In 2002 Madagascar's new governmentunder President Mark Ravolamana recognized the urgency ofaddressing the peoples' high expectations for concreteeconomic and social improvements. While it rushed to put theeconomy back on track and improve the quality of life, itsvision and strategy for reform was no match for therealities on the ground. By the time the Ravolamananagovernment assumed power in 2002, GDP had declined by 13percent, key public services were discontinued, and thepoverty rate soared from 69 percent in 2001 to 80 percent.There was widespread joblessness and high inflation. Withinthe government, there was little capacity for policyplanning or monitoring and evaluation in most sectors.Collaboration was weak, with no existing mechanism to allowfor a joint ministerial response to problems that cut acrosssectors. In February 2005, when the government launched itsfirst rapid results pilot, the goal was to mitigate theeffects of a significant shortfall in rice production,importation, and distribution. The crisis was solved by acombination of policy-based and technical interventions.Rice production increased significantly in two of the fourtargeted regions when the rapid results approach (RRA) wasapplied. In the region of Boeny, production went from 2.5tons per hectare in 2004 to 4 tons per hectare in 2005, andin the region of Menabe, it increased from 22,000 tons to37,000 tons.
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