Madagascar is recognised as one of the most vulnerable countries worldwide to the repercussions of climate change.  Between 2018 and 2022, Southern Madagascar experienced a prolonged drought as rainfall became scarcer amid a changing climate. Issues with food security and widespread hunger resulted in reaching near-famine proportions. Climate change is linked with increased intensity of extreme climatic phenomena (storms, hurricanes, floods, strong winds, and droughts); extremely high temporal and spatial variability in rainfall, which is unpredictable; and decreased annual precipitation with more noticeable and/or frequent periods of drought. The southern region is among those most impacted by climate change, experiencing famine and consequently poverty due to drought. 

Increase Resilience to Climate Change of Smallholders Receiving the Services of the Inclusive Agricultural Value Chains Programme (known as DEFIS+) will help to reduce the negative impact of climate change by applying adaptation measures. It will build on positive lessons learned from previous International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) projects and from the ongoing IFAD investment programme. The project will be implemented around the following three complementary outcomes: strengthened climate resilience of agricultural production systems, increased income generation through improved market accessibility, and improved food and nutrition security.