Our project of market gardening is a new step in the training of the young people trained between 2016 and 2017 as part of the “Cap on Madagascar” project. It aims at teaching the local populations, who are often underfed, how to cultivate a dry soil to produce a more healthy and varied food. This project will take place in Beloha and Natomasy. These neighbouring villages are located in Androy, the most arid region of our island where the drought, the lack of water access, malnutrition and infectious diseases are destroying the health of the population.

The Tuberculosis Centre of Béthanie (a dispensary located in Beloha) provides medical care to 25 patients with tuberculosis who are welcomed in a house of the community for two months during the initial phase of the treatment. That way, we make sure they take all their medications several times a day. The significant nutritional deficiencies of these patients with tuberculosis are one of the main obstacles to the success of the treatment they are receiving. People and patients essentially eat corn and manioc.

The creation of a vegetable garden is aimed at improving the nutritional intakes of the patients during their treatment to increase its efficiency and reduce its duration.
Mr Alain Guillez who is used to market gardening in arid land will carry out this project alongside the family members of the patients as well as the patients themselves, when their health will have improved.
The hamlet of Natomasy is located 15 km away from Beloha where about 110 people live. The population lives off farming and agriculture. They are often subject to climate hazards. Indeed, there is a severe drought in the area and people are living in great poverty.

The inhabitants of the hamlet do not have access to water, but every day they brave the heat to go to a village at several kilometers from Natomasy to get some. The visit of Mr Alain Guillez, who has dowsing skills, gives much hope to these villagers. They learned that the wells dug last year a few kilometers away provide access to drinkable water and decrease the number of infectious diseases as well as the tiredness of the women who had to walk for a long time to find water, which was oftentimes non-drinkable.
Having a well in the hamlet and being able to grow vegetables gives much hope to these people.

Project implementation

When he arrives, Mr Guillez will go to Natomasy to look for a groundwater table. Then, the young people who are being trained will take turns to dig a well.
Then, he will head to Beloha to deliver a theoretical and practical training on market gardening to the villagers, the families of the tuberculosis patients and the patients on the road to recovery. They will start a nursery to germinate seeds (some bought locally, others imported). Then we will buy some tools for garden care: spades, shovels, rakes, watering cans and wheelbarrows, as well as shrubs. We will prepare the land with green manures (made of minced cactuses which are abundant is such arid areas. Cactus ensures freshness, nutrients and humidity). Two teams will work at the same time in Beloha and Natomasy.

Thanks to the amount of sunshine at the south of the island and the water provided by the wells, we hope that the fruits and vegetables sown and planted will be growing soon: aubergines, carrots, cabbages, courgettes, marrows, green beans and dried beans, lentils, melons, millet, watermelons, peppers and tomatoes.
All of these vegetables which were picked by Mr Guillez, who is used to farming in desert areas, will enrich the soil and provide delicious vegetables. The vitamins, trace elements and minerals they contain will help diversify the meals provided to the patients with tuberculosis and help their recovery.
Planting fruit trees such as mango trees, papaya trees or avocado trees will later bring delicious fruits and vitamins for the sick.

After the “Construction of economical ovens” and “Construction of wells” projects carried out in 2017, the inhabitants of many villages learned farming and are now able to feed themselves and address nutrition deficiencies which are behind many diseases.
THANK YOU to all the people who will support our project!

Once more, we need you to help Madagascar!

MISAOTRA ANAO !