Interview with clove producers in Madagascar

In January 2021, we interviewed four families from the Analanjirofo region in northern Madagascar. They each belong to one of the smallholder cooperatives, KOMAM and COPPVM. We purchase organic and Fairtrade-certified cloves from the four families through our local representative, PREMIUM SPICES.

Analanjirofo can be reached via the Route Nationale 05, although driving conditions are difficult from Soanierana-Ivongo onwards. Otherwise, access to the region is only by boat. Cloves have been grown here since 1918, so cultivation began during the French colonial period (1896 to 1960).

The four families have many years of experience in clove cultivation. The families of François Velondraozy and Evelyne Kalosoa have been involved with the cooperative KOMAM since 1988 and 1999 respectively, while Rolland Mahefamanana’s and Jacques Ramanantsoa’s families have been with COPPVM since 1980 and 1999 respectively. We asked them if they knew a typical dish with cloves. However, they do not use cloves for cooking, but at most as a tea to treat malaria, toothache or gout.

All four families have been working with our local representative, PREMIUM SPICES, for some time: the Velondraozy and Kalosoa families for 14 years, the Mahefamanana family for 9 and the Ramanantsoa family for 8 years.

What is it about the collaboration with PREMIUM SPICES that works particularly well?
We especially like the way things are organised, for example, how the harvested products are collected, and above all, the payment. We receive a much higher price than producers who do not work for PREMIUM SPICES. Equally, the pre-financing, the support with agricultural resources and the Fairtrade premiums are also a great advantage and allow us to have a good standard of living.

What are your main challenges?
It is demanding to expand the plantations and increase the harvest while at the same time meeting all the organic and Fairtrade cultivation requirements.

Do you have other products?
Yes, we also sell vanilla, pepper and cocoa.

How are the Fairtrade premiums used?
One of the things we use the premiums for is the further development of the cooperatives, for example to build an office or to purchase office furniture or kitchen utensils. In addition, the members receive social and economic support, for example through the distribution of school equipment for our children or the construction of wells, classrooms or bridges.

How has the current situation with Covid affected you?
The situation is really complicated and difficult. In spite of Covid, we set about our daily work and comply with the measures imposed by the government, which are communicated over the radio and on posters.

What is your dream for the future?
We hope that we can maintain a fruitful working relationship with PREMIUM SPICES and that the prices for our products will increase. This would mean we can pay for our children’s education and live a little more comfortably.