Olivia Rakotondrasoa, coordination assistant for the village energy network project in Ambilobe and Ambanja, is participating in Fier Mada. The 27th edition of Madagascar's International Rural Economy Fair (FIER Mada) stands out for its array of dried and processed products. Farmers are increasingly venturing into agro-food processing. Their activities range from drying fruits and vegetables to producing banana flour, transforming cassava into tapioca flour, cakes, or even Breton-style biscuits. The most innovative product this year is dried minced meat, produced by the Tantsaha Miavotra cooperative from Manjakandriana. "This product emerged from cooperation to supply vegetables to school canteens in the South. The machine we used couldn't keep up with demand, so we pivoted to minced meat," explains Sarobidy Razanadrakoto, cooperative member, yesterday at the official opening of this event held in Andohatapenaka until Sunday.
Anti-Waste Solution
These agro-food transformations were initiated as an anti-waste solution. "When potato and carrot season arrives, they rot and prices collapse, yet we can't even store them," continues Sarobidy Razanadrakoto. These farmers are expanding Madagascar's small list of agricultural industries. "Raw materials are available in Ambilobe and Ambanja, but there's no processing locally. Buyers simply purchase beans for export. To add more value, these projects were established," says Olivia Rakotondrasoa, coordination assistant for the village energy network project in Ambilobe and Ambanja, who supports villagers in entrepreneurship and processing for banana flour, dried lemon and orange, and mango powder production.
The challenge for these farmers is carving out market space. Currently, their processed products haven't yet won consumers' hearts. Facing this difficulty, the Analamanga Region affirms its support. "We are currently identifying and selecting operators who will benefit from regional support over the next six months, whether in livestock or agriculture," announced Clémence Raharinirina, Analamanga regional chief, on the occasion.