Hunger in Madagascar is set to escalate dramatically later this year, with the number of people facing crisis levels projected to jump by 75% and about one in 10 children under five suffering or expected to suffer from acute malnutrition.
ANTANANARIVO, 17 July 2026 – Hunger in Madagascar is set to escalate dramatically later this year, with the number of people facing crisis levels projected to jump by 75% and about one in 10 children under five suffering or expected to suffer from acute malnutrition, Save the Children said [1].
The global hunger monitor, the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC), has warned that the number of people projected to face crisis levels of hunger between October this year and next February could surge to 3.72 million people – about 10% of the population [2].
About 502,000 children aged under 5, or one in ten, and 21,000 pregnant and breastfeeding women are expected to suffer or already be suffering acute malnutrition between May 2026 and April 2027. This includes about 78,000 children expected to have severe acute malnutrition, the most deadly form of malnutrition requiring urgent medical treatment [3].
Nearly 426,000 people are expected to face emergency conditions, more than double the current number, with urgent action needed to save lives and livelihoods.
The spiralling food crisis is driven by the lean or pre-harvest season, high food prices and climate-related shocks, Save the Children said.
While the number of children expected to suffer acute malnutrition in Madagascar is slightly lower compared to the previous analysis in September last year [4], the crisis remains severe with so many children impacted, said Save the Children.
Save the Children’s Country Representative for Madagascar, Tatiana Dasy, said:
"Children are always the first and hardest hit when food runs short. Behind these alarming numbers are families already struggling to put food on the table, children going to bed hungry, and mothers forced to make impossible choices to keep their children alive.
"Without urgent support, hundreds of thousands more children could face malnutrition, illness and long-term harm to their development. We cannot wait until families are pushed to the brink before acting."
Save the Children is calling on the international community to urgently increase humanitarian funding for food assistance, nutrition services, health care and climate-resilient support for vulnerable families before conditions worsen during the lean season.
Save the Children has been working in Madagascar since 2016, specializing in cash-based assistance, education, nutrition and child protection interventions. Over the years, we have responded to several humanitarian crises ranging from droughts to the devastating impact of tropical cyclones.
ENDS.
Notes to Editors:
[1] Madagascar is home to about 4.8 million children under the age of five according to data from UNICEF - [data.unicef.org], [population...ramids.org]. Therefore, over 500,000 children suffering from acute malnutrition translates to about one in 10.
[2] Madagascar: Acute Food Insecurity Situation for March - May 2026 and Projections for June - September 2026 and October 2026 - February 2027 | IPC - Integrated Food Security Phase Classification - About 2.12 million people in Madagascar are currently classified in IPC Phase 3 (Crisis) or above between June and September 2026. This includes more than 183,000 people facing IPC Phase 4 (Emergency) conditions. According to the same report, between October 2026 and February 2027, around 3.72 million people are projected to face IPC Phase 3 or above, a 75% increase from the number of people currently facing crisis levels of food insecurity. This includes nearly 426,000 people facing IPC Phase 4 (Emergency).
[3] According to data from IPC - Integrated Food Security Phase Classification
[4] IPC FIGURES ROM 2025: Madagascar: Acute Malnutrition Situation for May - September 2025 and Projections for October 2025 - January 2026 and February - April 2026 | IPC - Integrated Food Security Phase Classification
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Delfhin.Mugo@savethechildren.org
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