Emergency Food Distribution in Madagascar

Changing climate and four consecutive years of failed rains led to South Madagascar’s most severe drought in 40 years and significantly reduced the production of staple foods. This decline in food supply has resulted in extreme food shortages amplified by a complex mix of factors, including the COVID-19 pandemic, increased cyclone activity, pest infestations, and rising global food prices

In 2021, SEED Madagascar (SEED) launched a two-year Emergency Food Distribution Programme to respond to these challenges and improve the health and resilience of communities. SEED worked closely with the National Ministry of Health and the Regional Nutrition Cluster to provide emergency food relief to 18 communities across the Anosy region of Madagascar. In collaboration with community health workers, SEED’s Emergency Food Distribution Programme adopted a community-centred approach to distributing ready-to-use supplementary food (RUSF) and protection rations of rice, beans, and oil to malnourished children and their families

Between 2021 and 2023, SEED supported the recovery of 4,134 children aged 6-59 months with moderate acute malnutrition (MAM). Children diagnosed with severe acute malnutrition (SAM) were referred to their local health centres for specialised care, facilitating the recovery of an additional 431 children. SEED also distributed protection rations of rice, beans, and oil to 27,334 family members of malnourished children enrolled in the programme. Through this three-pronged approach, SEED’s Emergency Food Distribution Programme successfully fostered a 94% recovery rate amongst children diagnosed with MAM and SAM.

Whilst the distribution of emergency food assistance supported the well-being and livelihoods of communities, SEED’s model of development focuses on enhancing communities’ capacity to resist external shocks. To achieve this, SEED prioritised working with health centre staff and community health workers to equip them with the skills and knowledge to identify, monitor, and treat infant and childhood malnutrition and related illnesses.

All this has been possible because of SEED's generous donors and we are grateful

The Integrated Food Security Classification agency (IPC) projected that 22% of Anosy region population, about 213,595 people, would be in a food crisis between April 2023 and June 2023; a situation resulting from poor weather conditions, drought, dwindling harvests, stocks and food price inflation.  SEED Madagascar responded to this crisis through the implementation of the Emergency Food Distribution programme, supporting families with children five years and below suffering from moderate acute malnutrition (MAM) and severe acute malnutrition (SAM). The programme was implemented in two rounds (iii and iv) of 60 days each between October 2022 and March 2023, targeting eight health centers in five communities in the southern region of Fort Dauphin.

SEED trained community health workers to detect MAM and SAM. Families with children detected with either form of malnutrition received two parcels of unprepared food. Those with MAM received an additional ready-to-use supplementary food (RUSF), a homebased treatment consumed as part of a wider diet. while children with SAM were referred to their local health centres to receive appropriate treatment.

In total, 29,300 kilograms of rice, 19,668 cups of beans, and 4,560 litres of oil were distributed to support 894 families with malnourished children. A total of 52,380 sachets of RUSF were distributed to 873 children diagnosed with MAM.  SEED is very excited to report 100% recovery of the children with either MAM or SAM during the 60-day implementation period, of each round of the programme. In addition, SEED Supported the community health centres (CSB), to implement Advanced Strategy for Proximity Care campaigns, bringing health services to populations situated far from the CSBs.

SEED played a crucial role in protecting the lives of 1,338 malnourished children and their families, through provision of RUSF, unprepared food parcels and targeted information sessions. SEED’s work has only been possible through the support of donors and partnerships with local based institutions.