PROTANÀ: PROFESSIONALIZING AND ORGANIZING FARMERS IN THE SOUTH OF ANTANANARIVO – FRUITS, VEGETABLES AND CHICKEN VALUE CHAINS

Fert and Fifata initiated agricultural advisory actions in 2004 based on the observation that, in order to bring about sustainable improvements on farms and in a fragile Malagasy environment, farmers needed local technicians who were well trained, particularly in listening and facilitation, and who could provide advice adapted to farmers’ capacity for innovation and investment.

In 2014, Fert and Fifata seized the opportunity offered by the «AgroSylviculture around Antananarivo» (ASA programme, financed by the European Union) to extend agricultural advisory services to the Analamanga and Itasy regions. The ProTanà project, which is part of ASA programme, aims at better structuring and professionalizing the supply of agricultural products (fruits, vegetables, chicken) around the capital Antananarivo to better meet the growing demand of urban consumers.

Despite a difficult context, Fert and the Fifata group have succeeded in promoting the creation of concrete services in response to the needs of farmers in the Analamanga and Itasy regions: animal vaccination, production of healthy potato seeds, bulked procurement of inputs, production of biopesticide plants, collective marketing, management of collective storage buildings as well as equipment for transporting products.

Farmers’ organizations have emerged and are now active.
This project allows close collaboration between the members of the Fifata group, making the most of everyone’s experience.