The island nation of Madagascar, lying off the southeastern coast of Africa, is facing severe food shortages after five years of drought.
This is the country’s worst drought in four decades.
The World Food Programme says it needs $69 million to feed one million people in dire need of food every month in Madagascar.
The drought has severely affected the harvest of rice, sugarcane and cassava: Madagascar’s staple foods.
The UN Food Programme says about 30% of the population is malnourished.
The UNFP warned in October, 2021 of an impending famine caused by climate change in that country.
Countries like Somalia, South Sudan and Yemen are also facing food crisis but theirs is due to war and conflicts.
Madagascar’s President Andry Rajoelina was in Glasgow for the COP26 climate change conference and cried out for help.
After Indonesia, Madagascar with a population of 28,184,000 people and land area of 592,800 square kilometres (228,900 sq miles) is the world’s second largest island country and the fourth largest island in the world.
photo credit: wfp
