PERMACOLATE FARM OF THE RURAL TRADES CENTER

Faced with the country's rapid population growth, particularly in the capital Antananarivo, the Malagasy government has supported the Association for Aid to the Homeless of Madagascar (ASA MADA) since 1991 through land allocation. The goal is to offer families experiencing housing difficulties the opportunity to settle in a Migration Zone (ZMA) where they can have housing, land, and vocational training. Today, the number of villages in the ZMA, located in the Bongolava region, continues to grow, and facilities such as clinics and schools also benefit the residents.

The Rural Trades Training Center (CMR) was created by the ASA MADA association in 2005 in the ZMA (Zone de Développement Agricole - Agricultural Development Zone). Its objective is to train and support teenagers from new families to create profitable micro-enterprises that will allow them autonomy and sustainable integration. Each year, the center's viability faces significant demographic pressure. Demand for resources increases without a corresponding increase in production capacity.

The 2018/2021 plan facilitated the creation of new agroecology training programs and enhanced staff skills development. Building on these initiatives, the CMR (Centre Rural de Madagascar) decided to introduce a permaculture component into its training curriculum starting in 2021, in partnership with ASAParisMada. To this end, the development of a usable site of over two hectares began in October 2021. This new farming method takes into account available agricultural resources, food production, environmental protection, and the farmers' existing expertise.