By December 2021, more than 1.6 million people in southern Madagascar were estimated to have been suffering high levels of food insecurity, with hundreds pushed to leave their homes and migrate in search of more secure livelihoods.
Southern Madagascar food insecurity
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Pushed to the limits by environmental extremes
Children under five are among the most vulnerable: between April and June 2021, at least 14,000 were treated for severe acute malnutrition (which is typically the number of total children treated in a year), and around 515,000 were considered to be wasted (thinner than expected) during 2021.
Environmental degradation and climate change have exacerbated the prolonged drought conditions, which in combination with other complex social drivers, have pushed the region into a humanitarian crisis.
Over the past four years, a progressive decrease of rain in southern Madagascar resulted in the country's worst drought in 40 years. This led to severe stress on vegetation, triggering a drastic decline in rice, maize and cassava production. Widespread deforestation in the region has led to severe environmental degradation, which has exacerbated the likelihood of sandstorms that inhibit growth of new seedlings and crops contributing to drying the soil, thus worsening the prolonged drought conditions.
Additionally, pest infestations have impacted the main livelihoods of inhabitants, causing as much as 60 per cent of crop losses in some areas. Finally, the last cyclone season in the north and east of the country severely affected road networks, hindering the delivery of aid to drought-affected households in the south.
Over the past four years, a progressive decrease of rain in southern Madagascar resulted in the country's worst drought in 40 years.
Social drivers have also strongly influenced the food insecurity conditions in the region. Particularly, the measures taken by the Malagasy Government between 2020 and 2021 to help contain the COVID-19 pandemic contributed to the livelihood crises and food inflation which reached 8 per cent in 2021; this was evident in increased food prices (e.g rice and oil) which further stressed struggling households' finances. All of these aspects have prompted an economic imbalance in an already unstable southern Madagascar, where more than 90 per cent of the population is living below the poverty line.
Wider picture
The southern Madagascar food insecurity is an example of how multiple, complex environmental and social factors can combine to trigger a profound crisis. Many regions around the world are exposed to multiple risks stemming from environmental degradation and socioeconomic and political dynamics, which will be exacerbated by climate change while magnifying its impacts.
Root Causes
Unequal distribution of economic opportunities and limited livelihood options
Expansion over an area for economic or strategic exploitation and control
A lack of perception, awareness or preparation in governance relating to risk management and response
Pursuit of economic or developmental interests with a lack of consideration for impacts on the environment
Gases released into the atmosphere by human activities contribute to increasing global warming and climate change
Drivers
Intentional mass removal of trees, often for resource extraction or changing land use.
A prolonged shortage of water supply, often due to extended periods of insufficient rainfall.
Increasing temperatures in the ocean or atmosphere, for example from climate change
Impacts
Through their impacts on natural and agricultural systems, supply chains and economies, the impacts of tipping points and disasters can put access to the foods we depend on for survival at risk
Tipping point impacts and disasters can force people to move from their homes due to the loss of shelter, livelihoods or the risk of further incidents occurring. People may be temporarily displaced or urged to migrate to other areas
Disasters cause fatalities both when they occur and in the aftermath with cascading effects on physical and mental health
Even those surviving disasters or tipping point impacts when they occur can be at risk of short- and long-term health impacts cascading from pollution, damage of critical infrastructure, livelihood disruption or other consequences of systems being affected
Reduction of people’s ability to support themselves or their family, both temporarily or permanently, is an impact that is interconnected with many others, including health and food security
Solutions
Coexisting with natural processes for our overall benefit
Using new ideas and challenging established norms to adapt to or mitigate risk
Enhancing collaboration across disciplines/stakeholders to view a more holistic picture
Having established safety nets to protect people from adverse impacts
Increasing capacity of institutions to create and enforce risk-reducing initiatives
