Report on the Inclusive Agricultural Value Chains Program (DEFIS+) in Madagascar

Program Overview and Objectives

A six-year, $150 million program is being implemented in Madagascar to enhance drought resilience for smallholder farms. The initiative, known as the Inclusive Agricultural Value Chains Program (DEFIS+), is a collaborative effort between the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), the Green Climate Fund, and the Madagascar Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock and Fisheries. The program aims to provide direct support to 500,000 farmers, with projections indicating that 3.5 million people will benefit from improved food access and related economic effects.

Alignment with Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

The DEFIS+ program is strategically aligned with several United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, addressing critical challenges in Madagascar related to poverty, hunger, and climate change.

• SDG 1 (No Poverty) & SDG 8 (Decent Work and Economic Growth): The program directly confronts poverty by increasing farmer incomes. An existing IFAD program has already demonstrated success, helping 70-75% of participants move out of poverty by improving yields and facilitating market access, thereby fostering local economic growth.
• SDG 2 (Zero Hunger): A primary objective is to combat the severe food insecurity affecting over 1.3 million people in the region. By introducing resilient practices, the program has increased crop yields by as much as 30%, contributing significantly to national food security.
• SDG 13 (Climate Action): The initiative is a direct response to the impacts of climate change, building agricultural resilience against recurring droughts and cyclones. Key interventions include the establishment of early warning systems and the promotion of climate-adapted farming techniques.
• SDG 6 (Clean Water and Sanitation): A central focus on efficient water management addresses water scarcity. The program trains farmers and technicians in sustainable water distribution, which is crucial for the cultivation of staple crops like rice.
• SDG 9 (Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure): The program includes the rehabilitation of rural roads to improve market access for remote farmers and reduce post-harvest losses, strengthening essential infrastructure.
• SDG 12 (Responsible Consumption and Production): By encouraging the use of organic fertilizers and integrated farming systems, the program promotes sustainable production patterns that enhance soil health and reduce reliance on external inputs.
• SDG 17 (Partnerships for the Goals): The program serves as a model for effective multi-stakeholder collaboration, uniting international financial institutions with national government agencies to achieve shared development objectives.

Key Program Components and Strategies

The program builds upon the success of existing IFAD projects by scaling up proven interventions across 15,000 additional hectares of farmland.

1. Enhanced Water Management: The program prioritizes efficient water distribution within farming plots. It includes training for 1,400 members of water user associations and 900 technicians to provide expert guidance on sustainable water use.
2. Climate Information and Early Warning Systems: To support climate-resilient planning, the program will establish and equip six agro-meteorological stations. These stations will provide farmers with vital meteorological data to inform planting schedules and crop choices.
3. Distribution of Climate-Resilient Seeds: The initiative supports local seed producers and distributes high-quality seeds adapted to local arid conditions. Related IFAD projects have already produced over 900 metric tons of improved seeds in Madagascar.
4. Promotion of Sustainable Farming Practices: Farmers receive training in the use of organic fertilizers, such as manure derived from integrated livestock and crop production. This strategy enhances soil fertility and builds farm-level resilience.
5. Infrastructure Development and Market Access: The program addresses logistical barriers by rehabilitating rural roads. This action is critical for reducing post-harvest losses and ensuring that produce can move from production areas to markets efficiently.

Challenges and Future Outlook

• Logistical Constraints: Accessing remote rural farms remains a significant operational challenge. Poor road conditions, exacerbated by the annual cyclone season, can render areas inaccessible.
• Post-Harvest Losses: Infrastructure deficits contribute to food spoilage, as produce cannot always be transported to market in a timely manner, which undermines gains in productivity and income.
• Youth Employment: A pressing concern is the integration of 800,000 young people entering the job market each year. The program seeks to create viable employment opportunities within the agricultural sector to provide sustainable livelihoods and ensure social stability.

SDGs Addressed in the Article

The article highlights issues and initiatives that are directly connected to several Sustainable Development Goals. These goals focus on eradicating poverty, ending hunger, ensuring sustainable resource management, promoting economic growth, and combating climate change.

• SDG 1: No Poverty – The article explicitly mentions that the existing program has helped “roughly 70 to 75 percent of participating farmers get out of poverty” through increased incomes.
• SDG 2: Zero Hunger – The core of the article is about addressing food insecurity and severe hunger caused by drought. The program aims to increase crop yields, improve food access for 3.5 million people, and enhance the productivity of smallholder farmers.
• SDG 6: Clean Water and Sanitation – Water scarcity is identified as a “persistent problem.” The program’s focus on “water management,” “water distribution,” and training “water user association members” directly relates to the sustainable management of water resources.
• SDG 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth – The program supports smallholder farmers by increasing their productivity and income, connecting them to markets, and strengthening the agriculture industry. The article also raises concerns about youth employment, hoping the agricultural sector can provide jobs for the “800,000 youth joining the job market each year.”
• SDG 9: Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure – The article points to the challenge of inaccessible rural areas due to poor roads, which leads to post-harvest losses. It mentions that the “rehabilitation of roads is already part of efforts” to connect farms to markets, which aligns with developing resilient infrastructure.
• SDG 13: Climate Action – The entire program is framed as a response to climate change, aiming to build “drought resilience.” It addresses the impacts of severe weather like droughts, cyclones, and floods by implementing adaptive practices and establishing “early weather warning systems.”

