To diversify water sources and provide a sustainable solution to the drought in the South, the government signed an agreement yesterday to install a seawater desalination plant in Ambovombe.
Colonel Michaël Randrianirina, representing the Head of State, described this as a first in the country’s history during the signing ceremony at the Ambohitsorohitra Palace. The project, located in Tsirangoty, Ambovombe district, will include a 7-kilometer pipeline to transport drinking water to the commune. The initiative is a partnership between the State and the company ‘Aureate Resources’.
This project complements existing infrastructure, such as the Mandrare River pumping station and various borehole projects. Colonel Randrianirina, a native of the Androy region, emphasized the critical need for water, noting that the lack of it has long hindered the region’s agricultural and economic potential, leaving over two million people at risk of food insecurity.
The desalination unit aims to be operational by late January 2027, with a production capacity of approximately 1,500 cubic meters of drinking water per day, benefiting over 75,000 residents. While the project is a significant technological step, experts highlight the need to manage high energy costs and potential environmental impacts, particularly regarding brine discharge.
Despite these challenges, the government views desalination as a strategic adaptation to climate change, offering a reliable, inexhaustible water source independent of rainfall, which could mark a turning point in the fight against chronic drought in Madagascar’s southern regions.
Captured & Published at: 2026-08-07 06:23:34 (Madagascar Local Time EAT)
Original Source: https://www.lexpress.mg/2026/08/secheresse-dans-le-sud-letat-fait-le.html