Gender-focused economic models of climate resilience in Madagascar

This climate resilience case study (No.5) from Madagascar is the fifth of ten case studies prepared by forest and farm producer organisations (FFPOs) for the Forest and Farm Facility (FFF).

It describes the actions of the Manarivo AB Society and its four supply cooperatives in finding nature based solutions (NbS) that give climate resilience. Manarivo AB is a company that has established supply partnerships that buy from four peanut producer cooperatives in the Bongolava region of Madagascar (called Santatra, Vondrona, Tsikivy and KF2VS). The four cooperative have a collective membership of 80 farmers (47 of whom are women) and 100 hectares of land.

Manarivo AB buys crude peanut oil and cleans it, to produce a high-quality organic oil which it is responsible for packaging and marketing. The company also produces well packaged essential oils, Arabica coffee, Rice, vegetables and fruits and jams etc. that were previously from the owners family plantations. Climate change is perceived as a significant threat in terms of late and variable rains, dry season fires, increasing outbreaks of plant pests and diseases, occasional flooding.

With support from the Forest and Farm Facility (FFF) through the National Platform for Women, Sustainable Development and Food Security (PNFDDSA), Manarivo AB has worked with members of the four producer cooperatives to: diversify planted crops beyond peanuts to reduce reliance on any one product, produce organic fertilisers from plant residues, secure improved seeds and establish on-farm seed reserves, install fire breaks and erosion control terraces on steeper land, and integrate indigenous fruit trees between cropping areas. Ultimately, Manarivo AB will help them market these more diverse crops through its established Trésor & Sens brand.

The case study shows how organizational innovations promoted by company-cooperative partnership can improve resilience in members smallholder farms.