Challenges facing the economic development of a rural commune in Madagascar

Fierenana is a rural commune in Madagascar, 185 km northeast of Antananarivo and in the extreme northeast of the Moramanga district. It covers an area of 48,468 ha, inhabited by 12,834 people. Natural factors (rugged terrain, soils in need of improvement, frequent cyclones, degraded vegetation) and human factors (young, unevenly distributed population, predominance of the primary sector, parents with low levels of education) are obstacles to development, as is the persistence of traditional farming and livestock breeding techniques. The commune's biggest problem is its isolation. Indeed, prices for agricultural products remain low, while other products are still expensive, notably PPN. The result is poverty in the commune: the annual communal budget is insufficient, and households live below the poverty line. The population suffers from a lack of basic health centers and schools. To ensure its future, the State should provide aid to get it out of its landlocked situation; and the commune's leaders should do their best to collaborate with foreign partnerships and NGOs.