Agricultural Research in Madagascar: A Lucid Diagnosis to Move Forward Together

Group photo of workshop participants. (Credit: AfricaRice)

What if we gave agricultural research the means to shift into high gear for tangible food security in Madagascar?

This was the central question driving the workshop for the institutional diagnosis of agricultural research centers and national institutions, held in December 2025 in Antananarivo. On this occasion, stakeholders gathered around a common goal: transforming and improving the resilience of food systems in Madagascar. The aim was to build a "common understanding of the strengths and challenges of Malagasy agricultural research to align strategic orientations and adapt responses to the country's realities and priorities."

Researchers, representatives from ministries—such as the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock (MINAE) and the Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research (MESUPRES)—public institutions, and technical and financial partners were all represented during this session. To understand the importance of such a diagnosis, one must look at Madagascar's exceptional agricultural potential and the paradox that accompanies it.

Madagascar possesses impressive agricultural potential, with nearly 8 million hectares of arable land, unique agro-ecological diversity, and 75% to 80% of the active population working in the primary sector.

However, Professor Radanielina Tendro, Dean of the Faculty of Sciences at the University of Antananarivo, explained that only 20% of cultivable land is actually exploited. Furthermore, agriculture contributes only 25% of the GDP, despite mobilizing the majority of the workforce.

This contrast highlights a concerning reality: Malagasy producers have retreated toward subsistence farming, centered on rice, maize, cassava, cattle rearing, and fishing. In a context marked by acute food insecurity—with 1.2 to 1.64 million people in crisis situations and a chronic malnutrition rate in children of nearly 39%—Madagascar faces heavy challenges. This occurs in an environment where recurring climate shocks (droughts, cyclones, floods) worsen harvests, while rapid population growth, projected to reach 53–59 million inhabitants by 2050, intensifies food demand.

Agricultural Research: Between Passion and Lack of Resources

In Madagascar, the reality on the ground is an uphill battle, limiting researchers—despite their determination—from performing at the peak of their abilities.

The diagnosis conducted by the IDA firm, mandated by the Food Systems Resilience Program (FSRP), sounds the alarm: for agriculture to progress sustainably, research must be given the means to match its ambitions. Five institutions were the subject of this diagnosis: FIFAMANOR, FOFIFA, CFFAMMA, SOC, and IMVAVET. Three major issues stand out today:

• Modernizing Laboratories: It is difficult to innovate with aging buildings and outdated equipment. To prepare the agriculture of tomorrow, researchers need modern, adapted tools.

• Ensuring Scientific Succession: As many experts approach retirement, the next generation remains insufficiently supported. Without support for young talent, precious knowledge risks being lost.

• Stepping Out of the Labs: As Professor Leong Pock Tsy Jean Michel, Director General of FOFIFA, points out, research only has value if its results actually reach the farmers.

These challenges show that the problem is not a lack of skills, but rather the difficulty of creating conditions favorable to their expression and impact.

Building a Bridge Between Science and the Field

These findings lead to another central issue: the link between research and the field.

For Dr. Gaudiose Mujawamariya, Resident Representative of AfricaRice in Madagascar, the continued dominance of external funding in research is a major strategic issue that can compromise the stability of long-term actions. To change this, it is essential to build a solid, sustainable network between researchers, producers, the private sector, and partners to make innovation a concrete lever for productivity and economic development.

While challenges are numerous, the diagnosis also highlights major assets:

1. Competent, rigorous, and recognized researchers.

2. Precious genetic resource banks.

3. Essential scientific innovations to face climate change.

To succeed, several structural areas for improvement were identified:

• At the State level: Formulate a clear national strategic vision for agricultural transformation, backed by sustainable public financial commitment and better inter-institutional coordination.

• At the FSRP project level: Align support with the recommendations of the diagnosis and widely disseminate results to encourage collective ownership.

  
  

FSRP: Support for Transforming Food Systems

The FSRP, funded by the World Bank, is fully engaged in this transformation. Through its partnership with CGIAR Centers (AfricaRice, IITA, CIP, ICRISAT, ILRI et CIAT), the FSRP supports research focused on practical solutions.

"Development without research condemns us to repeat the same mistakes. This diagnosis is a starting point to better support producers and strengthen food resilience," emphasized Oliva Rafalimanana, National Coordinator of the FSRP.

What’s Next?

The results of this diagnosis are not an end in themselves; they provide a scientific basis for decision-makers to take action. By sharing these results, the FSRP invites the State, researchers, and partners to work together to give agricultural research a new momentum.

The goal is ambitious but essential: to transform agricultural research into a true engine of socio-economic growth and resilience for Madagascar.