Drip Irrigation Program

In the arid southwest of Madagascar adequate and clean water is a major humanitarian need.  Friends of Madagascar Mission has been working to create resources to help grow food with a Drip Irrigation Program.  Centers have been established at Ejeda Hospital and Manasoa Bible School to show how to grow crops using drip irrigation.  An adequate water supply for drinking and food production is a goal of the Drip Irrigation Program. It is a program that will help sustain the needs for the local community with financial support from Friends of Madagascar Mission.

The southwest part of Madagascar is semi-arid.  It is either “feast or famine” regarding the crops that are grown by the farmers.  The goal is to teach the farmers how to use a drip irrigation system during the times of drought and crop failure.  This system would allow them to raise enough food to feed their family during dry periods of time and also have some crop produce left over to sell at their local markets. 

Situation:

• The average farm in Madagascar is 1.3 hectares or 3 acres.
• The small farm size hampers mechanization and the use of farming equipment.
• The farmer typically uses a small spade to turn the soil.
• The seeds used for planting are generally of poor quality.
• Water management is not good for many reasons.
• As a result, most farmers produce barely enough to feed their families.

Amount of request:

Funds for supplies to give the farmers to keep the program going through 2024:  $5,000.00