Zotra Fitaratra: co-construction workshops for collective mobility tailored to residents’ needs

As part of the Greater Antananarivo public transport modernisation project (Taxi be), Codatu organised two co-construction workshops for representatives of residents in the neighbourhoods (‘fokontany’) around the future line. These workshops were part of the technical assistance missions provided to the Malagasy Ministries of Decentralisation and Spatial Planning and Transport and Meteorology for the launch of the modernised pilot bus line ‘Zotra Fitaratra’. These sessions took place on 19 and 21 August 2025 and attracted around 40 participants.

The objectives of these workshops were:

• to identify the main mobility difficulties encountered on a daily basis (traffic jams, overcrowded buses, long waiting times, lack of transparency on routes and fares);
• to gather residents’ expectations regarding the quality of transport services (punctuality, speed, safety, comfort, accessibility for people with reduced mobility, etc.);
• to communicate about the upcoming launch of this pilot bus line and its features, and to gather residents’ opinions on the project.

The workshops identified several avenues for exploration through participatory activities:

• sharing experiences of daily mobility (customer journey);
• prioritising needs and requirements using the ‘idea pyramid’;
• co-creating concrete and realistic solutions during group discussions.

All ideas deemed feasible, realistic and logical will be forwarded to the Madagascan Ministry of Transport and Meteorology to contribute to the improvement not only of the future ‘Zotra Fitaratra’ pilot line, but also of future and current bus lines.

These discussions highlighted the importance of public transport that addresses three major challenges:

• improving the reliability and punctuality of journeys,
• enhancing passenger comfort and safety,
• ensuring accessibility for all types of travellers.

Beyond the results, this workshop marks an essential step: that of designing a transport project built with and for the inhabitants.

Codatu, alongside the Ministry of Transport and Meteorology, the Ministry of Decentralisation and Spatial Planning, and with the support of the French Development Agency, is thus reaffirming its commitment to making Zotra Fitaratra a modern and sustainable pilot line that will serve as a model for the future of mobility in Greater Antananarivo.