Madagascar: How vanilla cultivation in the right place pays off for people and nature

A study by a research team from the University of Göttingen and the University of Antananarivo has found that vanilla cultivation in agroforestry systems, where the vanilla orchid grows under trees providing shade, has benefits for both humans and nature. The research, published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, was conducted in Madagascar, the world's leading producer of vanilla. However, the researchers caution that this is only the case when vanilla is planted on fallow land that has already been deforested. The team collected data on biodiversity, ecosystem services, harvest, and profitability, and found that vanilla agroforestry, established on open fallow land, has advantages for both people and nature. The researchers suggest that a fair and stable vanilla price is necessary for sustainable cultivation. The study's findings are universally applicable and highlight the importance of considering prior land use in assessing land-use change globally.