Vanilla Planifolia - Envorinment and Agroecosystems

Environment and Agroecosystems of Vanilla in Madagascar

Madagascar, a country with a big variety in climate. The reason for this is its geographical position, wide range of altitudes and the different microclimates. Madagascar has the right environmental requirements for this crop.
The environmental requirements for the weather are as follows:
- Vanilla requires a temperature range of 21 to 32 °C
-  a precipitation of 1500 mm or more that is evenly distributed
- 80% relative humidity
- and altitudes above sea level from 0 to 600 m.

Then for the soil requirements:
- it needs good drainage
- Abundant organic material
- Soil depth of roots should be approximately 40 cm in agroforestry systems
- and a pH level of 6 to 7

Tropical Cyclones are a prominent feature of the Madagascan climate, which often leads to strong winds and heavy rainfall, which can cause significant damage and loss of life. Season of the cyclones is generally from November to may; its peak is in in January and February. (Tadross, 2008)
Cyclones can have an enormous impact on the yields of farmers in Madagascar. For example, in the late 1990s poor farmers across the globe were lured to get into the vanilla market, due to shortages of vanilla production in Madagascar (arising from cyclones). National campaigns were launched to promote vanilla production as a way out of poverty. And many farmers elsewhere of Madagascar, saw their fortunes soar. Malagasy farmers suffered during this period. Yet, when there was more stability in Madagascar’s production of vanilla, due to relatively cyclone free years (just a few), you could see a sharp decline in demand for vanilla from those farmers elsewhere. So, we can say good weather in Madagascar can be seen as a “natural disaster” for farmers in other countries that try to attempt the global vanilla market.

Vanilla is one of the main crops that Madagascar is cultivating. So, the family income of most people in Madagascar relies on the production of vanilla. The optimum production is 2000 plants per hectare. 
I don’t know if most of the farms try to implement agroecological principles, or if they just use monocrops. I do know that there are some advantages if they would plant vanilla in diverse agroforestry systems. It can help restore degraded ecosystems and provide a host of environmental services, including:
- Reduction of erosion and increasing soil fertility.
- Improve water quality and quantity.
- Sequestering carbon and reduce greenhouse gas emissions
- Improve biodiversity in deforested and fragmented agricultural landscapes. (Shriver, -)
This way you make it more sustainable to grow your crop. 

References

Blackwell, W. (n.d.). Handbook of Vanilla Science and Technology. Retrieved from http://www.agrifs.ir/sites/default/files/Handbook%20of%20Vanilla%20Science%20and%20Technology%20%7BDaphna%20Havkin-Frenkel%7D%20%5B9781405193252%5D%20%282011%29_0.pdf#page=127
CRS. (2013, December). REVITALIZING VANILLA IN MADAGASCAR. Retrieved from https://www.crs.org/sites/default/files/tools-research/revitalizing-vanilla-in-madagascar.pdf
Javier De La Cruz Medina, G. C. (2009, June 16). Vanilla: Post-harvest Operations. Retrieved from http://www.fao.org/fileadmin/user_upload/inpho/docs/Post_Harvest_Compendium_-_Vanilla.pdf
Mark Tadross, L. R. (2008, February ). Climate change in Madagascar; recent past and future. Retrieved from http://web.csag.uct.ac.za/~mtadross/Madagascar%20Climate%20Report.pdf
Petersson, L. (2015, August). Pollination biology of the endemic orchid Vanilla bosseri in Madagascar. Retrieved from http://files.webb.uu.se/uploader/271/196Petersson-mindre.pdf




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