Dioscorea spp. are found throughout the tropics, and different species of edible yams have been domesticated independently in America, Africa, Madagascar, South and South-east Asia, Australia and Melanesia. This chapter focuses on the domestication, discovery, and present geographical distribution...

Parthenium weed (Parthenium hysterophorus) has been recorded in the Southern African countries of South Africa, Swaziland, Zimbabwe, Mozambique and most recently Botswana, and the western Indian Ocean islands of Madagascar, Mauritius including Rodrigues, as well as Réunion, Seychelles, Comoros,...

This chapter focuses on the importance of potato production in Burundi, Congo Democratic Republic, Ethiopia, Kenya, Madagascar, Rwanda, Sudan, Tanzania and Uganda and sweet potato production in Burundi, Mozambique, Rwanda, Tanzania and Uganda. The importance of the dissemination of improved potato...

This chapter discusses the principles and processes of the participatory learning and action-research approach to integrated rice management (PLARIRM) in Africa, as well as the application of PLAR-IRM in a rainfed lowland rice system in Madagascar. Prospects for the wider use of PLAR-IRM in Africa...

Following an overview of Madagascar's agriculture, this chapter describes the country's seed sector, including its seed law, seed certification and seed demand and production. Two family-based seed enterprises, three government centres and a cooperative engaged in the seed business are then...

This chapter looks at the "exit strategy" of the Upper Mandrare River Basin Development Project (PHBM) in Madagascar. To help meet the challenges of exit, the project has created a special approach called PATAS (Sustaining Outcomes, and Transferring Assets and Knowledge). It was also necessary to...

This chapter presents a brief history of Madagascar, and describes the country's ethnic patchwork, geography, agricultural sector and economy. Also discussed are the government's commitments to eradicate rural poverty and the International Fund for Agricultural Development's (IFAD) support in...

This chapter describes the phases of the afforestation microprojects in Madagascar. The project included the establishment of local nurseries for the production of young trees (Eucalyptus, Acacia mangium, Grevillea banksii, Moringa oleifera and Azadirachta indica), and planting of the young trees...

This chapter looks at the increase in rice production following the rehabilitation and construction of irrigation systems and the introduction of a system of improved rice cultivation (SRA) under the Upper Mandrare River Basin Development Project (PHBM) in Madagascar.

This chapter outlines the beginnings and evolution of the Upper Mandrare River Basin Development Project (PHBM) initiated in 1996 as a response to the severe food crisis that hit all of southern Madagascar in 1991 and 1992. The objective of the five-year project was to reduce rural poverty and to...