January 2019, the seedlings are distributed: plantings can begin!

Distribution of young plants in Antoby Est’s village, Itasy region / © Agrisud International

Itasy Lake, January 2019

For almost a month now, deliveries of forest and agroforestry seedlings have been started to producers in the Itasy region for planting. A race against time for the teams of the Mahavotra project! Seedlings must be planted between December and March to take advantage of the abundant rainy season.

To ensure the success of plantings and minimize losses, two preliminary steps are carried out:

Quality control at the nursery outlet / © Agrisud International

Quality control that allows for upstream removal of the most fragile plants to limit mortality once implanted in the parcel.

Checking the holes in the plots / © Agrisud International

Controls for separations and depths of holes, as well as the availability of water and compost on the producers’ plot.

These key steps for planting are led by technicians from Agrisud and our Malagasy partner, A.MA.D.E.S.E.

It’s time for seedlings to leave the nursery / © Agrisud International

These preliminary done, nearly 4.000 young seedlings are loaded in two vehicles adapted to be delivered directly to producers. They thus go on the main roads bituminous before continuing on Madagascar’s tracks that lead to the villages.

When the plants are received, the producer shall sign a monitor book manage by the technician. This action certifies that he/she take now the responsibility of the seedlings’ project, but the teams of Agrisud and A.MA.D.E.S.E are never far to give some advices.

Here is Mr. Martin, who benefit from Mahavotra II 2018/2019 planting campaign. He ordered and received 50 coffee trees, 30 mandarin trees and 20 orange trees that he will plant on new land that he has just acquired. Its choice has been directed towards a mixture of forest and agroforestry species in the interests of diversification and self-consumption.

Next step: the planting!