Mr. Rainivony and Aunt Periette work within their community to secure food for all

This story is about one family living in Ambohimandroso, Miarinarivo, in Itasy region, in Madagascar. RAKOTOARIVONY, known as RAINIVONY, is head of the family. He is 72. In 1973, he married RAVAONIRINA Pierrette, known as Aunt Pierrette. She is now 63 and is from Ambatomitsangana. They have 9 children. They are very active members of the local Malagasy Lutheran Church development committee.

The couple is working with the local community, the Fokontany. All community members who were determined and willing to work together were invited without any distinction. The daily routines and responsibilities of the committee consist of receiving requests and needs, looking for solutions to the problems among the farmers, raising awareness, and passing on advice after training sessions. They also follow up on the farmers’ work and the decisions taken together, and they also write activity reports.

Most important is being an example in everything they do. They are 10 members in the committee, and they work benevolently, and neither the church nor the Fokontany pay them.

When technicians come to give training, and when they look for a demonstration plot, the members of the committee offer or look for someone who has what is needed so that everyone can gain experience. It is not necessarily the best plot, but it is just used to give training and advice. It is an example or model.

Both Mr. Rainivony and Aunt Pierrette are determined to work for development. At 15, he had already planted 200 pine trees. They planted 40 Japonica trees, and 30 mango trees, but the trees had never given any fruit. However, the couple don’t want to cut these trees for environmental reasons. They also think they can give firewood later. In addition, they have had 9 red pepper bushes for 10 years. People come to their place to buy the crops.

Once, they joined an association of egg-laying chicken farmers and worked with the government, but there was a problem of management in the association. They could only gain the poultry and some experience, and therefore wanted to restart a poultry project. They feel that is what they are able to do at their age, because it is not very difficult, and they can get money every day. It will also be complementary to the farming they do, because they can get very good manure from the poultry.

Itasy has a slope relief, and the couple was ready to set up contour lines on the slope lands. They finished 3 hectares and Rainivony himself dug the canals, because he was not content with what the employees did. They now have many plots of lands. They offer some land to people who want to farm and to protect the soil. They say: TO FARM means to PROTECT and to IMPROVE.

The first training was about making compost. They produced 6 carts; they used it to plant vegetables and off-season cultures. They got money from that activity for a winter. Now they are preparing to make 30 carts: that is their present need.

They also learned about fruit trees: fertilizing and pruning. Rainivony offered his orange trees for the practice during the training. Unfortunately, the trees still couldn’t produce fruit. So, during our discussion, he ordered 50kg of bone powder to solve the problem. He hasn’t lost heart yet, and they have extended and planted 400 more orange trees in November and December 2014.

But he had problems in watering his orange trees, although the river Imazy passes next to his field. First, the river is too deep, and second, he’s getting old. So, he invented a drip irrigation system: he made 20 very small holes at the bottom of 5-liter plastic cans. He fills those cans with water every morning, puts them at the foot of each tree, and collects them every evening. He says that system is better than watering directly with a can because the water comes out little by little and the young trees get the water efficiently.

The couple really likes planting fruit trees because they can also plant food crops between the trees. That helps in fertilizing the soil. In addition, the fruit trees are a part of their retirement plan as farmers. They have already mastered the pruning techniques; now they want to learn about grafting.

In October 2013, a project introduced 23 varieties of “taro” to be grown in the village. The goal was to know which variety tastes best and get a good share of the market. Rainivony and his wife agreed to work with the project. They took 5 seedlings of each variety and planted them on half an acre of their field. Now they are on the next season covering 1.5 acres. They are very enthusiastic, because now they are in May and the burrows are ready for the sowing in June. Before Aunt Pierrette offers seedlings to other people, she first goes to see the place where they will be planted. She also checks if any preparation of the soil has been made beforehand. If the criteria are not met, she prefers not to give. She wants to invest wisely.

Last, there is a training center in Antanetimboahangy, on the way to Analavory. It is a cooperation with the Region of Itasy. The center gives training to the farmers according to their needs. Aunt Pierrette likes to go and get training at that center. Trainees themselves pay the cost of the training. The center offers light lunch and leaflets with technical information. She likes to practice the training she gets. So, she was chosen by the center to go on a study tour to Morondava in May 2015.

The story given here is just one example of what the Development Committee does. It is similar in the 8 villages. However, each has some particularities and special talents of their own.

READ THE FULL TEXT OF DEUTERONOMY 11:13-14

13 So if you faithfully obey the commands I am giving you today—to love the Lord your God and to serve him with all your heart and with all your soul— 14 then I will send rain on your land in its season, both autumn and spring rains, so that you may gather in your grain, new wine and olive oil. I will provide grass in the fields for your cattle, and you will eat and be satisfied.

PRAYER:

Dear merciful God. Thank You for Your words, for Your promises, and for Your provision. We love You, Lord, and seek to serve You. Help us to see the many ways that You provide for us. Help us to be good stewards of the world that You have given us. We worship You. Amen.

DISCUSSION:

1. What are the talents that are used in Ambohimandroso?

2. What can we learn from this example from Ambohimandroso?

3. What can we do to meet the needs of our community, for example, in terms of food and livestock?