As we move away from the capital, the country becomes increasingly desolate and less cultivated, noted James Hastie, a British agent, in his journal while describing his 1822 journey to Foulpointe. His observations, analyzed by archivist Jean Valette, highlight a region characterized by scattered populations amidst vast deserted areas.
Hastie attributed this sparse population to fevers and slave raids. However, Jean Valette challenges these claims, arguing that endemic fevers would have reached a population equilibrium and that there is no evidence of the migrations required to introduce new, lethal strains of malaria at that time. Regarding slave raids, Valette suggests that if they occurred, they were likely a byproduct of Merina conquests rather than external invasions, and were insufficient to explain the low population density.
The text also explores the shift in settlement patterns. With the peace established by King Radama I, the necessity for fortified hilltop villages diminished. Populations began moving into the valleys, a transition that required significant investment in irrigation and marshland cultivation—investments only possible during times of stability. This shift, combined with deforestation and the abandonment of traditional hillside farming, explains the evolving landscape and agricultural practices of the era.
Captured & Published at: 2026-10-29 05:38:51 (Madagascar Local Time EAT)
Original Source: https://www.lexpress.mg/2026/10/le-centre-est-depeuple-pour-diverses.html