Several financing agreements were signed yesterday between the Malagasy government, represented by the Minister of Economy and Finance, and the French Development Agency, represented by the French Ambassador to Madagascar and the European Union, represented by its ambassador. The first project, worth €33.2 million (i.e. 166 billion ariary port, on reliable, affordable and sustainable access to electricity in rural areas and the second, worth €40 million, i.e. 200 billion ariary, consists of improving the income of producers, combating food insecurity and preserving the forest ecosystems of the Anosy Region.
The first project, co-financed by the European Union and France through AFD, has three main objectives: To electrify 130 localities (nearly 175,000 people) in the regions of Androy, Anosy, Menabe, Melaky, and Atsimo Andrefana, thanks to subsidies from private concessionaires operating in these regions and having responded to calls for projects launched by ADER, in order to reduce electricity tariffs, strengthen capacities of ADER and optimize the economic and social impacts of rural electrification by supporting the development of economic activities and the creation of income-generating activities, 30% of which will be carried out by women.
The second project, which affects the Anosy region, will support the promotion and development of diversified agriculture adapted to climate change, a source of improvement in the livelihoods, nutrition and food security of vulnerable populations, the preservation and restoration of forest landscapes, as well as the emergence of a supply of targeted agricultural services, to strengthen adaptation based on ecosystems as well as the strengthening of social and territorial cohesion through the involvement of regional and local actors in adaptation to climate change.
This article is originally published on madagascar-tribune.com
