Schlagwort-Archiv: agriculture

It is Madagascar’s secret emblem: The zebu (Bos taurus indicus), in Malagasy language omby. You can see them everywhere around the country, about 19 millions live on the red soil of the island. In Madagascar, zebus symbolize power, strength and particularly prosperity. An average zebu tips the scales at 300 to 400 kg – at an shoulder height of approximately …

In 19th century yet, Jesuitical missionaries and with them, their knowledge about viticulture reached the island of Madagascar. In 1802, the botanist André Michaux cultivated vines of the sort “Isabelle” (Vitis labrusca) in the area around Ivondro for the first time – rather more due to curiosity than because of economical reasons. In 1845, the French man Jean Laborde produced …

Originally, the cocoa plant (Theobroma cacao, meaning „deities‘ dish“) does not come from Madagascar, but from Southern America. Yet the eighth continent offers best preconditions to cultivate cocoa. Today, Madagascan cocoa is considered one of the best available in the world. Accordingly, the harvest is very small: with an average of 3000 tons per year, Madagascar accounts for less than …

The vanilla plant is actually an orchid and has been successfully cultivated in Madagascar for over a century. Although originally from Central America, Madagascar is now the world’s largest exporter of vanilla. But it will be a long way before the “queen of spices” lands in Europe. Vanilla grows particularly well wherever it is warm and very humid. Their tendrils …

Fianarantsoa is located on the RN7 and can be easily reached via it. From there, the “Jungle Express” with its rustic diesel locomotive from 1936 runs on an old, approximately 163 km long railway line, but even the wagons are hardly younger – here you can experience pure nostalgia and adventure. The line was built during the French colonial times. …