Often known as the ‘eighth continent’, owing to its unique geography and biodiversity, Madagascar is without doubt one of the most amazing countries I have visited. It is a medley of culture, climate and stunning natural beauty. Yet, many in Madagascar are at risk of being exposed to what is thought to be the world’s first climate change-induced famine. Weather patterns are becoming increasingly unpredictable throughout the region. Irregular rainfall is threatening water security, particularly in arid, rural regions in the south and west of the country. Much of Madagascar’s domestic food production is reliant on rain-fed agriculture and the arrival of the worst drought in 40 years has had detrimental effects on crop yields. Madagascar is highly unique, calling for an intricate understanding of the impacts of environmental change and the implementation of contextual adaptive strategies. This article, broken down into two parts, will look to explore the complex interactions between the environment, water and people in Madagascar.
I have talked previously in this blog about the interconnected nature of climate and water, but it is important to reiterate that climate change is exacerbating already prevalent issues of water (and subsequently food) security across Africa. Madagascar has one of the most varied and unpredictable climates on earth, with high variation in both intra and inter-annual precipitation. This is largely to do with the El Nino Southern Oscillation, but a rise in global temperature is predicted to significantly alter weather events across the region, further increasing their volatility. Due to Madagascar’s complex natural geography, the distribution of rainfall is temporally and spatially uneven, leading to an inherent inequality in access to fresh-water across the country. Rainfall is particularly limited in the arid and semi-arid regions of south and west Madagascar, making it an area particularly vulnerable to drought.
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Dry Season in the Menabe region, western Madagascar.
Baobab tree trunks grow in diameter as they swell with water |
Despite damage from tropical cyclones costing
USD 87 million annually, Madagascar remains threatened by water-scarcity. On average, as little as
34% of the rural population have access to safe-water, making Madagascar one of the least water-secure countries on earth. Madagascar’s heavy reliance on rain-fed agriculture, due to complex challenges in accessing groundwater reserves (discussed in part II), makes it susceptible to food shortages.
Global warming, exacerbated by a low adaptive capacity, will have a significant impact on Madagascar and its people.
Famine and COP 26
Critical, commendable, controversial, condescending, cover-up? Call it what you will; COP 26 represented a significant moment on the international political stage, both symbolically and economically. Yet, nearly 6,000 miles from Glasgow, over
1 million people in southern Madagascar remain without food, thanks to
three successive years of short and inconsistent rainy seasons.
Baomiavotse Vahinala Raharinirina, Madagascar’s Minister for Environment and Sustainable Development, argued at COP 26 that the Global North is not doing enough to assist developing countries in implementing climate mitigation strategies. Ms. Raharinirina states that the failure of wealthy nations to meet their promised target of USD 100 billion in climate finance has prevented Madagascar from employing, often expensive, technological adaptations. For example, a pipeline to combat drought, capable of bringing water from the tropical north to the arid south would cost an “unaffordable” USD 900 million. In tropical regions, adaptive infrastructural improvements include
seasonally submersible roads and cyclone-resistant buildings. Ms. Raharinirina suggests that the Global North needs to change its mindset when thinking about
climate finance as “aid”, when it is perhaps more accurately “accountability”. Equatorial nations are set to bear the brunt of climate change, despite often contributing little to the issue themselves. The ‘West’ has historically been largely shielded against many of the most serious climatic impacts, although this is steadily changing (e.g.
2021 European floods). I believe many in the Global North experience a cognitive/emotional disconnect, whereby it becomes hard for ‘us’ to empathise with something that we cannot tangibly connect with. Ms. Raharinirina asks European’s to consider the impacts of their consumer choices, stating that a ‘low cost’ (economically) flight in Europe has a ‘high cost’ (socially) for the people of her country. Cognitive dissonance, often synonymous with the approach of ‘Western’ governments, has become a
major hurdle when it comes to implementing effective climate change solutions; but that is a topic that requires an article of its own.
Part II of this article will further explain the issues surrounding water availability in Madagascar; concentrating on farming practices, their reliance on precipitation and the environmental impacts of local adaptive measures.
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