To develop a shared vision and strategy for a more resilient and sustainable urban food system, Antananarivo’s City Region Food System (CRFS) multistakeholder platform (Système Alimentaire de la Région Urbaine, SARU), was convened on February 16, 2022. Relevant food system stakeholders gathered to discuss the main findings and recommendations of an in-depth assessment on the Antananarivo city region food system, which was conducted with the support of FAO. 

The meeting activated debates on the elaboration of the strategy and the establishment of a detailed program. This process, the action planning phase, includes the identification of short, medium and long-term measures to strengthen the capacities of communities and food system actors to anticipate, prevent, resist, absorb, and adapt to climate change, the COVID-19 pandemic, and other shocks and stresses.

Three thematic groups were created to better structure discussions focused on: agricultural production, food system resilience and cross-cutting issues such as governance, gender, finance and capacity building. In the coming weeks, regular meetings with each thematic group will continue in order to develop a detailed action plan. A political committee (Mayor of the Urban Commune of Antananarivo, Mayors of the production communes, Governor of the Analamanga Region, Minister of Agriculture, Minister of Land Management, and FAO representatives) will participate in the development of the document, which will be followed by a validation workshop for all stakeholders. 

The three priority topics for discussion that bring stakeholders together are: governance of land and water, the need for agricultural diversification and intensification, and market restructuring. 

Governance is identified as a major obstacle within the food system. Existing challenges include the non-transparent and non-participatory management of public affairs, the lack of a shared vision for development, the lack of real political will for change, corruption and impunity. Thus, the involvement of multiple stakeholders and the revitalization of existing dialogue frameworks in order to obtain the full support of as many stakeholders as possible are identified as determining factors for strengthening resilience in this region.

Regarding agricultural production, sustainable intensification and diversification of food production for enhanced quantity and quality are required to not only improve the state of food and nutrition security, but also to strengthen resilience towards multiple shocks and stresses.

In view of increasing urbanization in Antananarivo, the demand for agricultural products is growing both in volume and diversity. This demand is only partially met by an informal private sector, but at selling prices that are too low to make these products economically attractive. In addition, the commercial sector is often confronted with numerous logistical difficulties in the production areas that increase the transaction costs of agricultural production.

In the coming months, the FAO team will work closely with CRFS partners and provide technical support to facilitate the action planning phase.  

Photo: ©FAO / Volantiana Raharinaivo