In Ejeda, a rural commune in southern Madagascar, most families depend on agriculture for their income. But ongoing drought has led to poor harvests and a serious food crisis.

“Last year, we harvested nothing and faced a food shortage,” said Eramisaotra Maminiaina Jeanine, a mother of two. “We ate cactus fruit for breakfast and dinner. Some days, we went to bed hungry.”

Today, Jeanine leads a Farmer Field School (FFS) created by the AINA project in Ejeda. Launched in 2021, the project provides emergency food assistance along with agricultural support. In addition to monthly food distributions, it trains farmers in home gardening through FFS groups.

Seeing the value of these practices, Jeanine brings together the 18 members of her group every day. “Each morning, we meet to learn new techniques and water our crops,” she explained. “I help the group apply what I learned, like crop rotation and planting different crops together. With the seeds we received, we are now growing new vegetables like zucchini, eggplant, and leeks.”

Jeanine has already seen positive changes in her life and in her community. “My children are healthier, and so are the children of other group members,” she said. “Families now have money to buy food and take their children to the hospital when needed. The children are also doing better in school. When they are not hungry, they are more motivated to learn.”

She is proud to support others in her community. “I enjoy teaching because I see the results,” she said. “Our lives are truly changing.”

Motivated to do more, Jeanine encouraged the group to work together to dig a well near their garden so they could easily water their crops. Their hard work paid off. Within three months, they began harvesting vegetables.

“Our situation has improved a lot,” Jeanine said. “We eat some of what we grow along with the rice from the project. When the rice runs out, we sell part of the harvest. After a few weeks, we share the profits among the group.”