Skip to main content

SPECIAL REPORT FAO/WFP CROP AND FOOD SECURITY EVALUATION MISSION TO MADAGASCAR - 14 December 2010

Countries
Madagascar
Sources
FAO
+ 1 more
Publication date

Highlights

Thanks to favourable rainfall overall, Madagascar's 2010 food crop output was generally good, particularly rice, which is estimated to be about 4.7 million tonnes, more than 4 percent over 2009.

For the 2010/11 marketing season, the cereals supply and demand balance sheet shows a surplus of rice and root crops in cereals equivalent, but also a maize deficit as a result of lower production in the South, which will be covered by increased consumption of rice. It is estimated that 123 000 tonnes of wheat, which is not grown in the country, will have to be imported. Substantial amounts of rice will also have to be imported again, as has been the case in previous years.

The good overall performance of the 2010 season should not hide the fact that the South West regions (Menabe, Atsimo Andrefana, Androy, Ihorombe and Anosy) had a rainfall deficit, which was also unevenly distributed throughout the period January-April, as a result of which the maize, sorghum and duiebé harvests almost failed completely in the Androy region, with around 40 percent rice harvest losses in the Anosy region in the same period. Flooding in the wake of Cyclone Hubert caused massive losses in the eastern regions of Vatovavy Fitovinany and Atsimo Atsinanana, leading to a 70 percent fall in second season paddy production.

In the regions affected by drought or cyclones during the agricultural season, over 80 percent of the households suffered a drastic slump in incomes, and have therefore been affected by food insecurity in 2010. About 60 percent of these households, totalling about 2 253 000 people, are suffering from severe food insecurity. In the main rice-growing zones, some 331 000 people are also affected by severe food insecurity.

The mission therefore recommends stepping up food assistance to the poorest people, and supplying veterinary and phytosanitary care to the people living in the stricken areas. One of the priorities here is to eradicate the plague of locusts in the South. 68 000 tonnes of cereals will be needed to mitigate the severe state of food insecurity in 2010-2011 in the zones at risk.

In the meantime, measures will have to be taken to boost farmers' productivity and incomes, such as rehabilitating and expanding hydro-agricultural facilities, repairing service roads, building village grain silos, locally producing improved seed, and improving extension services, village associations and micro-financing institutions in order to facilitate the procurement of inputs, promote conservation agriculture and off-season cropping.

This being so, the mission recommends that the development partners release the funding for the agricultural and rural sector, for Madagascar's economy has succeeded in avoiding total collapse thanks mainly to the good performance of the agriculture sector.