Among the nutritious and healthy foods that contain a lot of nutrients and minerals according to research results are "anantsinahy, anapatsa, anamamy-dia, angivy" ect, classified as wild or traditional vegetables. However, they are threatened with extinction. Their culture has been explored and given special attention, through the DARWIN Initiative, a three-year project ending in March 2022.
The project was generally successful. The project to promote traditional market gardening has improved the income of women farmers in the Vakinankaratra and Itasy regions. The trade flow is open. Customers are now convinced to buy it. Since then, the price of traditional vegetables has been higher than that of ordinary vegetables. More than 200 women farmers in the DARWIN Initiative project areas have been trained to store seeds and produce traditional vegetables for food and sale.
The implementation of the project will strengthen food security in Madagascar and will constitute a step towards food self-sufficiency. The project is funded by the DARWIN Initiative in collaboration with the Malagasy government, through the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock, the National Center for Applied Research in Rural Development or FOFIFA, the University of Antananarivo through the Faculty of Sciences with La Bretagne through the World Vegetable Center, is coordinating the project.