Global Crisis Project:Madagascar

by GiGi, Aliana, Mario, and Aaron

In this Presentation, we will cover:● Population● Food Production● Disease● Example of Wildlife affected by humans

o Lemurs● Life Expectancy/Mortality Rate

Introduction to Madagascar

Madagascar, officially the Republic of Madagascar, and previously known as the Malagasy Republic, is an island country in the Indian Ocean, off the coast of South Africa. The nation comprises the island of Madagascar (the fourth-largest island in the world), as well as numerous smaller islands. Madagascar split from India around 88 million years ago, allowing native plants and animals to evolve in isolation. Madagascar is a biodiversity hotspot; over 90% of its wildlife is found nowhere else on Earth. The island's diverse ecosystems and unique wildlife are threatened by the the rapidly growing human population and other environmental threats.

PopulationOver the past 30 years, Madagascar’s population has

steadily increased and 22,924,851 people currently reside on the island. If the population keeps increasing like this, in the year 2024, there will be 32 million on the island. The amount of people that currently live on the island has already put a strain on the environment and if something doesn’t change, there could be mass food shortages, increased poverty, increased disease, etc. My advice to Madagascar is that they should make plans to prevent overcrowding and food shortage such as birth restrictions, increased border security to keep alien diseases from penetrating the island, and so on.

Population ContinuedEquation: Y= 13.01(1.03)^xY= Population (in millions)X= Number of Years

Food ProductionFood production in Madagascar is entirely based on the crops they grow. Each year, as the population rises, more crops are made not only as a food source but as a way to provide more jobs. As of now 78% of the workforce in Madagascar is solely in agriculture. This means almost all of Madagascar is dependent on the food they grow to make a living.

Food Production Continued

In order to continue to make more crops, they have to expand. This causes deforestation as they are forced to expand in the forests of Madagascar. A technique they use called “Slash and Burn”, takes a huge toll on the environment. The removal of trees is a factor of climate change as the trees are part of the water cycle by releasing water vapor back into the atmosphere. Without this, forest lands could become barren deserts. My advice to Madagascar is instead of removing forests to make their own resources, they should use the resources that are already provided such as animals, water, and fuel.

DiseaseDiseases in Madagascar are very infectious and dangerous to anyone who obtains them. These diseases kill about 59,000 people each year. Many of these diseases are caused by the consumption and contact of food, water, and animals in the local area. This could be the effect of climate change as it is possible for all of these factors to be affected from the change in the climate. Madagascar should focus on obtaining clean food and water for the people to lessen the number of deaths per year.

LemursMadagascar is home to over 100 different species of lemurs. But as the population rises more trees are being cut down and lemurs are hunted as food by some. This is the cause of the decline in the lemur population. Some say it could even be the start of their extinction. Climate change is also a factor as it greatens the amount and distribution of parasites that affect the lemur’s health. Models have predicted that with climate change, lemur parasite distribution could expand to 60%. In order to protect the lemur population, Madagascar should ban the hunting of lemurs and the destroying of their habitats to lessen their chance of extinction.

Life Expectancy/Mortality RateIn Madagascar the death rate is 7.1 deaths/ 1,000 people. On average the people of Madagascar have a life expectancy of 64.85 years. These rates cause the population to build up slowly over the years because of how many deaths that happen. Climate change affects these rates majorly, as it affects clean air, safe drinking water, the amount of food, and a secure shelter. These factors are important to the well-being of a person and can mean life or death for them. To change these rates, Madagascar should focus on investing their money for the people who need better health care and getting the living conditions they need in order to survive.