MADAGASCAR, 4 February, 2021 (TON): The World Bank and the United States donated $200 million to Madagascar to fight hunger in the south, from where thousands of Malagasy locals are also fleeing drought.

This year the number of migrants is increased because consequences compounded by the ongoing pandemic situation.

Soazoloke Tsimarivo, a migrant from the south, shares the recent choice he made to seek better opportunities, "I only had two zebus, I got them sold for around 146 dollars and used the money to finance my trip with my children."

In search of work, the family heads North in the vanilla production industry as thousands of men from the south leave to work elsewhere for a few months before returning home.

Mara who left everything to grow cassava in the north-west said, "I sold my house and my land for about 53 dollars when I had bought it for 266 dollars. I was so sad; I even had tears in my eyes”.

In the year 2020, famine hit hard in the Androy and Anosy regions.

In a local health centre in southern Madagascar, the number of malnourished children doubled in one year.

To fight against hunger, the state plans to build pipelines in 4 major rivers. The project, scheduled to begin this year, costs $280 million. But so far, only $20 million has been released.

Simon Robison Randriatsiferana, the Secretary-General of the Ministry of Water, outlined the project in view and said, "We are going to exploit the EFAHO river by creating water arrivals to the Ambovombe plain. Thanks to this, there will be a plain of 120,000 hectares which will be arable. If this project becomes a reality, this plain will be able to meet the water and food needs of the entire southern part of the country. Up to 250,000 people will be able to benefit from this project".

Besides looking after the people, the authorities and government, simultaneously taking care and initiating few other projects including, granting thousands of hectares of arable land to 1500 migrant families etc, to ease the situation and serve the people in providing a better living.