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Tropentag, September 18 - 20, 2019 in Kassel

"Filling gaps and removing traps for sustainable resources development"


Market Supply of Animals and Animal Products in Northeastern Madagascar - The Influence of the Vanilla Boom

Joëlson T. Heritiana1, Stefanie Kunz2, Hendrik Hänke3, Eva Schlecht2

1University of Antananarivo, Ecole Supérieure des Sciences Agronomiques; Section Sciences Animales, Madagascar
2University of Kassel / Georg-August-Universität Göttingen, Animal Husbandry in the Tropics and Subtropics, Germany
3University of Goettingen, Dept. of Agricultural Economics and Rural Development, Germany


Abstract


In the Sava Region of north-eastern Madagascar, the soaring price of vanilla is accompanied by an improvement in the quality of life of the population. This may boost local investments in agriculture and education. But is the price boom of vanilla also an opportunity for the development of the livestock sector in this region? To answer this question, the present survey targeted key stakeholders in the sector, namely breeders, resellers and butchers of cattle and poultry. Interviewed persons were identified through a snowball sampling approach starting each time at the regular markets of 3 major cities and 3 villages in the Sava Region. First, resellers of animals / products and butchers were interviewed. Subsequently, they were asked to indicate their suppliers. Observations included 30 resellers of animals / products, 21 butchers and 80 breeders. The most important outlets for zebu cattle were the livestock markets of Ampondra in Vohemar district and Antagena-Betsakotsako in Andapa district. The main customers were beef butchers and itinerant resellers. Due to a substantial increase in animal prices, zebu resellers no longer supply animals to local breeders but only to other resellers or butchers. Regions of origin of the resold zebus were Boeny, Sofia and Diana, but not the Sava Region itself. Similar to cattle, the price of poultry increased substantially over the past three years due to growing market demand. Poultry resellers are supplied predominantly from breeders in the Antalaha and Vohemar districts. Poultry resale activities provide income diversification for farm households and birds constitute capital that can be mobilised in case of emergency. Egg production is scarce, despite significant market demand, and eggs sold on regional markets originate from the regions Analamanga and Antsinanana. Intensive pork farming is almost non-existent in the Sava Region due to the arrival of African swine fever. However, butchers noticed an increase in pig meat demand, which they explained by the arrival of immigrants who came to take advantage of the vanilla business. It can be concluded that booming vanilla business in the Sava Region encourages local but also more remote breeders to slightly intensify their livestock activities.


Keywords: Eggs, Madagascar, market demand, meat, supply chain, vanilla production


Contact Address: Eva Schlecht, University of Kassel / University of Goettingen, Animal Husbandry in the Tropics and Subtropics, Steinstraße 19, 37213 Witzenhausen, Germany, e-mail: tropanimals@uni-kassel.de


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