Phytosanitary controls are mandatory before any experimentation. The improved mother rice seeds donated to Madagascar by the Egyptian initiative “Future of Egypt” have been handed over to the National Center for Applied Research for Rural Development (Fofifa) for sanitary checks, quarantine, and testing. “Fofifa, as an agricultural research center, possesses the necessary expertise and experience” for these stages, emphasized the Minister of Agriculture and Food Sovereignty, Gaëtan Ramindo, during the handover ceremony at the ministry’s headquarters last week.
According to the minister, the objective is to evaluate the potential and adaptability of these seeds to Madagascar’s various agro-climatic conditions. “This rice variety adapts to the most difficult conditions while offering a very high yield,” the minister stated. “The experiments will allow us to identify the most suitable sites to maximize benefits,” he added.
Colonel Michaël Randrianirina, President of the Refondation, highlighted the performance of this Egyptian rice variety, which reportedly grows in desert conditions. He expressed gratitude to the Egyptian authorities for the donation and for planning to send technicians to train Malagasy staff.
The Ministry of Agriculture and Food Sovereignty believes this new variety will help the “Great Island” achieve food sovereignty and improve farmers’ incomes. However, the minister insisted that all sanitary and crop protection procedures must be strictly followed before any large-scale use, especially in light of a 2025 Court of Auditors report that criticized the distribution of contaminated seeds in the past.
The ministry reassured that the Egyptian variety will not replace existing local varieties but will serve as a potential complement. Fofifa Director General, Jean Michel Leong Pock Tsy, confirmed that the trials will determine how these seeds can meet the needs of Malagasy farmers without undermining locally developed varieties.
Captured & Published at: 2026-08-09 11:08:39 (Madagascar Local Time EAT)
Original Source: https://2424.mg/riziculture-les-semences-meres-ameliorees-egyptiennes-remises-au-fofifa-pour-controle-sanitaire-mise-en-quarantaine-et-experimentation/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=riziculture-les-semences-meres-ameliorees-egyptiennes-remises-au-fofifa-pour-controle-sanitaire-mise-en-quarantaine-et-experimentation