Life in the country

Country people remain poor, primarily due to their isolation, their life of subsistence, and self-consumption.
Development strategies have been solely limited to model farmers, or pilot sites.
Irrigated rice production, in-line planting, the use of agricultural fertilizers, and pesticides are confined to selected sites along national highways, when they are not monopolized by big rice producing regions, such as Lake Alaotra, and the plains of Marovoay or Vaninankaratra.
Highly specialized, and profitable ranching operations are oases of modernity, in the middle of a bandit infested desert, which, for a very good reason, does not include the big cities, and their surrounding areas.

Over the last few years, country people have been asked to participate in discussions pertaining to the establishment, and the implementation of more appropriate strategies.
There is hope for an improved quality of life in the rural world thanks to various programs:
rural trails, transportation, and telecommunication.
In conjunction with projects undertaken by INSTAT, this will more than likely “pave” the way into the rural world.

The clock, for evaluating activities

The 2001 Time Schedule, unveiled recently, offers, for example, the framework, or the open time slots during which the country people are available or willing to at least listen to the advice of developers.
While anywhere else, time is money, here there is a tendency to believe, or let others believe that time has no value.
However, a study, and an analysis of the country people’s time schedule show just the opposite: no idle time.

Simulitasking, and multitasking are a permanent fact of life in his twenty-four plus hour day.
He is simultaneously a farmer, and a rancher.
He is, without necessarily appearing so, the judicial, and/or
administrative counsel, as well as the head of a household.
He is the economic agent, the boss, and the housekeeper, as well as the consultant, all rolled up in one.
As the person in charge of an association, he is also a security agent, and a reporting secretary.

His farming chores are often interrupted by others looking for news of his visit to the county seat.
While he is busy sowing, another person calls him out to ask him what kind of seeds he uses; and all the while, views and experiences are exchanged.
Noticing a farmer who is on his way home from the market, he interrupts his work to inquire about the law suit he is involved in, and to ask for his advice.
He also stops to chat with a rancher who is herding his cattle to pasture; they argue over the price of the cow he just purchased, and the pros, and the cons; they also carry on about forest fires, and drought, all the while sharing, and exchanging chewing tobacco.

A workplace, and a home

In fact, life and work, for the countryman, are integrally intertwined, generating a swarm of confusion within the roles, and the activities which revolve around him, and his small plot of land.
Relatives from far away drop in during the night, and quickly a chicken or a pig is killed, despite the lateness of the hour.
The next day, cassava leaves, potatoes, and other vegetables are gathered in honor of the visitors.
This is all done without giving any consideration to its negative impact on the yield, and without accounting for the loss of profit.

Nonetheless, the farmer works between 8 and close to 10 hours per day, and rests for about 13 hours.
He devotes 6 to almost 8 hours on economic activities, close to half of which is unaccounted for because these activities are considered out of market.
Thirty to thirty-five minutes are spent fetching water, and gathering domestic firewood.
Household chores take up around 40 minutes if his time, and 3 hours and 20 minutes of his wife’s.

In a nutshell, some would say that they spend their time relaxing, and talking while pointing out that farming, and ranching take up only 27 minutes, and 22 minutes of their time, respectively.
On the other hand, endless discussions take up 29 minutes, socializing between 1 to nearly 2 hours, 35 to 50 minutes of which are for visiting, and participating in religious or traditional ceremonies.

Translated by J. F. Razanamiadana