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MADAGASCAR, a large island east of Africa, with an area of 587,000 km2, consists of a central plateau, where most of the population of 15.5 million (1999) lives, surrounded by coastal plains on which crops such as rice are grown. Agriculture is the main activity, occupying 78% of the workforce and comprising 34% of the GDP. Arable land is 4.4% of the total. The plains are mainly rainforest on the wet and humid east side and grassland on the drier west side.
General information
- GNI per capita PPP$, 2000: 820
- Internal renewable water resources: 337 km3
- Main food consumed: rice, roots and tubers, meat, oil and fat, maize
- Rice consumption, 1999: 91 kg milled rice per person per year
Production constraints
The following are the major constraints to sustainable rice production in Madagascar:
- Drought in upland areas and drought and flash flood in rainfed lowland areas because of irregular weather
- Low temperature in high plateaus, salinity in the western coast
- Disease (blast)
- Shortage of water in the dry season
- Irregular input supplies, especially
fertilizers, improved seeds, and credit
- Poor maintenance of irrigation facilities
- Lack of clear understanding of rice ecosystems and a well-defined rice policy
- Poor road networks and marketing systems
- Weak research and extension support
Production season |
|
|
|
Planting |
Harvesting |
Main season,plateau
|
Oct-Nov |
Apr-Jun |
Vatomandry*,east coast |
Oct-Nov |
Jun-Jul |
Hosy*,east coast |
Apr-Jun |
Oct-Nov |
Asara*,west coast |
Nov |
Jan |
Atriatry*,west coast |
Feb |
May |
Jeby*,west coast |
Jul |
Oct |
*Varieties of rice harvested
Basic statistics, Madagascar |
|
1985 |
1990 |
1995 |
1998 |
1999 |
2000 |
Rice |
Area harvested (ha) |
1,183,520 |
1,165,000 |
1,150,000 |
1,203,000 |
1,227,000 |
1,206,940 |
Yield (t/ha) |
1.8 |
2.1 |
2.1 |
2.0 |
2.1 |
1.9 |
Production (t) |
2,177,680 |
2,420,000 |
2,450,000 |
2,447,000 |
2,637,000 |
2,300,000 |
Rice imports (t) |
na |
na |
na |
na |
na |
na |
Others |
Population, total (x103) |
10,123 |
11,632 |
13,744 |
15,057 |
15,497 |
na |
Population, agriculture (x103) |
8,093 |
9,098 |
10,493 |
11,313 |
11,578 |
na |
Agricultural area (x103 ha) |
27,040 |
27,102 |
27,105 |
27,108 |
na |
na |
Irrigated agricultural area (x103) |
826 |
1,000 |
1,087 |
1,090 |
na |
na |
Total fertilizer consumption (t) |
9,700 |
10,855 |
12,546 |
8,677 |
na |
na |
Tractors used in agric. (no.) |
2,780 |
2,900 |
3,500 |
3,550 |
na |
na |
Source: FAOSTAT online database. |
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