What is the VaryAla Project?
“VaryAla” is a coined term combining the Malagasy words for rice (Vary) and forest (Ala). It also stands for our project’s full title: Valorizing AgRicultural sYstems with Advanced LAndscape stewardship.
Rising global hunger and environmental degradation caused by farmland expansion both pose serious threats to food security. This project focuses on smallholder farmers in Africa—key players in tackling both issues. By developing practical technologies to improve rice paddy productivity and providing scientific evidence on how deforestation affects rice production, we aim to break the vicious cycle of unstable agricultural output and environmental destruction. Our goal is to demonstrate a pathway toward more resilient and sustainable food production systems. Based on the practical outcomes of this project, we aim to extend this approach to other regions, contributing to poverty reduction, improved nutrition, and the promotion of sustainable agriculture across Africa.
You can view the activities and research outcomes of the FyVary Project, which served as the foundation for this project concept, at the following website.
