Introduction
As highlighted by the World Food Programme (WFP) on July 28, 2025, “Food is a human right.” But what does this mean for the Malagasy population? And how can this right be strengthened to meet Madagascar’s food needs? These two questions will be addressed by examining the freedom to conduct business, the challenges linked to this freedom, and finally, some perspectives and recommendations in the conclusion.
Freedom to Conduct Business in the Food Sector
Freedom is often emphasized in democratic countries such as Madagascar, as well as in other democracies. From this perspective, everyone wants to enter the entrepreneurial world, often without acquiring or strengthening the necessary skills. The growing informal sector within the food industry clearly illustrates this trend. In the food sector, some individuals do receive university training or other forms of education. However, this is not sufficient to ensure access to safe and healthy food. While entrepreneurial freedom is important, consumers must also have easy access to information about what is safe or unsafe to eat for the well-being of all. Unfortunately, food transparency in Madagascar is severely lacking. Overall, despite this entrepreneurial freedom, most food services in Madagascar fail to meet the needs and rights of consumers.
The Violation of Consumer Rights
Beyond poisoning incidents, many Malagasy citizens die as a result of consuming unsafe food. In most cases, people eat food that has not been tested or approved by food experts. Many also consume products that are close to expiry—or already expired. In reality, even when people want to eat healthy food, it is often too expensive. As a result, consumer rights are violated in many ways. The rapid expansion of informal food stalls—both in city centers and on the outskirts—shows the scale of this issue. Moreover, the government offers almost no awareness campaigns on food safety, except in extreme situations that threaten public order. Recent cases of fatal food poisoning in some regions demonstrate this clearly: the government suddenly decides to burn expired food products, exposing the lack of preventive consumer protection policies. This situation is undeniable evidence of the widespread neglect of consumer rights in Madagascar.
Conclusion
Calling for individual responsibility is always a good option when addressing social injustice in the food sector. However, food education should also be integrated into the school system, starting within families and expanding into institutions at all levels. Collaboration with doctors to raise awareness about healthy and unsafe food choices is highly recommended. Strengthening the agricultural sector is also essential to meet Madagascar’s food needs, ensuring close cooperation between all relevant stakeholders.
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