Planting Euphorbia stenoclada (Samata) to reduce pressures on the spiny forest
Posted on September, 16 2016
Cattle breeding is an activity having an important place for the people of Plateau Mahafaly. Face essentially fodder constraints, local people practice the "transhumance" which is the seasonal movement of livestock. Every year during the rainy season, the herds are moved to the coastal zone, coastal Mahafaly, to the inside of the earth where forage resources are abundant in savannas. In the dry season, the herds return to the coastal area and are fed with the cladode Samata, Euphorbia stenoclada, given the scarcity of forage grasses.
Observations in the Mahafaly landscape have shown that to face the insufficient herbaceous forage in the Atsimo Andrefana region, farmers use the Mahafaly coastal shrub fodder as supplementary feed for livestock during the dry season. One species among these forage shrub, Euphorbia stenoclada, is the one most used by farmers. This species has an average density of 422 feet/ha with a dry forage production 1t / ha.2,000 new cuttings of Samata, a large-scale project
Because of the destructive practice of cutting branches of Samata, the mortality rate for this species is 20%. In the past five years, this mortality rate has been, exacerbated by insecurity brought by cattle rustlers, forcing farmers in the plateau area to migrate their herds to the coast each dry season.
To solve the shortage of fodder in this area, the results of research on propagation methods for this species are shared with the local population. Thus, three centers of Samata multiplication have been established in the coastal area of the Plateau Mahafaly. A total of 2,000 plants were propagated by cuttings at these three multiplication centers (Marofijery, Maromitilike and Ankilibory).
Au total, 2 000 plants ont été bouturés au niveau de trois centre de
multiplication (Marofijery, Maromitilike et Ankilibory),
- Dotation de matériels d'arrosage (bidons et arrosoirs) pour l'entretien
des plantules,
- Implication de la population locale aux entretiens (arrosage, mise en
clôture des centres de multiplication....).
© Tahiry Nari
Au total, 2 000 plants ont été bouturés au niveau de trois centre de
multiplication (Marofijery, Maromitilike et Ankilibory),
- Dotation de matériels d'arrosage (bidons et arrosoirs) pour l'entretien
des plantules,
- Implication de la population locale aux entretiens (arrosage, mise en
clôture des centres de multiplication....).
© Tahiry Nari
Participation communautaire (enfants, femmes et hommes) à la mise
en place des boutures.
© Tahiry Nari
Participation communautaire (enfants, femmes et hommes) à la mise
en place des boutures.
© Tahiry Nari
Formation de la population locale à la multiplication de samata par bouturage et dotation des sachets de pépinière
© Tahiry Nari
Formation de la population locale à la multiplication de samata par bouturage et dotation des sachets de pépinière
© Tahiry Nari