The region of Behara, located in the district of Amboasary Sud, faces considerable challenges due to inconsistent rainfall. The Grand South region of Madagascar, is experiencing one of the worst droughts in the last 40 years, leading to a severe humanitarian crisis. Crop failures have left about 75% of the population of Amboasary Atsimo – a town of almost 50.000 people – in severe hunger. Now, the inhabitants heavily depend on food aid to survive but there is hope for some in the form of a biofortified crop.
“The orange-fleshed sweetpotato has changed our lives and those of our community,” saidSmallholder Raphael Razafimaherimanana proudly, a smallholder in Behara, a village in Southern Madagascar. With his wife, Razafimaherimanana transformed their lives and their community thanks to Orange-Fleshed Sweetpotato (OFSP).
“It brings us plenty of vitamins A, B, C, E, potassium, zinc,” said Razafimaherimanana.
Razafimaherimanana and his wife, Antenanaina Baokozilla, have made significant strides in this challenging environment. It all started when they heard about a new sweetpotato variety called orange-fleshed sweetpotato, (OFSP). OFSP is a heat-tolerant and rich in vitamins. When the couple compared it with other crops grown in the area, they became intrigued.
They boldly decided to change their farming methods and dedicate themselves to farming OFSP. They dedicated their entire three-hectare plot to OFSP. With the help of a gasoline pump to irrigate the field during extended periods without rain, their efforts quickly paid off.
“The OFSP sells for between 800 and 1500 MGA, and I earn between 1,000,000 MGA and 3,000,000 MGA each harvest. This income has significantly improved my family’s life conditions and quality of life and allowed us to invest in our children’s education,” Razafimaherimanana said.
“The cultivation of this sweetpotato also offers job opportunities for young people as we hire six people to help us with this cultivation.”
They also share their knowledge with their neighbors, encouraging them to adopt OFSP. “Thanks to our help, many local farmers have started growing sweetpotato, and improved their own economic situation,” said Razafimaherimanana. In this spirit, the couple participated in a competition organized by the Regional Business Center. Razafimaherimanana and Baokozilla called their project “Cultivation of Orange-Fleshed Sweetpotato to Fight against Famine” and won second place. The 2000 USD in prize money boosted their efforts.
“This success has strengthened our determination to continue developing our project,” said Baokozilla.
They could also send their children to private school thanks to their hard work and vision.
“We would like to warmly thank CIP, the Mionjo project, and the World Bank for their invaluable support because, thanks to the promotion of the orange-fleshed sweetpotato, our life has completely changed,” Razafimaherimanana said.
In addition to cultivating orange-fleshed sweetpotatoes for personal consumption and commercialization, Razafimaherimanana has received training in business management and entrepreneurship. These skills help him to maximize the benefits of his activity.
The International Potato Center (CIP) is crucial in supporting communities in southern Madagascar, including the Behara community. CIP, has implemented initiatives to improve food security and the resilience of farmers to extreme climatic conditions. These initiatives include distributing drought-resistant OFSP varieties and training farmers on sustainable agricultural techniques. Indeed, the business management and entrepreneurship training received by Razafimaherimanana inspired him to start growing OFSP.
Thanks to these interventions, farmers in Behara and surrounding areas have increased their agricultural production despite the challenges posed by the drought. “Before, we struggled to survive with our traditional crops. Now we have a stable source of income,” said Razafimaherimanana.