Agrofor Change: Support Agroforestry in Madagascar

Agrofor Change: Agroforestry in the Community of Tsiatosika, Madagascar

Help us build a tree seedling nursery!

My name is Andriamananarivo Doriens Cédric and I was born in 1995 in the town of Tsiatosika, Southeastern Madagascar. My family are almost all farmers, and I have an agricultural engineering degree with a specialization in forestry and the environment and professional experience with reforestation, agroforestry, and conservation. I have personally seen the devastating impacts of cyclones and deforestation in my community, and food insecurity in Madagascar is increasing as a result of climate change. The combination of environmental degradation and natural disasters has made it increasingly difficult for people in my community to sustain their livelihoods, leading to a pressing need for more sustainable and resilient solutions like agroforestry, a land use system that integrates trees and crops. Because of this, it is my dream to bring agroforestry to my indigenous Antembahoaka community. Together with my family and a small group of farmers, we are training people to use this technique to increase tree cover, diversify crops, restore soil fertility, combat erosion, conserve water, combat climate change, generate income and, most importantly, safeguard biodiversity.

We are in the very initial stages of our project and have planted a 1-hectare (approximately 2.5 acres) demonstration site together with the community, made possible by a grant from the Pollination Project . However, there is so much potential to make a bigger impact! We would like to plant 4 more hectares by the end of this year, and then to keep growing each year. For this, we will need to start producing seedlings, which will require construction of a small nursery. Having our own nursery would propel our project into the next phase and support planting more area for years to come. This fundraiser is for a nursery with a capacity for 8,000 seedlings and will cover all costs, including construction materials such as wooden posts, labor, seeds, and nursery materials like pots (a detailed budget can be provided upon request). Once up and running, the nursery will be maintained voluntarily by participating farmers. If our total fundraising goal is not met, we can build a nursery with a smaller capacity and expand it as more resources become available.

We plant around 10-15 different species, including both native forest tree species and agroforestry trees and crops that provide ecological and economic benefits. Trees and banana plants are planted at a density of 1200 trees/hectare. We estimate that annual food harvests from agroforestry could range from 1-5 tonnes per hectare, and we project an increase in household income of approximately 20-30% through increased crop yield and the sale of surplus produce. We will monitor the growth and health of trees by measuring height, diameter, and survival rates regularly. Community surveys will be conducted to assess the community’s satisfaction with the project. We expect the project to directly serve around 100-150 people, who also receive training in agroforestry methods.

Additional information, photos, and maps are available on our explorer.land page.

*donations will be collected by Alaine Ball in the United States and 100% of funds transferred to Cédric in Madagascar.