At first glance, the only thing that connects Nantenaina Randrianasolo, a scrappy 25-year- old farmer, and Lucie Ramiarinarivo, the regional manager of Jacarandas, a large spice exporting business, is a keen appreciation of turmeric, the main ingredient in curry.
Nantenaina knows where and how to source, slice and dry the orange root from neighboring farmers in the lush agroforests surrounding Anivorano Est, in rural Madagascar where he lives. And Lucie’s team knows how to assess the quality of turmeric brought in by farmer cooperatives, how to store, grind and finally package for export vast quantities of the golden spice in the port city of Toamasina, three hours away.
Beyond the local spice trade, the economic fortunes of the smallholder farmer and agro-industrialist are also tied to something very basic: affordable and reliable access to power.
A recent trip down Route Nationale 2 (RN2), the main economic artery connecting the capital city of Antananarivo to Toamasina, Madagascar’s busiest port, shows why Mission 300’s ambition to accelerate the pace of change through energy reforms and investments could be transformative. From households gaining first-time connections, to large businesses and small entrepreneurs, power is an essential ingredient for economic growth and optimism about the future.
read more: https://www.worldbank.org/en/news/feature/2026/08/14/the-missing-ingredient-how-power-is-fueling-madagascar-s-economic-future
