A road destroyed by a cyclone in 2007 in Madagascar.

CARE began working in Madagascar in 1992.

CARE's work in Madagascar focuses around HIV/AIDS, food and agriculture, sustainability and disaster management.

Madagascar recently emerged from a prolonged political dispute over the outcome of the 2001 presidential election.

This political crisis devastated the economy and disrupted an already weak health care system. In addition, illegal exports of endangered flora and fauna increased during the crisis.

Madagascar is renowned for its biological diversity, which is now threatened by serious ecological problems including deforestation and soil erosion.

Fighting HIV and AIDS

CARE is helping local government authorities to establish committees to reduce the spread of HIV and AIDS.

We also train peer educators to raise awareness about HIV and AIDS, who teach others about the disease and promote the use of condoms.

Food production and agriculture

Madagascar’s primary source of income is agriculture, a sector that employs 88 per cent of workers.

Less than ten per cent of the land is used, due to lack of roads and irrigation systems, credit and marketing, and farm equipment.

In Madagascar, much of CARE's work focuses on helping poor communities increase food production and improve their ability to earn a living without reducing natural resources.