International NGO Save the Children has raised an alarm over worsening food insecurity and malnutrition in Madagascar, with over half a million children under five threatened by acute malnutrition in coming months. "Hunger in Madagascar is expected to worsen significantly later this year, with the number of people facing crisis-level hunger increasing by 75%, while approximately one in ten children under five suffers or will suffer from acute malnutrition," Save the Children stated. According to the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC), the number of people likely to reach "crisis" level hunger between October 2026 and February 2027 could reach 3.72 million people, roughly 10% of the population. Similarly, approximately 502,000 children under five—one in ten—along with 21,000 pregnant and nursing women are expected to suffer, or already suffer, from acute malnutrition between May 2026 and April 2027. Among these, around 78,000 children risk severe acute malnutrition, the most serious and deadly form requiring urgent medical care. Additionally, nearly 426,000 people are expected to face food emergencies, more than double current numbers, necessitating immediate action to save lives and preserve livelihoods. Save the Children attributes this food crisis escalation to the lean season, rising food prices, and climate change shocks. "While the number of children likely to suffer acute malnutrition in Madagascar is slightly lower than estimated in our September 2025 analysis, the crisis remains extremely concerning given the high number of affected children," the organization noted, lamenting that children are always first and hardest hit when food becomes scarce. Beyond statistics, daily life for affected populations means families already struggling to put food on tables, children going to bed hungry, and mothers forced to make impossible choices to keep their children alive. "Without urgent support, hundreds of thousands of additional children risk malnutrition, disease, and long-term developmental consequences. We cannot wait until families are on the brink before acting," urged Save the Children Country Director Tatiana Dasy. The organization calls on the international community to increase humanitarian funding for food aid, nutrition services, healthcare, and climate resilience programs for vulnerable families before conditions deteriorate further during the lean season.