With this option, it is estimated that 20 years from now, the yields will be multiplied by 4 for rice and by 2 to 4 for cereals, beans and vegetables. Giving precise numbers is difficult because there isn’t a lot of data for the rural sector in Madagascar. The farmers have limited access to fertilizers and when they do, the way they apply them to different crops varies. The variability of agricultural practices between plots and between crop seasons increases the variability in crop yields. Thus, without specific studies, it is difficult to assess the impact of fertilizers on crop yields.

With this option, the citrus plantations in agroforestry systems would have increased the production of oranges by 300 kg of per farm, which represents 1 500 oranges instead of 1 000 (if Thomas’ project had not been implemented). Indeed, the expected results of the project have to be compared to a situation where no project is implemented, and not with the initial situation. Event in the case where no project is implemented, the farmers adapt and change their agricultural practices. Here, it is estimated that, even without a development project, the farmers would have planted some fruit trees in agroforestry systems.