Nineteenth International Conference on Environmental, Cultural, Economic & Social Sustainability

Abstract

From the time of French colonization in Madagascar, vanilla earned its place as one of the country’s biggest economic cash crops. However, its supply chain is plagued by environmental, social, and political issues, ranging from drought to low world prices. Through over 40 key informant interviews and 12 focus groups, I study (1) the reality of producing and selling vanilla in northeast Madagascar; and (2) how development organizations can best support local capacity. Data analysis shows that local farmers are most interested in trainings about alternative livelihoods, such as animal husbandry, as well as eco-friendly vanilla farming. This applied field research has implications for how international development organizations approach supporting the vanilla supply chain in Madagascar and can be used as a model for other sectors.