Madagascar country strategic plan (2024–2028)

CSP approved at EB February 2024

Madagascar – a low-income country and the world’s fourth largest island – faces endemic poverty, food insecurity, inequality, rapid population growth and urbanization, and significant dependence on subsistence agriculture, which employs around 80 percent of its population. Agriculture is hindered by lack of access to inputs, land degradation, water scarcity, unsustainable utilization of natural resources and persistently low productivity. Infrastructure deficiencies further hinder market access. Madagascar is highly exposed to the impacts of climate change as well as stressors and shocks such as tropical cyclones, recurrent droughts and flooding.

While the country has faced challenges that have exceeded the Government's initial capacity to respond, these disruptions have spurred a renewed commitment to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals.

In this context, the country strategic plan for 2024–2028 is guided by the vision to “transform food systems and social protection for a resilient Madagascar”, based on the humanitarian-development nexus approach adopted by the Government. Central to this vision is human capital investment, which demands a concerted effort at the critical intersection of education, health and nutrition. This country strategic plan capitalizes on achievements in shock preparedness, early warning, social protection and rural transformation to enhance long-term resilience by strengthening government capacity and fostering cooperation with partners.

In pursuit of Sustainable Development Goals 2 and 17, the country strategic plan aims to achieve five outcomes aligned with the national development plan, Plan Émergence Madagascar, other national priorities and the United Nations sustainable development cooperation framework for 2024–2028:

➢ Outcome 1: People in Madagascar affected by seasonal or other shocks are prepared and able to meet their immediate food and nutrition needs throughout the year.

➢ Outcome 2: By 2030, targeted groups at risk in Madagascar, especially young children and pregnant and breastfeeding women and girls, are part of the national social protection scheme and have improved nutrition and education outcomes, which contributes to enhanced human capital development.

➢ Outcome 3: By 2030, targeted communities in Madagascar benefit from productive, inclusive and sustainable food systems that contribute to improved food diversity, livelihoods and resilience to shocks, in particular climate and economic shocks.

➢ Outcome 4: By 2030, the Government and national stakeholders will have enhanced capacity to manage equitable and inclusive food and nutrition programmes, along with systems for social protection, emergency preparedness and early response.

➢ Outcome 5: Government, humanitarian and development actors in Madagascar have improved access to mandated and on-demand services and benefit from innovative solutions that enable the delivery of timely and cost-efficient assistance.

WFP will achieve these outcomes in partnership with the Government of Madagascar at the national, subnational and local levels; United Nations partners including the other Rome-based agencies; research partners; communities and crisis-affected people; donors; and the private sector.