Madagascar remains in crisis as communities affected by Cyclone Gamane brace for new storms in the coming months. The March 2024 cyclone devastated northern and northeastern regions, displacing 22,000 people, destroying 20,000 homes, and leaving 220,000 in need of humanitarian aid.
Farmers like Emerencienne Razafindratombo in Sava region face ongoing food insecurity as flooded fields delay rice harvests and threaten vanilla crops. Cyclone damage caused rice prices to triple, forcing families to rely on emergency food aid.
The World Food Programme (WFP), in partnership with the government, has distributed food and cash assistance to 72,000 people. Specialized nutrition programs target malnutrition among women and children, while meteorological services provide cyclone forecasts to prepare communities for at least four expected storms in early 2025.
Despite these efforts, access to remote areas remains a challenge as heavy rains complicate relief operations.
WFP’s emergency response in Madagascar in 2024 was made possible thanks to the support of partners such as Türkiye, the People’s Republic of China, the European Union, Japan, the Republic of Korea, Canada, Germany, the UN Central Emergency Evolving Fund, the US Agency for International Development (BHA) and France.