Rooted in culture, constrained by means : exploring crops and associated motivations among Masikoro and Antandroy farmers in Southwestern Madagascar

2026

Article référencé dans le Web of Science WOS:001742416200001

Menguy Ewen, Labeyrie V., Eladine A. S., Rafidison V., Randriamalala R. J., Renard D., Carrière Stéphanie M.

Journal of Ethnobiology and Ethnomedicine, 2026, 22 (1), p. 36 [18 p.]

Background Cultural groups play a key role in shaping and maintaining cultivated diversity, yet their influence is rarely considered in conservation or agricultural development initiatives. However, cultural groups sharing the same territory may hold distinct preferences, knowledge, and practices, which must be acknowledged. Despite recent advances, the processes linking ethnolinguistic identities and cultivated diversity and diversification process remain poorly understood.MethodsWe applied a mixed-methods approach combining a quantitative description of cultivated species frequency and number with a qualitative analysis of 27 semi-structured interviews on farmers motivations to cultivate the different species as well as diversified species assemblage. We compared two ethnolinguistic groups coexisting in the same semi-arid region of Madagascar but with distinct settlement histories, one considered migrant (Antandroy) and the other long-term settled (Masikoro).ResultsWe found notable differences in socio-economic conditions and crop portfolio between groups. For some crops, motivations were similar, while others revealed contrasts in cultural and symbolic importance, culinary preferences, and economic traits (e.g., seed access, treatment requirements). Although both groups cultivate a comparable number of species on average, their incentives to diversify differ: Antandroy farmers emphasized spreading food availability through time and the risk-reducing effect of diversity, whereas these motivations were not consistently reported by Masikoro farmers. These patterns reflect intertwined cultural and socio-economic specificities.ConclusionsOur findings underline the importance of accounting for cultural group differences in crop choices and crop diversity management, even when these groups coexist in the same landscape. Integrating these perspectives is essential for designing more effective conservation and agricultural development initiatives, particularly those supporting crop diversification in risk-prone regions.

Sciences du monde végétal [076] ; Economie et sociologie rurale [098] ; Société, développement social [106] ; Démographie [108]

MADAGASCAR

Fonds IRD [F B010097013]

fdi:010097013