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Madagascar

Madagascar

Année du début de la mission: 
2012
Equipe: 
29 personnes

Type d'intervention

 

  • Nutrition and Mental Health 
  • Food Security
  • Water and Sanitation

Lieux d’interventions

 

  • Antananarivo (main office)
  • Betioky District, Atsimo Andrefana Region
 

Since 2009, the country is going through a major political crisis. While the population is already impoverished, economic and financial difficulties are worsening the situation and threatening basic services. 70% of the population is affected by severe or moderate food insecurity, rising up to 85% in drought-affected areas . With only 42.6% of the population having access to drinking water, Madagascar has one of the worst access rates of Sub-Saharan Africa and will hardly reach the Millennium Development Goal (MDG) set at 65% by 2015.

There are multiple factors contributing to high malnutrition rates such as insufficient and poor food diversification , low access to drinking water, inappropriate medical care for infants and young children, and social habits that encourage early and multiple pregnancies. On average, 50% of the under 5 children suffer from chronic malnutrition and3% of severe acute malnutrition. In addition to this structural poverty, the population is highly exposed and vulnerable to recurrent natural disasters.
 
Following the needs assessment conducted in 2011, ACF decided to implement humanitarian programmes in Madagascar.

Financement

ACF, EuropeAid, Agence de l'Eau Loire Bretagne

Chiffres clés du pays

 

  • Population : 20,7 million (2010)
  • Life Expectancy : 66 years old (2011)
  • Human Development Index : 151/187 (2011)
  • GDP per Capita : 824 $USD  (2011)
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From 2005 to 2010, the proportion of Malagasy living under the poverty threshold increased from 68.7% to 76.5%. The Great South, composed by the regions of Anosy, Androy, Atsimo and Andefana, is in a precarious situation. In this area, the incidence of poverty is above the national average. Climate is semiarid and water resources are scarce. Drought and rainfall variability represent the main risks for the local population who basically depends on rainfed agriculture and livestock. .
 
Harvests remains at low levels because of ill-adapted cultures techniques to climate conditions, bad quality fertilizers and deterioration of soil fertility. Every year, the population faces food shortages during the “hunger gap”. In 2006/07 and in 2008/09/10, droughts and bad harvests have forced households to develop coping mechanisms, such as reduction of food intake and demonetization of equipment and livestock. Recurrent shocks affect their resilience and households are drawn into a vicious circle of vulnerability. The impact of humanitarian crisis in the region is worsened by remoteness and low access to basic services. 
 
With only 26% of the population having access to potable water, Betioky is one of the worst districts in regards to water provisioning. Mostly, the water used is not treated beforehand nor is it boiled at home. Therefore, diarrhea is one of the major causes of morbidity. Other malnutrition risk factors include various social practices and inappropriate cares strongly rooted in the society. In the Atsimo Andrefana region, in 2009, chronic malnutrition was estimated at 41.6% and global acute malnutrition at 6.4% (4.8-8.5 C.I) among under 5 years old children.
 

Action contre la Faim in Madagascar :

 
ACF registration process in country was initiated in November 2011. Expert teams are currently conducting further needs assessment and field investigation to define the projects’ design. The priorities for the years to come are as followed:

 

Prevent malnutrition

ACF will contribute to prevent malnutrition in 5 local area of the Betioky District by implementing a multi-sector programme with the following objectives:
 
  • Reinforce households’ capacity to produce or mobilize food resources needed for healthy diet –including during the hunger gap.
  • Improve sustainable access and management of water used for drinking and vegetable plot.
  • Reinforce positive care practices and accompany behavior change when needed (nutrition and hygiene training with special focus on children, pregnant and breastfeeding women).
To increase the impact and sustainability of ACF interventions towards the most vulnerable households, programmes will be based on an integrated and community centered approach that will optimize local resources and initiatives. 

 

Mitigate the impact of natural disasters for vulnerable population and reinforce resilience 

Madagascar is the 3rd most vulnerable country to climate changes .  Recurrent and violent natural disasters are expected for the years to come: cyclones, flooding, howling winds, droughts… Disaster risk management will be integrated to each activity. 

 

Emergency Response

ACF will contribute to the real time surveillance system with reliable data, specific to the nutritional situation of its district of intervention. ACF will participate to every relevant coordination platforms, including for emergency preparedness and response.