Androy


Androy is the most southerly region of Madagascar. It covers an area of 19,540 km2, and had a population of 903,376 inhabitants in 2018. The administrative capital is Ambovombe-Androy.

Area

Androy is the deep south of Madagascar. It is located south of the Tropic of Capricorn and conventionally delimited between the Mandrare and Menarandra rivers. It is 19,540 km2 and is bordered by the Mahafaly people to the northwest, the Antanosy to the east and the Bara land to the north.

Administrative divisions

Androy Region is divided into four districts, which are sub-divided into 56 municipalities, which cover 881 villages.
A request for the division of the Ambovombe District was made in February 2023 that would create also the Antanimora Atsimo district with 9 municipalities.

Population

In 2013 the estimated total population of Androy Region was 733,933 inhabitants, with a population growth rate of 2.7%. The population is almost entirely Tandroy or Karimbola, with small numbers of Antanosy, Mahafaly, Merina and Betsileo who also live there. The Tandroy may also be called the "'Antandroy'", but "'Tandroy'" is preferable. There are another estimated 150,000 Tandroy living in other parts of the island, many of them having moved due to recurring famine in the Androy region. In 2013 some 349,675 people - almost half of the total population of Androy - lived in the Ambovombe-Androy District, which has a population density of 60/km2. The strip along the southeast coast, is the most densely populated. Bekily District had about 164,751 inhabitants, Beloha District has about 109,361 and Tsihombe District has about 110,147 inhabitants.

Climatology

The Androy region is semi- to sub-arid with an average rainfall of just, which is unevenly distributed during the year. Other than the Mandrare river, most riverbeds are dry for much of the year and it has frequent droughts which often lead to Kere. Coupled with this are almost constant strong, drying winds, especially along the coast, known as "Tiokatimo." Water is in such short supply that it is delivered by truck to some people and sold by those who sell it from oxcarts to others. The periodic famines have caused somewhere between 15 and 30% of the Antandroy to have left Androy, having moved west to Toliary or to northern Madagascar.

Protected Areas

Economy

Due to inadequate water and a large population, Androy is a region of chronic food insecurity and is one of the poorest regions in Madagascar. Most people are subsistence farmers growing cassava, maize, sweet potatoes, legumes, cowpeas, groundnuts, lentils, millet, sorghum and mangos. Cash crops include sisal and groundnuts. There also pastoralists who raise cattle, sheep, goats and chickens. Zebu are central to the religious and social life of the Antandroy. While they supply milk, meat and leather, they are also a very important determinant of the status and wealth of the Tandroy people. While Androy borders the ocean, there is minimal fishing, most for local consumption. Of the almost 20,000 km2, only 344 km2 are forested.
Trades include silversmiths, tailors, cobblers and carpenters. Basketry is still practiced, but blacksmiths and those who dye cotton cloth, weave silk and make pottery have declined. Stores are mostly quite small, located in urban centers and are mostly owned by Indo-Pakistanis, Chinese and Malagasy from the highlands. There are also weekly markets where homegrown produce is sold and things like soap, cooking pots and other things can be purchased.

Transport

Airport

  • Bekily Airport

Roads

History

Some argue the Tandroy are a "composite ethnicity" of many clans of diverse origins who arrived in migration "waves," settling in Androy only several centuries ago. There is also evidence of "pre-Tandroy" inhabitants from as far back as the 11th and 12th centuries. For a timeline of the history of Androy, see below.

Timeline

10th to 13th Centuries

  • possible evidence of human consumption of Aepyornis eggs near Talaky at the Manambovo rivermouth
  • Manda Civilization, which arose in the 10th Century and fell in the 13th, had towns near Bekily and Bekitro, Andaro on a tributary of the Linta near Fotadrevo, east of Lanany river's junction with the Manambovo, west of Vohimena, north of Vohipary and at Bebajine. Based on archeological finds, several of these towns appear to have been involved in trade by sea with Zimbabwe, Mozambique and the Swahili Coast.

14th to 15th Centuries

  • population in Androy fell dramatically, as did imports, with most settlements located for defense of villagers.

16th Century

  • Royal center of the Andriamanare, Tandroy's royal clan/dynasty, at Ampotake. There were also royal centers located in Montefeno and Anjampanorora.
  • beginning of expansion of the Antandroy kingdom
  • 1529 - July 28,East of False Cape,Manambovo River mouth. Landing of Raoul and Jean Parmentier, captains of le Sacre and la Pensée ships.

17th Century

  • 1648 - Étienne de Flacourt reaches the Mandrare river and carves two words on a stone: "Cave Incolas".
  • 1649 - Ancient royal settlement at Montefeno, ruled by King Andrianmififarivo, king of Ampatres, was visited by soldiers sent by Governor Étienne de Flacourt from Fort Dauphin).
  • late 1600s - King Andrianjoma, who lived near Ambaro, became the founding ancestor of the Tekonda line of Andriamañare.

18th Century

  • early 1700s - Menarandra area of southwestern Androy annexed by Maroserana dynasty
  • 1703 - Shipwreck of the Degrave, an English East Indiaman, at Belitsaky. Robert Drury (sailor) visited the royal capital of Fenoarivo shortly thereafter. His crew is massacred by the Antandroy and he is kept as a slave till 1709.
  • different clans from the east, north and northwest invaded Androy and put an end to the ruling dynasty of the Andriamañar
  • beginning of the development of what Mike Pearson et al. described as the "megalithic and monumental" Antandroy tombs
  • 1769 - Introduced in Fort Dauphin during a settlement French attempt, spiny prickly pear cactus Opuntia dillenii spreads throughout the Androy region.

