The eastern and northwestern coasts are dominated by south easterly trade winds, which produce annual precipitation ranging from 2,000 mm to 3,700 mm. The central plateau and the western coast receive rain from the monsoon winds, with precipitation ranging from 1,000 mm to 1,500 mm per year. The south receives as little as 350 mm of rain in a year. Only about 5 percent of the land area is cultivated at any given time, of which 16 percent is irrigated. In addition to providing livelihoods for twothirds of the population, agriculture contributes 29 percent of Madagascar’s GDP. Most farmers practice subsistence agriculture, growing rice, cassava, bananas, maize, and sweet potatoes. Yields are generally low and not keeping up with population growth. Extreme weather events threaten agricultural productivity. For example, in early 2000, a series of three particularly devastating cyclones affected more than a million people and caused nearly $85 million in damage to agricultural infrastructure.

Copyright: IFPRI

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