In Project Voices, a new podcast series launched to help celebrate NCBA CLUSA’s 100th Anniversary and highlight our international work, we’ll sit down with staff, technicians and community members on the ground in Africa, Latin America and Southeast Asia. Listen in as we hear about the innovations, challenges, daily life and work being done to build resilient communities, promote economic opportunities and strengthen cooperatives and producer groups around the world.
This first episode delves into our work in Madagascar with Gabriel Sarasin, who is heading up our work with farmers and producers groups under the USAID Fararano project. Fararano means “harvest season” in Malagasy, the local language. Getting farmers a better harvest, and getting that harvest to market with fair prices is a big part of this project.
Known to some as a “country of samples,” or small harvests destined for small markets, Madagascar farmers are finding it hard to bulk their product and engage with buyers. Here, NCBA CLUSA’s expertise can support farmer organizations with training and market information. As part of the USAID Fararano project, led by Catholic Relief Services, NCBA CLUSA is working to organize farmers and connect them to markets.
Gabriel Sarasin, NCBA CLUSA’s country representative in Madagascar talks with Jonathon White, NCBA CLUSA’s East and South Africa Regional Director on the importance of an “enabling environment” for co-ops in Madagascar, leveraging our work with the Co-op Law in Mozambique, and the innovation of a market information call center for farmers in this episode of Project Voices.
Listen (8 min):