Madagascar's agricultural sector remains fragile with multiple barriers hindering its progress. The International Fair for Agriculture, Livestock and Fisheries provided an opportunity to address these blockages. The agricultural sector accounts for nearly 26% of the island's GDP and generates 65% of employment.

Beyond the more than 220 exhibition stands at the International Agriculture Fair, which opened at the International Conference Centre (CCI) in Ivato yesterday, discussions on the future of the agricultural sector are in full swing. Analysts have taken turns discussing local transformation. The situation is concerning. Madagascar's agricultural potential is high, but much of it remains sold in raw form. This generates revenue, but with very low added value. Meanwhile, imported agrifood products are flooding the market. This situation causes job losses every year and further weakens the agricultural sector.

"To establish solid agrifood systems, it is not enough to set up factories. For a factory to operate sustainably, you need raw materials in sufficient quantity and quality," explains Tatamiarisoa Manankoraisina Landry, secretary general of the Ministry of Industrialization and Private Sector Development. Economic operators echo the same sentiment.

"Without raw materials, there are no industries!" says Danil Ismaël, CEO of the Inviso group. "By massively importing rice, the State subsidizes Indian and Pakistani farmers; by importing sugar, it subsidizes Brazilian farmers. Every year, billions of ariary are used to import products. Why not use some of that to subsidize our own farmers? If we subsidize them, local transformation will happen naturally," he asserts.

Reforms

Danil Ismaël adds that "to meet local transformation needs, raw materials must be available year-round." On this front, reforms remain necessary, as this is a recurring problem in Madagascar's agricultural sector: farmers are unable to produce sufficient raw materials, even for the local market.

This situation undermines the competitiveness of Malagasy products and hampers local transformation ambitions. Added to this are difficulties related to energy and infrastructure, lack of financing, and insufficient structural programs to develop agricultural, livestock and fisheries sectors.

Beyond these issues, the agricultural sector also suffers from massive waste. Due to a critical shortage of storage and preservation infrastructure, tons of perishable products are lost in certain sectors. Access to quality agricultural inputs (improved seeds, fertilizers) and modern technologies remains extremely limited, and the sector is highly vulnerable to climate change effects.

To address this, the Ministry of Agriculture is implementing strategies to "secure" agricultural production and improve energy access by developing partnerships for mechanization, irrigation, seed distribution and product storage. "We also want to support cooperatives and help producers develop equitable partnerships with factories," says Arsène Rabarison, secretary general of the Ministry of Agriculture and Food Sovereignty.

According to the Ministry of Agriculture, the agricultural sector accounts for between 23% and 26% of the island's GDP. When the entire value chain is included, encompassing the agrifood industry, agriculture's real weight rises to nearly 43% of the national economy, according to a World Bank strategic document released in March 2025. This is therefore a strategic sector for the island. Pursuing local transformation could allow Madagascar to secure its food sovereignty, if the means and will are there.

Itamara Otton