Specific SDG Targets Identified

Based on the article’s content, several specific targets under the identified SDGs can be pinpointed.

SDG 1: No Poverty

• Target 1.5: By 2030, build the resilience of the poor and those in vulnerable situations and reduce their exposure and vulnerability to climate-related extreme events and other economic, social and environmental shocks and disasters. The program’s primary goal is to help smallholder farms in Madagascar “build drought resilience,” directly addressing this target.

SDG 2: Zero Hunger

• Target 2.1: By 2030, end hunger and ensure access by all people, in particular the poor and people in vulnerable situations, including infants, to safe, nutritious and sufficient food all year round. The program is expected to benefit “3.5 million people through food access.”
• Target 2.3: By 2030, double the agricultural productivity and incomes of small-scale food producers, in particular women, indigenous peoples, family farmers, pastoralists and fishers. The program directly supports “about 500,000 farmers” and has already increased yields “by as much as 30 percent” and helped participants get out of poverty through increased incomes.
• Target 2.4: By 2030, ensure sustainable food production systems and implement resilient agricultural practices that increase productivity and production, that help maintain ecosystems, that strengthen capacity for adaptation to climate change, extreme weather, drought, flooding and other disasters. The program promotes “resilient practices” on farmland, including improved water management, use of organic fertilizers, and distribution of climate-adapted seeds.

SDG 6: Clean Water and Sanitation

• Target 6.4: By 2030, substantially increase water-use efficiency across all sectors and ensure sustainable withdrawals and supply of freshwater to address water scarcity. The program’s emphasis on “water management” and training farmers and technicians on water use directly contributes to this target.

SDG 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth

• Target 8.2: Achieve higher levels of economic productivity through diversification, technological upgrading and innovation. The program introduces technological support like early warning systems, improved seed stock, and facilitates market access to boost the agricultural economy.
• Target 8.6: By 2020, substantially reduce the proportion of youth not in employment, education or training. The article expresses concern for the “800,000 youth joining the job market each year” and sees the strengthening agriculture industry as a potential source of employment.

SDG 9: Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure

• Target 9.1: Develop quality, reliable, sustainable and resilient infrastructure, including regional and transborder infrastructure, to support economic development and human well-being. The mention of “rehabilitation of roads” to reduce post-harvest losses and connect farms to markets aligns with this target.

SDG 13: Climate Action

• Target 13.1: Strengthen resilience and adaptive capacity to climate-related hazards and natural disasters in all countries. The program is a direct implementation of this target, focusing on building resilience to drought, cyclones, and floods in Madagascar.
• Target 13.3: Improve education, awareness-raising and human and institutional capacity on climate change mitigation, adaptation, impact reduction and early warning. The program plans to establish “at least six agro-meteorological stations” to provide early warnings and train farmers and technicians on climate-adaptive practices.

Indicators for Measuring Progress

The article mentions or implies several quantitative and qualitative indicators that can be used to measure progress towards the identified targets.

Indicators for SDG 1 & 2

• Number of direct beneficiaries: “about 500,000 farmers” are being directly supported.
• Number of indirect beneficiaries: The program is “expected to benefit 3.5 million people through food access.”
• Poverty reduction rate: “roughly 70 to 75 percent of participating farmers get out of poverty.”
• Increase in agricultural yield: The program has “increased yields by as much as 30 percent.”
• Area of land under resilient practices: The program has already covered “10,000 hectares of farmland” and intends to add “15,000 more hectares.”
• Volume of improved seeds produced: The projects have “produced more than 900 metric tons of seeds.”

Indicators for SDG 6

• Number of trained personnel in water management: The program aims to train “1,400 water user association members and 900 technicians.”

Indicators for SDG 8

• Rate of youth unemployment: The article identifies “800,000 youth joining the job market each year” as a challenge, making this a key indicator to track.
• Income levels of farmers: Increased incomes are an implied indicator, evidenced by the high percentage of farmers moving out of poverty.

Indicators for SDG 9

• Condition of rural infrastructure: The “rehabilitation of roads” is mentioned as an activity, suggesting that the length or quality of improved roads could be an indicator.
• Rate of post-harvest loss: Reducing these losses is a stated goal of road rehabilitation.

Indicators for SDG 13

• Number of early warning systems established: The program will establish “at least six agro-meteorological stations.”
• Adaptive capacity of farmers: Measured by the adoption of resilient practices like improved water management, use of organic fertilizers, and planting of climate-adapted seeds.

Summary of SDGs, Targets, and Indicators

Source: triplepundit.com