Madagascar Country Programme (2015-2019)

Madagascar is emerging from the 2009-2013 political crisis that has undermined development efforts. Poverty has increased over recent years and today 72 percent of its estimated 22 million population are living below the national poverty line.

Populations have very limited access to basic services, are vulnerable to natural disasters and have suffered as a result of political and economic crises. The southern part of the country is the most affected by food insecurity due to recurrent shocks such as locust plagues, droughts and inadequate access to food.

Evaluations of the former country programme highlight the need for strengthened partnerships. The current Country Programme supports fragile state institutions, in line with the Government’s strategy and the United Nations Development Assistance Framework.

Focusing on strengthening national capacities, WFP will support longer-term development and reconstruction efforts, and address food insecurity issues in the three most vulnerable southern regions.

WFP will provide fortified schools meals in mostly rural areas in the South and in a few priority urban areas, support the development of a national school feeding policy, assist in setting up a government structure for a nationally owned school feeding system and pilot home grown school feeding and cash transfers in urban areas to increase sustainability.

With regards to nutrition, WFP will support national coordination and provide technical assistance in the development of policies and protocols. Building on contextspecific understanding on determinants of malnutrition, WFP will contribute to the development of effective national responses.

Smallholder farmers will be supported to increase the quantity and quality of their agricultural production, reduce post-harvest losses and improve handling of crops, allowing them to sell to WFP operations as well as other buyers.

The country programme contributes to WFP corporate strategic objectives 3 and 4, in alignment with the Millennium Development Goals and the Zero Hunger Challenge.