To diversify water sources and strengthen drinking water supply for residents while providing a sustainable solution to drought in the South, a project to install a seawater desalination plant in Ambovombe was signed yesterday. Minister Anjaratiana Elia Razafindrianiaina and Xiao Cheng, representing Aureate Resources, signed the agreement at the State Palace in Ambohitsorohitra.
This is a first in the country's history, according to Colonel Michaël Randrianirina, head of state, who presided over the signing ceremony yesterday. The agreement concerns the installation of a seawater desalination unit in Tsirangoty, in Ambovombe district.
Facing severe drought in the grand South, particularly in the Androy region, the state is banking on a technological solution unprecedented at this scale in the country. The desalination unit to be set up in Tsirangoty will be accompanied by a pipeline of approximately 7 kilometers to transport drinking water to Ambovombe municipality. The project is jointly led by the state and a company called "Aureate Resources," according to a statement from the Presidency of the Refoundation of the Republic.
As the head of state indicated, this project reinforces other water infrastructure already in place or under installation in the South. He cited examples including the pumping station and pipeline project transporting water from the Mandrare River from Andranogoa to Ambovombe, as well as drilling projects. The stated objective is to diversify sources to sustainably secure drinking water access for residents of drought-affected areas.
Quoting a Vaovy group text about the Androy region, Colonel Randrianirina declared: "we need only water." As a native of Androy and former regional chief, he added: "the Androy population loves farming, but suffers from water scarcity. Sometimes we wonder if Androy is deliberately kept in poverty to attract international aid. If so, it would be like holding the South's inhabitants hostage."
Based on the head of state's remarks, solving water access could serve as a launching pad for resolving the structural crisis making Androy the country's poorest region. Repeated drought episodes, intensified by climate change, compromise not only residents' living conditions but also local economic activities, particularly agriculture and livestock. This situation places over two million people under threat of food insecurity.
Balancing Multiple ChallengesThe state and its partner, Aureate Resources, aim for the Tsirangoty desalination unit to become operational as soon as possible. The announced deadline is to produce the first cubic meters of desalted water by late January 2027. "Barring schedule changes, necessary equipment will be transported to Ambovombe by month's end," Colonel Randrianirina said yesterday.
The project signed yesterday plans a production capacity of approximately 1,500 m³ of drinking water daily. Once operational, the facility should benefit over seventy-five thousand residents. However, no project cost information has been provided. This is one of desalination technology's primary challenges, according to articles from studies on the subject published on specialized sites.
Beyond construction costs, the main concern is operational costs due to potentially high energy consumption. A reliable energy source with sustainable costs is essential for project sustainability. Vigilance is also needed regarding probable environmental impacts. According to documentary sources, the ideal approach is to establish a brine rejection recycling system from the desalination process to avoid long-term marine ecosystem disruption.
By betting on desalination, the state is making an ambitious gamble requiring reconciliation of human, ecological, and financial stakes. Nevertheless, if properly managed, this project could mark a turning point in combating drought in the South. Desalination offers several advantages in an island context like Madagascar's. It exploits an abundant and inexhaustible resource: seawater. Unlike groundwater or surface water sources, it is not directly dependent on precipitation. Another advantage of desalination is water quality. It can produce high-quality drinking water.