Strengthening the Nutrition Outcomes Improvement Program (PARN)

The World Bank has approved an additional $90 million in financing to strengthen Madagascar’s nutrition program, a further step in the fight against chronic malnutrition, which still affects millions of families in the country.

This funding aims to strengthen the Nutrition Outcomes Improvement Program (PARN), launched in 2017 for a ten-year period, with a clear objective: to reduce stunting among children by 30% by 2028.

According to published information, the financing consists of $80 million from the International Development Association (IDA) and $10 million from the Global Financing Facility for Women, Children and Adolescents (GFF). The support is expected to expand the coverage of nutrition services in the most vulnerable regions of the country, where malnutrition rates remain particularly high.

In total, more than 5 million people are expected to benefit from this new phase, including children under five and pregnant or breastfeeding women. The Malagasy authorities and their partners aim to strengthen access to essential services, improve prevention, and accelerate treatment in areas most vulnerable to food insecurity and poverty.

This new funding confirms the strategic importance of nutrition in Madagascar’s development policies. In a context where social fragility and climate shocks weigh heavily on households, the World Bank is focusing on a long-term approach to break the vicious cycle of malnutrition, poverty, and stunting.