The latest Global Hunger Index report, published annually by a consortium of three international NGOs, paints a stark picture. Of the 124 countries analyzed, seven are in the red zone, designated as "alarming." Madagascar is among them, along with Burundi, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Haiti, Somalia, South Sudan, and Yemen.

Although the Big Island has been under surveillance for 25 years, experts are concerned about an acceleration of the degradation over the last four years.

A structural crisis rather than a cyclical one

Unlike other countries on the list, Madagascar's situation is striking due to the absence of a major armed conflict. For Marie-Catherine Mabrut, country director of the NGO Welthungerhilfe, the problem runs deep:

"This deterioration is not due to an extreme shock, but to structural and internal food insecurity."

Warning signs: malnutrition and stunted growth

Two key indicators illustrate the seriousness of the situation on the ground:

1. Widespread undernourishment: Insufficient energy intake and a diet lacking diversity. In isolated regions, the diet relies almost exclusively on boiled cassava , a food with low nutritional value.
2. Childhood stunting: The figures are alarming: in Madagascar, one in two children suffers from malnutrition, resulting in insufficient height for their age.

Towards an overhaul of humanitarian aid

Faced with a drastic drop in international funding, humanitarian actors are calling for a paradigm shift. It is no longer just a matter of providing emergency aid, but of sustainably transforming the model.

1. Transforming the food system: Rethinking the entire chain, from production to consumption, to guarantee better nutritional quality.
2. Involving the population: Co-creating solutions with local communities to ensure the sustainability of projects.
3. Coordinate efforts: Build on ongoing national consultations to define clear objectives and avoid the dispersion of NGO actions.