Madagascar – Training Consultancy and Assistance in Agribusiness and Marketing

Provide training consultancy and assistance to boost farmers' incomes

Agriculture, including fishing and forestry, is a mainstay of Madagascar's economy, accounting for more than one-fourth of GDP and employing 80 percent of the population. Main products are coffee, vanilla, sugarcane, cloves, cocoa, rice, cassava (tapioca), beans, bananas, peanuts and livestock products. Challenges include soil erosion resulting from deforestation and overgrazing, as well as desertification.

The government of Madagascar has worked aggressively to revive the economy following a 2002 political crisis, which triggered a 12 percent drop in GDP that year. Poverty reduction and combating corruption are centerpieces of the current economic policy.

To further expand the impact of development on Madagascar, from 2007-2008 ACDI/VOCA implemented the Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC)-funded project to provide training consultancy and assistance to Madagasgar's Ministry of Agriculture, Animal Husbandry and Fisheries. This award marked the third MCC project implemented by ACDI/VOCA, including the large projects won in Honduras and Armenia.

Ended in March 2008, ACDI/VOCA achieved the following:

• conducted training to build the capacity of ministry staff and some of its close partners in rural development and agricultural marketing throughout the Millennium Challenge Account-Madagascar’s five focal areas
• provided technical assistance in agribusiness and marketing to build the ministry's capacity to improve investment incentives in agriculture

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