The garden of Antanambao is located in the Fokontany commune of Antanambao, the rural commune of Ambohimahazo, district of Manandriana, region of Amoron’i Mania.
The heads of households who have gathered to implement the community-based garden of Antanambao are members of an association managing the village savings. This type of organization has been established with the support of the ADRA ASOTRY project in the region of Amoron’i Mania with a view to setting up a savings system for the village. They meet each week to collect funds which constitute a kind of contribution in order to supply the savings account. In this context, each member may borrow some money to invest in a personal business and reimburse this loan with an interest rate agreed upon by all the members. In this way, each member may take advantage of the system because the interest generated by the loan is shared in accordance with the capital brought about by each participant. As a matter of fact, those who pay more benefit from higher returns. The system includes 7 households and 25 people. There are three types of land for the implementation of the garden. The first type constitutes terraced hill slopes (about 30 acres), designed for long lasting crop production of cassava (Manihot utillisma, euphorbiaceae) and sweet potatoes (Ipomea batata dioscoreaceae), as well as other crops which don’t require watering. The second type of land is known as the “morotambina” (located around rice fields) stretching over approximately 10 acres. The crops produced on these plots of land are rain-fed but sometimes need to be watered. The third type of land (about 20 acres) includes rice fields for rice production during the rainy season and other crops during the dry season. Farmers working in these fields use various types of organic fertilizers including manure and compost. They produce various crops such as cassava (Manihot utillisma, euphorbiaceae), maize (Zea mays, graminae), sweet potatoes (Ipomea batatas, dioscoreaceae), tomatoes (Lycopersicum sp, solanaceae), “petsai”, anamarebaka, “anamamy” (Solanum nigrum,solanaceae), peach (Amygdalus persica, rosaceae), “pibasy” (Eriobotrya japonica, rosaceae), rice (Oryza sativa, graminae), “ovy” (Solanum tuberosum, solanaceae), peas, “saonjo” (Colocasia antiquorum, Araceae) mangoes (Mangifera indica, anacardiaceae) , apples ( Pyrus sp, rosaceae), coffee (Coffea sp), pineapple (Ananas comosus). The crops produced are intended for household consumption, but the surplus may be sold in order to buy other essential products such as sugar, kerosene, soap, etc.
Area
Fokontany, commune of Antanambao, rural commune of Ambohimahazo, district of Manandriana, region of Amoron’i Mania
Coordinator
Sahondra Raheliarisolo