Madagascar has unveiled a national digital agriculture infrastructure alongside three new digital services aimed at transforming the country’s agricultural sector, marking a significant step in its efforts to improve food security, strengthen climate resilience and modernize farming through technology.
The initiative was officially launched during a national workshop in Antananarivo focused on developing Madagascar’s Digital Agriculture Roadmap. The programme is being led jointly by the Ministry of Agriculture, the Ministry of Livestock and the Ministry of Digital Development, with technical and financial support from the World Bank through the Korea-World Bank Partnership Facility and the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO).
At the heart of the programme is a new public digital agriculture infrastructure designed to create an integrated and interoperable digital ecosystem for the agriculture, livestock and fisheries sectors. Officials say the platform will improve data sharing between government institutions while ensuring data sovereignty and supporting better planning, policy implementation and service delivery.
The government simultaneously introduced three flagship digital services that are expected to improve the daily operations of farmers across the country. The first is a national agricultural producer registry, which will establish a comprehensive database of farmers to support more efficient policy implementation, agricultural planning and targeted government assistance. The second combines a real-time agricultural commodity price monitoring system with weather alerts, enabling farmers to make better production and marketing decisions while preparing for changing weather conditions. The third is a digital advisory platform that delivers customized farming recommendations based on crop type, location and local climate conditions, helping producers improve productivity and manage climate-related risks.
Government officials said the digital services are intended to bridge longstanding information gaps that have limited agricultural productivity. By providing farmers with timely market intelligence, weather forecasts and technical guidance, authorities hope to improve yields, reduce post-harvest losses and strengthen rural incomes.
The technology solutions will be developed by three selected private-sector companies under the supervision of technical adviser NextA. Authorities indicated that similar digital initiatives are already being introduced within the livestock sector, including projects focused on digital beehive management and electronic health monitoring systems for cattle, demonstrating the government’s broader commitment to digital transformation across agricultural value chains.
Agriculture remains the backbone of Madagascar’s economy, accounting for nearly 30 percent of gross domestic product, generating about 40 percent of export earnings and providing livelihoods for roughly 70 percent of the population. Despite its economic importance, the sector continues to face significant challenges, including low productivity, limited access to extension services, inadequate market information and increasing vulnerability to climate change.
Experts believe digital technologies can play a critical role in addressing many of these challenges. Mobile-based advisory services, digital marketplaces and real-time weather forecasting have increasingly become important tools for improving agricultural productivity, enhancing supply chain efficiency and expanding financial inclusion for farmers across Africa. By investing in digital infrastructure, Madagascar aims to accelerate the adoption of these technologies while creating a stronger foundation for long-term agricultural development.
The new initiative forms part of Madagascar’s broader Digital Agriculture Roadmap, which has been developed over several years in collaboration with international development partners. The roadmap focuses on strengthening agricultural data systems, expanding digital public infrastructure, improving governance and encouraging wider adoption of technology-driven agricultural services throughout the country.
Government officials believe improved digital connectivity will also enhance coordination between public institutions, private companies and farmers, making it easier to deliver subsidies, monitor agricultural production and respond more effectively to food security challenges. Better data collection is expected to support evidence-based policymaking while increasing transparency across agricultural programmes.
The rollout reflects a broader trend across Africa, where governments are investing in digital agriculture to improve resilience against climate shocks and rising food demand. Digital platforms are increasingly being used to connect farmers with buyers, provide access to financial services and deliver precision farming advice that can increase efficiency and reduce production risks.
For Madagascar, the launch represents more than a technological upgrade. It signals a strategic shift toward data-driven agriculture that places digital innovation at the centre of rural development. As implementation progresses, the government expects the new infrastructure and services to improve productivity, strengthen food security and enhance the competitiveness of one of the country’s most important economic sectors while creating a more resilient agricultural system for the future.
