Purpose and objectives of the Minimal Irrigation Project

Climate change is intensifying pressure on water resources worldwide, threatening food security and the sustainability of agricultural systems. Prolonged droughts, irregular rainfall, and extreme weather events disrupt farming calendars, particularly in the most vulnerable areas. Madagascar illustrates this reality in stark terms: food insecurity has worsened sharply over the past decade, driven by a combination of socio-economic vulnerabilities and increasingly frequent and intense climate shocks. These crises have recently left nearly two million Malagasy people in a situation of acute food insecurity . Strengthening agricultural resilience and mobilising climate investments have therefore become imperative.

The MIP is an agroecological initiative built on three core principles: water frugality, the valorisation of local knowledge, and territorial embeddedness. The project combines innovative minimal irrigation techniques including rainwater harvesting and accessible micro-irrigation with a co-construction approach that directly involves farming communities. It also integrates young researchers to ensure skills transfer, and recognises the territory as a space for collective experimentation.

The MIP relies on close collaboration between complementary groups of actors. Farmers are at the heart of the process: they actively participate from problem diagnosis to solution testing, ensuring that innovations genuinely meet their real needs. Researchers and technicians develop affordable low-tech prototypes that minimise water use, and oversee their installation and field monitoring. Students benefit from direct immersion in farming operations, enriching their training while bringing creative perspectives to water optimisation challenges.

Practices developed under the MIP are specifically designed to adapt to the ecological and economic constraints of targeted areas. This adaptation rests on two pillars: first, in-depth local agroclimatic studies that capture the environmental specificities of each region and align irrigation interventions with real meteorological and soil conditions; second, the integration of indigenous knowledge into the intervention strategy. Traditional knowledge and ancestral practices of local communities are thus valorised and incorporated into the design of solutions, making them more acceptable and more easily adopted by farmers.

The MIP's methodology is based on participatory action research in which learning and innovation occur through direct participation, coupled with effective knowledge dissemination. Challenges are collectively identified through participatory diagnostics, and co-facilitated workshops allow solutions to be developed in a spirit of shared responsibility. Specific plots set up as 'research sites' serve as learning platforms where farmers can directly observe the effectiveness of methods and practise their application under real conditions.

Field testimonials attest to the project's tangible impact. Lucia H., a Master's student in Agronomy at ESSA, highlights that her internship with MIP allowed her to move beyond theoretical knowledge and develop real practical skills. Mme Céline, a market gardener in Androfia, describes a growing mobilisation within her association and village, driven by the hope of putting the most beneficial results into practice to improve their production. M. Theo, a research technician, emphasises the concrete demonstration that good agricultural yields are achievable with minimal water and without systematic reliance on chemical inputs, paving the way for more sustainable and autonomous farming.

MIP aims to strengthen agricultural resilience across Madagascar by combining accessibility, innovation, and collaboration. Two major axes guide its future vision. First, territorial expansion: the project plans to extend its model to other Malagasy regions affected by water shortages, replicating its successes through a participatory and adaptive approach to improve food security and farmers' incomes. Second, the digitalisation of knowledge: MIP will digitise its videos and technical sheets, synthesising farmers' feedback and the results of participatory research and diagnostics. These resources, accessible to all, will enable rapid adoption of minimal irrigation methods.

MIP illustrates how an agroecological transition, territorially embedded and collectively built, can address contemporary agricultural and climate crises. By drawing on adapted practices, a collaborative dynamic among stakeholders, and the valorisation of local knowledge, it opens the path to a more resilient, autonomous, and socially equitable Malagasy agriculture. It stands as a reference model for any project seeking to combine scientific rigour, community participation, and durable territorial impact.