Innovative farmers forge ahead in Madagascar

At the Ambohimanambola Dissemination Centre, a few km outside Antananarivo, an association of farmers led by Jean-Jacques Andrianaivo meets regularly in a local school. The association, which calls itself Centre de Services Agricoles Avaradrano, provides a multi-purpose centre that undertakes a diversity of innovative agricultural activities. Recent activities have included the production of manure for compost and development of a small cooker fuelled by ethanol. The centre also serves as a collection point where farmers can pool their vegetables for transport to the market for sale in Antananarivo. Before dispatching their produce, the farmers discuss and agree with buyers on prices using mobile phones.

Accent on youth. An average of 24 youths, both girls and boys, come every week for ICT training. A small group of them have been trained on the use of the equipment and are now training other youths on ICT. They often travel as far as 22 km to reach the centre, so the association, extending good old African hospitality, sometimes puts them up for the night in the village.

published: 2012-08-02 | tagged: homepage