Brussels: Hunger in Madagascar is projected to worsen later this year, with the number of people facing crisis levels of food insecurity expected to rise by 75%, according to a report published by Save the Children.

According to Anadolu Agency, about 502,000 children under the age of five, or one in 10 children in the country, along with 21,000 pregnant and breastfeeding women, are likely to suffer from acute malnutrition between May 2026 and April 2027. This includes approximately 78,000 children expected to experience severe acute malnutrition, the most critical form requiring urgent medical treatment, as noted by the Global Hunger Monitor, Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC).

The report further estimated that the number of individuals facing crisis levels of hunger between October this year and February next year could rise to 3.72 million, representing about 10% of the population. Nearly 426,000 people are anticipated to face emergency conditions, more than double the current figure.

"Save the Children is calling on the international community to urgently increase humanitarian funding for food assistance, nutrition services, healthcare, and climate-resilient support for vulnerable families before conditions worsen during the lean season," Tatiana Dasy, the organization's country representative to Madagascar, emphasized in her comments on the report.