Madagascar - Agroecology

Absorbing 80% of the labour force, agriculture is the mainstay of the Malagasy economy. Today, however, this sector is in peril. Deforestation, unsustainable farming methods, low productivity and insecure land tenure are all fuelling diminishing soil yields and threatening the island's food security.
To check this land degradation, the Agence française de développement (AFD) is developing, with support from CIRAD, the use of agroecological techniques with Malagasy farmers. This approach involves protecting the soil with a green cover crop, as a way of avoiding ploughing and restricting the use of fertilisers. This helps to restore soil fertility, limit watershed erosion and reduce CO2 emissions.
Developing agroecology is a long-haul undertaking. The key to its success is multi-pronged approach: bolster training schemes, secure land tenure and ensure farmers have access to credit.

Category:

News & Politics

Tags:

• agroecology
• agriculture
• malagasy
• food security
• soilfertility erosion
• CO2 emission
• AFD
• agence française développement