by RANDRIAMIRADO Honoré from CPM Régionale Itasy
Description
The effects of climate change can be summarised as insufficient rainfall, increased temperature, and drought affecting several regions of Madagascar. For example, the cultivation period is reduced, some fields are suddenly flooded, others are dried up or silted up, and some water sources have become waterless. Cyclones hit Madagascar hard, leaving human, animal, and crop victims. Using resilient, adapted varieties (the rice variety X265) is a best practice to cope with climate change. Additionally, environmental protection is paramount for mitigation, i.e., overcoming bushfires and deforestation, restoring forests, and reforestation. In addition, protection of the soil against erosion is necessary. The exploitation of renewable energies is seen as complementary and can reinforce or increase the benefits of the leading practice if implemented together. Madagascar is sunny all year round, so the exploitation of solar energy can reduce the use of fossil fuels that pollute the atmosphere. Madagascar also has water sources that can be used to build dams to extract electricity. All this is already being exploited in Madagascar but on a small scale.
Results
The X265 rice variety has been shown to bring several benefits to the farmer’s communities of Madagascar. Respectively, it has been proved to be resilient to climate change. This rice variety can withstand and produce yield without much water. When rainfall is abundant, this variety can yield an average of 4.5t/ha if cultivation techniques are followed. When rain is insufficient, the yield reaches 3.7t/ha if the practice follows the farming techniques. Thanks to this variety, the level of food insecurity has decreased. Economically, members can continue their farms independently of external support (e.g., microfinance, banks). Furthermore, members have been trained on making organic fertilizers (compost) and how to use organic manures.
Climate smartness*
The adoption of high-yielding local varieties and adapted to climate-related stresses is a key strategy to transit to sustainable productions systems. In addition to the above-mentioned benefits directly linked with food and nutritional security, and the economic stability of farmers. There are co-benefits in adaptation derived from the efficient use of natural resources as well as from the recognition of the need to implement practices together, as a group, as it is the case of compost/organic fertilizers and the protection of the environmental dimension through the forest restoration. Utilization of crop residues such as rice straw could bring economic and job opportunities by developing communal compost production stations. In addition, the diversification of agricultural systems through the introduction of new crops and species also lies in the use of various local varieties adapted to the mentioned climatic risks in the country. In parallel, this strategy can help to reduce vulnerability to pest and diseases outbreaks, enhancing the resilience capacity of farmers, which at the same time suggests the possibility of an overall reduction in the carbon footprint associated with the use of synthetic fertilizers and pesticides, and progressively increase carbon stock in the soils.
*This is done in the framework of climate-smart agriculture (CSA) approach. Climate-smartness in agriculture means understanding impacts of climate change and variability along with the agricultural activity, which includes the planning of what crop to plant, when to plant, what variety to plant and what type of management practices are needed to reduce the impact on the environment (e.g. emissions reduction), maintain or increase productivity (e.g. yields) while increasing resilience and improving livelihoods.