The role of research to respond to local needs and drive agri-food systems transformation in Madagascar received significant attention during the joint high-level CGIAR and World Bank mission to the country. The visit, joined by the General Directors of IITA, AfricaRice, and ILRI, the CIP Regional Director for Africa and a Senior Scientist from ICRISAT, was held between 24 February – 1 March 2026 and comes at a critical time for Madagascar, where climate change is systemic and rural poverty remains high and persistent. Although agriculture represents one of the most powerful pathways out of poverty, productivity in the country remains low and agricultural growth has stagnated over the last decade. The latter is largely attributed to structural constraints, including market disincentives, weak infrastructure, inadequate access to finance, vulnerability to climate shocks, uncertain land rights and ineffective investments.
The high-level mission highlighted CGIAR as one integrated scientific partner of the Government of Madagascar, complementary to the national research institutions and prioritizing collaborative efforts to connect research, policy, and investment. Strategic dialogues joined by CIP, including Dr. Joyce Maru, Regional Director for Africa, and Pieter Wauters, Country Manager for Madagascar, emphasized the vital role of root and tuber crops (RTCs), including potato and sweetpotato, for food diversification, better nutrition, local processing and agri-business development, the latter being strategic pillars for the country.
The importance of RTCs was reinforced through the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between CIP and FIFAMANOR prioritizing potato and sweetpotato value chains development as a strategic lever to address pressing challenges in the agri-food systems in Madagascar. With CIP’s technical expertise and FIFAMANOR’s strong national leadership, the partnership demonstrates how science, innovation, and local ownership can come together to build resilient, inclusive, and sustainable agri-food systems. The agreement aims to reinforce joint research for development, to strengthen potato and sweetpotato seed systems and value chains, and to promote capacity building through the exchange of knowledge and skills.
Joint discussion with the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) highlighted the importance of knowledge generated by CGIAR, including on RTCs, in achieving better production, improved nutrition, environmental sustainability, and better living conditions while supporting Madagascar’s broader agri-food systems transformation journey. Engagement with the African Development Bank Group reinforced a central message: financing delivers real and lasting value only when it is translated into science-based solutions that reach farmers and communities.
Dr. Joyce Maru, Regional Director for Africa at CIP, shares her expertise on the role of RTCs in the resilience of agri-food systems in the face of climate change during the Scientific Seminar hosted at the University of Antananarivo
Science lies at the heart of agri-food systems transformation. One of the highlights of the high-level mission was the Scientific Seminar hosted at the University of Antananarivo under the theme “Resilient Food Systems in the Face of Climate Change: Crossed Perspectives from National and International Research”. In front of an auditorium filled with committed students, the panelists from CGIAR and FOFIFA underscored the systemic nature of climate vulnerability in Madagascar and the critical role of science in addressing it. Furthermore, research not only strengthens preparedness for pre-shock and post-shock responses but also provides the evidence required to inform national policy. A strong consensus emerged that scientific efforts must be aligned with national policies and implemented through genuine co-development with partners.
Early generation seed production for potato and sweetpotato in laboratories and screenhouses as well as innovation sites at FIFAMANOR.
Field visits around Antsirabe provided a practical dimension to the discussions. At FOFIFA, conversations centered on aligning research programs with national priorities and they were followed by a visit to the local facilities and a multi-environmental trial site for rice variety selection. At FIFAMANOR, the high-level delegation of CGIAR and World Bank, joined by a delegation from MINAE, explored integrated livestock-agriculture systems and observed early generation seed production for potato and sweetpotato in laboratories and screenhouses, as well as innovation sites designed to demonstrate sustainable farming technologies to the communities. To conclude, a roundtable presided by the SG of MINAE was organized to discuss the results of the institutional diagnostic of the national institutions FOFIFA, FIFAMANOR, CCFAMMA, SOC, and IMVAVET, how they can be strengthened and the supportive role of CGIAR.
At a time when the region faces multiple crises, transforming agri-food systems in Africa requires concerted efforts anchored in strategic partnerships that link researchers to policy makers and investors, while placing farmers, particularly women and youth, at the center of innovation. Through strengthened collaboration between national institutions and global partners, Madagascar is advancing toward a more resilient, inclusive, and science-driven agricultural future. Across the exchanges, the central role of science and innovation in boosting productivity, enhancing resilience and generating job and income opportunities for rural households was underscored while national partners called for strengthened institutional capacity and faster implementation to ensure that impact can be achieved at scale.