, the challenge is to establish evidence that the local communities can in fact develop these forest resources, in accordance with the dual objective of conserving the renewable resources and improving their living conditions. The adopted approach proposes a mutual training framework for all players involved in the transfer of management (community groups, municipalities, the Ministry of the Environment and Forests and their decentralised services, and coordinators of development and scientific projects). Applying the companion modelling methodology from the design stage throughout the monitoring and evaluating process aims to reinforce the “capabilities” of those involved in the transfer of management via a constant process of inputting, exchanging, analysing and storing information. Thus, a feedback loop has been initiated at different stages of organisation: 1) a phase of clarifying issues - leading to the participatory formulation of the monitoring and evaluation system’s objectives (principals and criteria); 2) a phase of comparing and analysing the relevant points of view with the stakeholders - leading to a participatory identification process to determine the monitoring and evaluation indicators; 3) a phase of determining stakeholder ownership of the monitoring and evaluation system - to be undertaken by means of several training-actions, testing the input and analysing the system. Stakeholder ownership of the monitoring and evaluation system throughout the various project stages constitutes an indispensable element towards ensuring the sustainable local management of renewable resources in Madagascar today.