Context

Madagascar is vulnerable to natural disasters, especially

cyclones, floods, and drought. A quarter of the population,
some five million people, live in areas highly exposed to
frequent natural disasters. Madagascar is one of the 10
countries in the world which are the most vulnerable to
natural disasters. Over the last thirty years, an average of 1.5
cyclone hit the island every year. Climate change and
environmental degradation exacerbate these risks and further
increase household vulnerability.
The southern regions of Madagascar (Androy, Anosy and
Atsimo Andrefana) experienced a rain deficit of 50 to 75
percent during the 2014 planting season (compared to the last
fifteen years average) and extending losses into the crop
production period for 2015. Consequently, households food
and nutrition security has been severely impacted.
According to the 2015 Crop and Food Security Assessment
Mission (CFSAM), 390,000 people are considered severely
food insecure in the Androy (all districts), Anosy (Amboasary
district) and Atsimo Andrefana (Ampanihy district) regions, in
the south. A nutrition screening campaign (April 2015) showed
that 12 percent of children under five suffer from acute
malnutrition, with peaks reaching 30 percent in some
communes. Compared to previous years, the severity of food
insecurity has increased and the nutrition situation
deteriorated with malnutrition rates exceeding critical
thresholds.
According to the USAID Famine Early Warning System
Network report (FEWSNET, 1 October), poor households in
the Androy, Anosy and parts of Atsimo Andrefana regions
have used up their food stocks several months earlier than
normal, and will have to resort to buying staple foods on the
open market. Furthermore, forecasts are indicating that there
could be below-average rainfall in the south of the country
through February 2016, which would exacerbate the situation.
If adequate assistance is not provided in the south, a further
deterioration of food and nutrition security is expected that
threatens life and livelihoods, as this will be the third year in a
row that the population is facing a dire situation.
After the passage of tropical storms Chedza and Fundi in early
2015, excessive rainfall and floods were recorded in central
and southeastern regions. The most affected region was the

Antananarivo city and surroundings with 40,000 people

displaced to temporary sites. Despite assistance was provided
by the humanitarian community, affected households remain
vulnerable to shocks and food insecurity. Strong and
appropriate actions are needed to increase households
resilience, which has been impaired by recurrent shocks over
the last years and the protracted political crisis. In addition,
considering the high probability of the occurrence of cyclones
during the next cyclone season (from November 2015 to April
2016), emergency preparedness activities are crucial.
Due to the influence of a strong El Nino phenomenon, rainfall
forecast of the 19th Southern Africa Regional Climate Outlook
Forum (SARCOF) for October 2015-March 2016 indicates
normal to below-normal rainfall in southern Madagascar and
normal to above-normal rainfall in eastern regions.

PROTRACTED RELIEF AND RECOVERY

OPERATION 2015-2017 (PRRO)
Through the PRRO, WFP Madagascar focus on activities
linked to disaster preparedness, relief, recovery and building
resilience in order to break the cycle of food insecurity.
Following natural disasters, WFP responds to the different
food and nutrition needs of affected households. A focus is
made on technical support to the Government and capacity
development for communities in emergency preparedness,
through training and the provision of equipment.
Prepositioning food

WFP prepositions contingency stocks in strategic areas

exposed to cyclones in order to provide a rapid and timely
response. It enables WFP to save lives and protect
livelihoods in remote areas that are difficult to reach.
Unconditional cash transfers could also be provided in urban
areas.
Emergency response

Emergency operations aim to address immediate food needs

to targeted households, including displaced people deprived
of their livelihoods. Following rapid assessments and
government policy, General Food Distribution (GFD) and/or
unconditional cash will be used for up to 15 days followed by
Food Assistance For Assets (FFA) aiming at restoring critical
assets.

What WFP does

Capacities development needs
Preparedness
WFP strengthens communities and Government capacities in
emergency preparedness through technical trainings and
equipment donation to the National Office for Natural
Disasters Management (BNGRC) and its operational branch,
the Civil Protection Corps.
Information and communication technology equipment,
crucial, to improving coordination and information
management during emergencies, and nutrition and WASH
relief items, were pre-positioned in the capital. Two Mobile
Storage Units and two motorized boats were procured and
donated to the government for emergency assessments and
search and rescue operations in isolated locations.
A Community Preparedness Early Warning System was
established in cyclone-prone coastal areas. WFP provided
Local Disaster Risks Management Committees with
preparedness trainings, in order to reduce the impact of
disasters on their livelihoods. They were also equipped with
early warning kits (mobile phones, radios and weather alert
flags with color codes).

Current response activities

Activities are defined based on Seasonal livelihoods
programming (SLP) and community based participatory
planning (CBPP) processes in order to adequately address the
needs.

Early Warning System : WFP reinforces assistance to

the Government in designing and implementing an
Early Warning System in order to ensure a timely and
cost-efficient response in southern-drought affected
regions. Strengthened assessment and analysis
capacities at the local level thanks to community early
warning systems, as well as disaster risk reduction
plans, are required.
Food security and nutrition assessments : WFP plans to
provide capacity building to the BNGRC and the National
Office for Nutrition (ONN) so they have the adequate tools
and methodology to carry out post-emergencies food
security and nutrition assessments in rural and urban
areas. These capacities are necessary to inform
Government-led coordination of the response.

Emergency Response : WFP identified training needs

for the Local Disaster Risks Management Committees in
terms of needs assessment, disaster management and
targeting process when identifying potential beneficiaries.
In addition, in order to identify adequate activities that
addressed overall vulnerability, further support is needed
to conduct SLP and CBPP processes with communities.

In the drought-hit South, WFP plans to assist 150,000

severely food insecure people in the most affected southern
districts for November 2015/February 2016 period, through
food/cash for assets and nutritional support for acute
malnutrition prevention and treatment.
In the central regions affected by floods in early 2015, cash
for assets activities currently target 15,000 people of urban
slums. Participants rehabilitate dikes in order to protect
crops and homes from future floods. WFP also supports
beneficiaries without workforce or livelihoods in starting
agricultural activities.
Considering the current and future assistance needs (cyclone
and lean season), additional funding is required. WFP
Madagascar PRRO shortfalls for the October 2015-May 2016
are estimated at : US$ 5.4 million.

Contact Person:
Willem Van Milink, Representative and Country Director
World Food Programme Madagascar
Lot VB 71 GB Ambatoroka
Antananarivo 101 - Madagascar
Tel: + 261 20 22 315 72
Email: wfp.antananarivo@wfp.org
www.wfp.org/countries/madagascar