Let’s Plant a Tree!

So here we are back in Madagascar! It is rare for us to be going back to, not only the same country, but even the same area and a similar project. It has been heart-warming to reconnect with the friends we made here last year! However, writing a blog is now a challenge as we have already shared so many of our favourite stories and facts about this location and the project. If you missed them check out our 2022 Madagascar Blogs.

But we will give it a try!

Twelve well-trained and hard-working community mobilizers regularly travel in pairs to their assigned fokontany (villages) to inquire if there are any concerns and to audit the use of the food the families received at the most recent distribution. Their role, however, is much more important and demanding than this! It also includes doing community wide training in each fokontany about a number of issues. These include gender-based violence, a complaint mechanism, fraud and corruption, beneficiary rights and entitlement, and a new one this year: the importance of tree planting!

In the Ambovombe and surrounding districts, there has been rampant deforestation that is contributing to climate change and its negative impact on food security. Studies have identified charcoal production as one of the main drivers of deforestation. The traditional method of making charcoal in this area is to cut down and burn trees which are an increasingly rare commodity. The trunk is put in a dug-out earth pit, lit and covered with earth. The combustion of part of the wood produces enough heat to carbonize the remainder.

Unfortunately, income from selling charcoal serves as an important seasonal income gap-filler and as a safety-net for households that face economic challenges.

One subject the community mobilizers highlight is the distressing consequence of deforestation. The loss of trees and underbrush increases flooding, soil erosion, higher temperatures, and desertification. The government recommends the inclusion of resilience-building and rehabilitation programs to strengthen interventions. As such, in addition to the provision of food, this project is integrating community work with reforestation initiatives by providing 6,000 tree seedlings to the 2,000 participant households to plant on their farms. Each farmer will receive one Acacia, one Varo and either a Papaya or a Moringa tree.
The Acacia tree is pod bearing with seeds that can be eaten, is fast growing, provides incredible shade and the dead branches serve as firewood.
The Varo tree is good for shade, provides a wind screen, is drought resistant and when mature, is good to use for construction of homes and/or furniture.

The Papaya tree produces fruit which can be eaten or sold. Papayas taste sweet and the juice is delicious. We can attest to this! Small green papayas can be made into a salad. These tree seedlings will be distributed to more southern fokontany where they will thrive. More to the north, a Moringa, a fast-growing, drought-resistant tree will be distributed. It has many good qualities. One can eat the leaves of this tree raw or cook them. The moringa leaves have amazing health benefits. That is not all! The seed in the pods produced can be used to purify water!

We listened (with great help from our translator) to the training given to two different fokontany by the community mobilizers. The information is taught thoroughly with questions being asked back and forth and some enthusiastic discussion to be sure there is good understanding. What better classroom for inspiration than under a large shade tree!

After learning about the importance of tree planting and the characteristics of the various trees to be distributed, there was a gathering at a demonstration plot. Detailed planting information was given: do not forget to take the plastic off the roots before placing the tree, protect the young tree from animals by building a fence of cacti around it and carefully follow a timetable for watering. The exact dimensions of the hole to dig for each type of tree was shared. Measure by stretching out your hand. Did you know the distance from the tip of your thumb to the tip of your baby finger is 15cm? Now it is time to dig the hole! We were surprised how solid that earth was! We thought by its appearance that it would be much softer!

We look forward to seeing the tree distribution on February 2nd and 3rd, just before we leave. We anticipate the seedlings will be received with much enthusiasm!

Thank you for the many supportive comments we have received from you and the promises of prayer for us and this vulnerable community. You encourage us!

Harry and Annie

P.S. You may also be interested in reading this article about the project.

https://www.christiancourier.ca/hunger-response-in-madagascar/