A commitment for more than 20 years within the FIFATA group for the development of agriculture in Madagascar

The FIFATA group supports its members by providing concrete services aimed at improving the performance of family farms and the incomes of its members.  These services are implemented by agricultural advisers and relay farmers in regional farmers' organizations (RPOs). The FIFATA group also acts as a spokesperson for its members and defends the interests of Malagasy farmers in national and international consultation bodies.

In 1996, after studying agronomy at the University of Antananarivo, Ida has joined the FIFATA group, a Malagasy umbrella farmers' organization federating regional farmers' organizations (OPR) and specialized farmers' organizations (OPS), and offering various services to their members (microfinance, agricultural training, local advice, land services...). 

In 2012, after nearly 10 years of working in the group as training manager, Ida take the lead of the Ceffel (Consulting, Experimentation, Training in Fruit and Vegetables), created in 2004 within the FIFATA group to promote the fruit and vegetable sector and strengthen the skills of rural development players, agricultural advisers, rural trainers and relay farmers. Ceffel focuses on training and uses the farm as an educational tool.

Family farming, a solution to meet the challenges of agriculture in Madagascar

Faced with the lobbying of agri-businesses, which encourage the use of chemical inputs, the challenges are considerable for the FIFATA group. Its objective is to accompany and support family farming in order to meet the food needs of the Malagasy population while respecting the environment and make Madagascar a self-sufficient country in terms of food but also make it "the breadbasket of the Indian Ocean". 

According to Ida, this requires appropriate agricultural policies, which also support family farming.

The FIFATA group continues its efforts to support family farms. Thanks to its network of relay farmers, the FIFATA group has notably succeeded in setting up tools and approaches to improve the organization of potato production and marketing. This information system has made it possible to curb the availability issue  of potato seeds, to organize the production of healthy seed potatoes according to needs, production, cropping calendars...

Thinking the future of the agriculture and foster the women in decision making bodies

In Madagascar, agriculture is an essential economic sector in which women play a key role, particularly in the areas of market gardening and small livestock farming. In spite of this, women remain little present in consultation and decision-making bodies. 

In Madagascar, agriculture is an essential economic sector in which women play a key role, particularly in the areas of market gardening and small livestock farming. In spite of this, women remain little present in consultation and decision-making bodies. 

According to Ida, the lack of women in regional and national decision-making bodies is mainly due to family and cultural constraints. Indeed, in Madagascar it is often difficult for a woman to leave her young children for professional trips; this responsibility prevents women from being present in these bodies, even if their voices are essential to develop tomorrow's agriculture in Madagascar. 

However, at the local level, Ida notes significant progress. Women are increasingly present, some in presidential positions in local organizations. In order to encourage this dynamic and with her experience as a mother who has to travel a lot for work, Ida has participated in the implementation of a system of childcare and additional expenses within FIFATA/Ceffel, to encourage women's participation in meetings and trainings. 

According to Ida, even if there is still a long way to go, the presence of women is essential at all levels; their experiences and visions of agriculture will allow us to think about a more sustainable agriculture in Madagascar but also in the Indian Ocean!

PRéRAD-OI a useful platform to share outlooks

PRéRAD-OI helps Ceffel to develop its activities. The platform allows the Malagasy partners and institutions to have a place of exchange and consultation to debate on agriculture issues in Madagascar and thus, to strengthen the links to answer those issues collectively. Thanks to PRéRAD-OI, Ceffel has strengthened its partnership, notably with FOFIFA, the National Center for Applied Research in Rural Development. 

PRéRAD-OI also opens many other perspectives to support rural development in the Indian Ocean and particularly in Madagascar. It should strengthened the links between research and development, for a better exploitation and application of research results directly in the field and to facilitate dialogue and exchanges between these two worlds.