CHICCO: Cooperation for a Hydrologic Initiative for Crop Cultivation Optimisation in Madagascar

Proponent: Marta Tuninetti

Nosy Mitsio is an island off the northwest coast of Madagascar. It is very rural and most of the 2000 inhabitants are rice farmers and fishermen. Nosy Mitsio relies on small-scale, rain-fed agriculture with traditional practices, leading to vulnerability due to precipitation fluctuations, as observed in 2022. Unsustainable land-use methods, like slash-and-burn farming, result in soil erosion and low crop yields, forcing continual clearing of new areas from the primary forest. This situation emphasizes two critical challenges: (i) quantifying water availability and demand for rice fields and (ii) finding solutions for production stability and food security. Addressing these challenges is crucial to mitigate climate change effects on vulnerable communities in Nosy Mitsio.

In order to face these challenges, the CHICCO project will provide insights on the soil moisture dynamics, daily rice water demand; produce high resolution maps and reports describing the hydro-climatic conditions of the rice villages. Additionally, the project will elaborate solutions aimed at enhancing soil water retention, optimising crop calendars, and exploring transition scenarios from exclusive rice cultivation to maize and manioca to boost production resilience. Collaborating closely with the NGO H4O - Help for Optimism association, the project seeks to mitigate the adverse impacts of climate change on vulnerable communities in Nosy Mitsio.