Madagascar kicks-off groundbreaking new study

The Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock (MINAE) has formally announced the launch of a a groundbreaking study on the transformation of food systems in Madagascar. This study will explore how food systems can be transformed to provide healthy and affordable diets for all, while also addressing environmental sustainability and nutrition. 

It is undertaken with the support of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), the Shamba Center for Food & Climate as well as the International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI).

According to Fanja Raharinomena, Secretary General of MINAE, “the objective of this study is to determine the most effective interventions to eliminate hunger, double the income of smallholder famers, protect the climate and improve nutrition in Madagascar by 2030. To achieve this, the study will use economic modelling to determine the cost required to implement these interventions and determine the additional investments necessary to achieve the goals in the national food system roadmap.”

The study adopts a systems approach and brings together the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock, the Ministry of Fisheries and Blue Economy, the Ministry of Public Health and the Ministry of Environment and Sustainable Development. Further consultations will also include the private sector, civil society organizations as well as agricultural producers. 

This initiative is part of the broader objectives set by the Zero Hunger Coalition, of which Madagascar is a member. Set-up during the 2021 UN Food Systems Summit, the Zero Hunger Coalition aims to eradicate hunger and malnutrition globally by 2030. 

Similar studies have been prepared for Ethiopia, Malawi and Nigeria. They demonstrated that by increasing investments between 2023 and 2030 and implementing effective interventions, it is possible eliminate hunger in these country while also achieve significant economic, social and environmental progress.