Overview

Since the start of the 2024–2025 agricultural season, Madagascar has faced a series of compounding shocks that have severely affected food security and nutrition, particularly in the southern and southeastern regions. A prolonged drought from October to December 2024 was followed by cyclones and tropical storms between January and March 2025, causing widespread crop losses, flooding, and disruptions to livelihoods. The situation has been further exacerbated by locust outbreaks beginning in April 2025, as well as the suspension of several nutrition programmes due to funding shortages. Flooding has limited access to clean water and sanitation, contributing to a rise in waterborne diseases and disrupting food and nutrition supply chains to remote communities.

Nutrition assessments conducted during the May–June 2025 harvest season reveal a sharp deterioration in the Grand Sud region. Of the 11 districts surveyed, Tsihombe and Amboasary are experiencing severe acute malnutrition rates above 2 percent and Global Acute Malnutrition (GAM) rates exceeding 10 percent, while the remaining districts are at alert levels (GAM 5–10 percent). Compared to late 2024, malnutrition has worsened in several areas, with Tsihombe showing the most dramatic increases in both acute and severe malnutrition. These trends highlight the urgent need for coordinated humanitarian and development interventions to address immediate nutrition and food security needs while building resilience to climate shocks and other systemic vulnerabilities.

Source: OCHA 2026