{"id":41082,"date":"2024-09-10t15:52:23","date_gmt":"2024-09-10t15:52:23","guid":{"rendered":"\/\/www.getitdoneaz.com\/?p=41082"},"modified":"2024-09-13t15:04:08","modified_gmt":"2024-09-13t15:04:08","slug":"food-insecurity-madagascar","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"\/\/www.getitdoneaz.com\/story\/food-insecurity-madagascar\/","title":{"rendered":"essay | resilience amidst food scarcity in madagascar"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
as the plane descended into southern madagascar, i looked through the window, and the arid landscape below immediately reinforced the story of prolonged drought and environmental stress that i had been researching for months. no amount of research could have prepared me for the experience i was about to have. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
i was part of a graduate research team from the university of notre dame that set out to understand whether immediate humanitarian relief combined with development and peace-building efforts yield better food security outcomes in madagascar and ethiopia. my experience over the next four weeks would profoundly shape my understanding of the true meaning of human perseverance and climate resilience in places with high climate-induced food insecurity. <\/p>\n\n\n
with a population of 28 million people, madagascar is the world\u2019s fourth largest island, located in the indian ocean off the coast of east africa. according to the world food program (wfp)<\/a>, 1.31 million people in the south of madagascar face high levels of acute food insecurity and chronic malnutrition affects nearly 40% of children. <\/p>\n\n\n\n the island is also a treasure trove of unique species, such as the baobab tree, fondly called the \u201cupside-down tree\u201d because of the way their thick trunks seem to grow upside down. of the nine baobab species in the world, madagascar is home to six different kinds that cannot be found anywhere else. baobab also have several nutritional benefits<\/a>. african baobab fruit is referred to as the \u201cqueen of superfruits\u201d, the seeds and the pulp both being high in vitamins, minerals, and several other unique health benefits.<\/p>\n\n\n sadly, among other deforestation drivers, forests are being cut down, burnt, and transformed into rice fields, a practice called \u201cslash and burn.\u201d scientists and environmentalists warn that 38-93% of the forest<\/a> in madagascar will disappear by 2050 if they do not slow down on deforestation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n this is not just about saving trees or preserving a unique piece of our planet’s natural history. these are, of course, important. however, it is also about preserving the source of livelihood of forest-proximate indigenous peoples who depend on these forests.<\/p>\n\n\n\n our research took us to 12 villages in beloha district in the southern region, where i met henriette, a 29-year-old single mother of two, whose story epitomized the challenges many malagasy people face. <\/p>\n\n\n looking into henriette\u2019s eyes under the scorching sun, i could see a blend of weariness and determination as she shared her daily struggles. “to survive, we would go into the forest to look for wild berries and eat tamarind mixed with ashes,” she said, describing life without aid from humanitarian organizations. her words struck me deeply, turning food insecurity from abstract numbers into a visceral reality. henriette’s day begins long before dawn, at 5 a.m., when she wakes her children for their three-hour trek to school in ikopoky village. <\/p>\n\n\n\n despite the hardships, education remains a priority for her family. “i keep smiling for my children, and i want to survive,” she said. so yes, real people like henriette are behind the numbers we read about in research papers and reports.<\/p>\n\n\n\n