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Country Program Materials

2006 Congressional Budget Justification
The CBJ summarizes USAID activities and funding in Madagascar.

2005 Annual Report [39kb - PDF]
In-depth description of USAID activities in Madagascar, organized by sector.

USAID/Madagascar Links

Success Stories
Country Profile (pdf,145kb)
Recent Publications & Reports
Global Health: HIV/AIDS
Building Democracy
Humanitarian & Disaster Assistance: Food Insecurity
FRAME: Knowledge Sharing for the Natural Resource Community

USAID/Madagascar Mission

Web Site:
http://www.usmission.mg/usaid/

Mission Director:
Henderson Patrick

Local Address:
USAID/Madagascar
Tour Zital, 6th Floor
ZI Taloumis Ankorondrano
B.P. 5253
Antananarivo
Madagascar
Tel: 261 20 22 539 20
Fax: 260 20 22 538 86/87

From the US:
USAID/Madagascar
Department of State
2040 Antananarivo Place
Washington, DC 20521-2040


A physician in her private clinic with some educational materials from a local NGO that encourages youth to use health care facilities

A physician in her private clinic with some educational materials from a local NGO that encourage youth to use health care facilities


Madagascar

USAID's Strategy in Madagascar

The Government of Madagascar (GOM), led by President Marc Ravalomanana, is engaged in an ambitious effort to address the country’s immense development challenges. The GOM now requires public disclosure of assets by state officials. With donor support, it will have invested over $1 billion in roads and other transportation infrastructure by 2006. Recognizing the importance of its unique environment to the long-term health of the Malagasy economy and the welfare of its people, the GOM has dramatically increased planned protected areas from 1.7 million to 6 million hectares. It is also committed to preventing the spread of HIV/AIDS and strengthening health care at the community level. These steps have resulted in the country being the first awarded funding under President Bush’s Millennium Challenge Account. USAID’s programs focus on governance, economic growth, environmental protection, and health.

STRENGTHENING CIVIL SOCIETY AND GOVERNMENT INSTITUTIONS

Installed in 2002, the Ravalomanana government maintains considerable public support for its ambitious programs. However, there is the risk that a weak and poorly equipped bureaucracy will be unable to accomplish many of the planned reforms and results. USAID is committed to helping ensure this does not happen. USAID's democracy and governance program is working across sectors to deepen and strengthen civil society, increase the flow of information to citizens and local leaders, and strengthen the government's ability to respond to citizens' demands. In addition, USAID is implementing initiatives in the areas of anti-corruption, women’s legal rights, education, and information and communications technologies development in Madagascar. USAID support was instrumental in enabling the GOM to develop its first national anti-corruption strategy. USAID was also pivotal in establishment of a national coalition of civil society organizations, and the creation of Madagascar’s first women mayors’ association. By April 2005, approximately 30,000 students from 170 lower-secondary schools had been reached by the civic education program, and 60 civil society organizations and journalist associations had been trained on civic education messages.

INCREASING RURAL INCOMES

Seventy percent of Madagascar’s population lives below the poverty line. USAID seeks to accelerate economic growth through business and market development. Specifically, it encourages investment through strengthening links between producers, enterprises, and external markets; increases access to finance and more productive technology; and improves trade and investment policies. USAID made considerable progress in promoting export market development by sending two Malagasy textile and embroidery sector firms to the Las Vegas Apparel Sourcing Association Pavilion show in February 2004; $1 million in sales were reported from the event. The Agency also facilitated the signature of a $40,000 production contract between a farmers' cooperative and the private enterprise Biosave for the sale of ginger.

IMPROVING NATURAL RESOURCE MANAGEMENT

Madagascar is one of the three highest biodiversity conservation priority countries in the world because of the large number of species found there and nowhere else on Earth. USAID’s program to conserve biologically diverse forest ecosystems is designed to improve protected area management systems; maintain the biological integrity of critical biodiversity habitats; promote alternatives to the practice of slash-and-burn agriculture; support development of eco-enterprises; and improve environmental governance. In the two forest corridors where USAID is concentrating its activities, the rate of forest loss is one-third to one-half that of areas where USAID is not present. Approximately 20,000 farmers were using alternatives to slash-and-burn agricultural practices, resulting in an average increase in income of 31 percent.

INCREASING ACCESS TO QUALITY HEALTH CARE

Just under half of all children under five years of age are malnourished and life expectancy is only 55 years. HIV prevalence is relatively low for sub-Saharan Africa at 1.1 percent, but could increase if prevention measures are not taken. USAID is helping national and local HIV/AIDS organizations to encourage changing risky behavior and therefore reduce the spread of the virus. As a result, condom use is increasing among nonregular partners. USAID is helping to strengthen training in medical and nursing schools to improve the quality of health services. The Agency is also expanding access to potable water with simple, affordable treatment solutions, increasing access to clean water, promoting hygiene and sanitation, and improving local water management capacity.

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