Madagascar has taken another step toward strengthening sustainable agriculture and rural livelihoods with the distribution of 2,000 modern farming tools to producers in the country’s northern regions under the AFAFI-Nord programme.
The large-scale equipment rollout, reported on 14 January 2026, was financed largely by the European Union and is designed to improve productivity while promoting more resilient and inclusive agricultural systems. A total of 2,221 farmers and pisciculturists, organised into 87 producer associations across the DIANA region, benefited from the intervention.
From a sustainability standpoint, the equipment package reflects a deliberate effort to address multiple points along the agricultural value chain. Nearly 900 soil-preparation tools, including ploughs and weeders, were distributed alongside more than 400 production assets such as sprayers and motor-cultivators. Water management was also prioritised through the provision of motopumps and solar-powered irrigation systems, aimed at improving efficiency and reducing dependence on climate-vulnerable rainfall patterns.
Post-harvest losses—one of the major constraints facing small-scale producers—are expected to decline with the introduction of solar dryers, threshers and cold storage units, which will help preserve quality and improve access to markets. For fish farmers, specialised equipment such as solar aerators, nets and harvesting tools is intended to boost productivity and diversify rural income streams.
Beyond equipment, the programme allocated approximately 1.6 billion Malagasy ariary to support production and marketing micro-projects, reinforcing an integrated approach that links mechanisation with enterprise development and market access.
Programme partners say the initiative goes beyond farm mechanisation to strengthen inclusive value chains and long-term food security. By improving yields of key staples such as rice and bananas, while supporting aquaculture and post-harvest processing, AFAFI-Nord aligns with broader national and donor-backed efforts to modernise agriculture, build climate resilience and reduce rural poverty in Madagascar.