19th Century

  • Androy remained independent of the expanded Imerina Kingdom
  • further expansion of number of communities in Androy, especially near Faralambo where the Afomarolahy clan settled

20th Century

  • 1901-1903 - French conquered Androy, though area remained in a State of Emergency due to continued Antandroy resistance to French rule
  • 1916 - famine in Androy.
  • 1917 - State of Emergency in Androy ended.
  • 1920 - Drought and famine in Androy.
  • 1924 - Introduction of a Cochineal insect Coccus cacti by Botanist H.Perrier de la Bâthie, in an attempt to ensure biological control of the invasive Opuntia dillenii cactus, called raketa gasy. Though cacti were beneficial - staple feed for human beings and cattle - it was getting difficult to save farmlands in order to grow crops.
  • 1928 - Henry de Heaulme arrives in Fort Dauphin, having driven down from Tananarive in a Harley Davidson motorcycle with his wife and son in the side car. His intent was to export mica from Anosy and sisal from Androy through Fort Dauphin. This family also gets involved in conservation efforts and later also gets into the tourism business.
  • 1928-29 - Droughts and a pastoral farming crisis due to the destruction of Opuntia dillenii cactus by cochineal beetle.
Amboasary-Sud is established by Établissements Gallois. Henri de Heaulme established his sisal plantation and the Berenty Reserve.
  • 1937 - Hydrographic assignment of Aviso Bougainville in the South:to chart the exact positions of the two brothers capes-the "True" and the "False"-so called by the mariners.The true one -Southernmost point of Madagascar- is named Cape Saint Marie.Latitude 25°35'S.
  • 1940 - Vichy France takes over control of Madagascar.
  • 1941-1944 : great famine named marotaola.
  • 1943-44 - Up to half of those in Androy emigrated due to the severe famine. Another 15,000 died.
  • 1945 - massive sacrifices of zebus for rain falls, in partnership with the colonial administration.
  • 1955 - Plantation on 4.000 ha of Opuntia stricta, a spineless cactus, is completed. Twenty thousand hectares planned in the so-called Raketa operation. The Opuntia with a red prickly pear fruit is called raketamena.
  • 1955-56 - In the Androy district, the indigenous production of food crops was : cassava 18.000t, corn 4.000t, grain sorghum 1.000t, beans 800t, groundnuts 700t.
  • 1956 - Drought.
  • 1956 - Amboliandro Atsimo was set up a water pumping windmill - wheel diameter 6m - on a 15m high tower: it pumps out 10 cubic meters/hr water from a 45m deep well.
  • 1957 - Erection of a 414m long steel bridge, designed by Anciens Ets Eiffel - Pont du Mandrare - insures the first all-year-long road link between the Androy and Anosy regions. The Antandroy-so called Grand Pont is one of the last impressive steel bridges, built in the nineties, just before the technological move to the prestressed concrete works.
  • 1950s-60s - Boetchi, de Heaulme and Jenny families and the Lyonnaise and Marseillaise companies exported wild beans of Castor oil plant, cattle, mica and sisal, much of it from Androy.
  • 1958 - Monja Jaona formed the Madagasikara Otronin'ny Malagasy --Madagascar for the Malagasy—party which he led till his death. This became a significant regional party which represented both radical intellectuals and peasants from the south.
  • 1960 - Madagascar declared its independence from France.
  • 1971 - Monja Jaona claimed authorship of April armed insurrection by impoverished peasants in Androy who were upset by the corruption of government tax collectors at a time when their cattle herds were being ravaged by disease. There were also frustrations due to the failure of the government to provide disaster relief in response to a serious drought which was followed by floods. On April 1–2 more than 1,000 armed members of the MO.NI.MA. attacked 5 military posts in the Tulear province, resulting in 1 of the security forces killed and 11 wounded. This was quickly and harshly suppressed by the government, with 45 of the MONI.MA. killed, 9 wounded and 847 held for questioning. Monja Jaona and hundreds of MO.NI.MA. members were arrested and sent by cargo ship from Fort Dauphin to Nosy Lava where they were imprisoned.
  • 1972 - Monja Jaona and the MO.NI.MA. party, which had become a left-wing opposition movement, gained the support of Tananarive's university students and urban radicals who, though MO.NI.MA. was banned by the government, led demonstrations against President Tsiranana until his fall May 1972.
  • 1980 - Drought called santiravy.
  • 1982 - Drought and famine called malalak’akanjo because of malnutrition.
  • 1986 - Drought and famine bekalapake because most people only ate dried manioc for survival.
  • 1989-1992 - Drought and faminetsy mitolike. Major famine in Androy with major responses by UNICEF and the World Food Program and also by Catholic and Malagasy Lutheran churches.
  • 2003 - Drought and famine in Androy. This was the first drought that had been well documented and was picked up rapidly by charitable organizations and by the press that led to first massive reactions from the international community
  • 2006-07 - Famine in Androy
  • 2011 - Major drought & famine in Androy
  • 2016 - Drought and famine in Androy. The UN claimed it was due to El Niño, but forgetting that this only occurs in the Pacific Ocean.
  • 2021-23 - Drought and famine in Androy. This is the first time that climatic change caused a famine in Madagascar that was announced by the UN. A conclusion that was given erroneously after an AFP/France 24 journalist, Gaëlle Borgia.
  • 2023 - a pipeline of 97 km was built between Efaho River and the south of Androy. This may end speculations of the origins of the droughts and that UN might even replace back El Niño to the Pacific Ocean.

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