Madagascar is the largest exporter of cloves, although it is the second largest producer after Indonesia. The clove is the second value of exports, behind the vanilla. The whole production is done by small farmers for whom it is the main (and even often, the only one) financial resources for many family farms on the East coast of Madagascar. Production of clove covers 80,000 ha and is the main source of income for about 30 000 farmers.

Two products are derived from clove-trees:

• The nail (flower buds harvested before flowering) used as a spice to flavor dishes and sweets.
• The essential oil extracted by distillation from nails, crowns and leaves. It is rich in eugenol used in the cosmetic industry, pharmaceutical (effective antiseptic) and is also used for production of synthetic vanillin.

In 2010 a survey in the Fenerive district by CTHT showed that about 65% of clove fields are agroforests (10 % are pure AFS, and 80 % are partial AFS in Sainte Marie). Of these, 60% are simple AFS, with clove associated with one or two food-crops (rice, cassava, pineapple …), and the rest (40%) are complex AFS combining fruit-trees (jack-fruit, lychee, breadfruit, citrus ...) and forest species (fuel-wood and timber).

The farms have varying levels of access to inputs, diversification and production, and so, income levels are highly variable. Simple AFS and mono-crop systems are more often raised by dynamic young farmers while complex AFS are more often grown by older producers who seem to favour a form of security. Current systems are the results of an historical evolution from pure plantations to AFS with various degrees of combination according to local situations. Replantation is only very recent.

The project will conduct participatory research studies within a network of reference farms to co-construct innovative systems in order to understand: (i) the role of AFS in farms by analysing their economic and social role; and (ii) the functioning of the clove-tree and the impact of the cultivation systems on the quality of cloves and essential clove-oil. This should help to better understand the expectations of producers and the available means. Indeed, to our knowledge, the impact of shade and other constraints on the quality of the final products have never been further evaluated, while the pricing system of cloves and clove-oil takes ino account some quality parameters.

These studies are now needed because they seem deeply linked to a reflection shared with all stakeholders in the sector on the identification of quality parameters to be developed and the available means to achieve quality. The results of such an approach may encourage farmers to change their farming systems (crop management and post-harvest), which will allow a real improvement in their standard of living.

The Malagasy component of this project will complement a study recently initiated by IRD and CTHT on the analysis of the carbon footprint in AFS-based farms in the East coast of Madagascar. It will also complement research on the impact of climate change on cropping systems, particularly on the required evolution of AFS to better resist to the increasing frequency of cyclonic episodes on the East coast of Madagascar. Finally, in 2010, the Qualireg network driven from La Reunion initiated a survey on the East coast of Madagascar to facilitate the implementation of a quality-label process for spices (including clove), particularly through identification of market expectations.