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IMPACT – MADAGASCAR

RMI’s Program in Madagascar 

Mica mining in Madagascar

 In Madagascar, mica is primarily mined in the southern regions of Anosy, Ihorombe, and Androy – areas among the poorest in the country. As in Bihar and Jharkhand in India, communities face extreme poverty, isolation, insecurity, and limited access to education and healthcare, while a poorly enforced legal framework creates instability across the sector. These conditions contribute to persistent social and economic issues, including child labor, unsafe working conditions, dependence on mica mining for income, and minimal access to government services. 

A Region Under Pressure from Climate Change

Southern Madagascar is severely affected by climate shocks, especially the prolonged drought, which has devastated agriculture – the primary livelihood for many families. With declining crop yields and very low prices paid for mica, households face shrinking incomes and rising vulnerability. Because mica collection remains largely informal, most volumes are exported at low value, limiting economic benefits for local communities and increasing the risk of human rights violations. 

A Region Under Pressure from Climate Change

Southern Madagascar is severely affected by climate shocks, especially the prolonged drought, which has devastated agriculture – the primary livelihood for many families. With declining crop yields and very low prices paid for mica, households face shrinking incomes and rising vulnerability. Because mica collection remains largely informal, most volumes are exported at low value, limiting economic benefits for local communities and increasing the risk of human rights violations. 

RMI key achievements in Madagascar in 2025 

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third party audits conducted against the GWS at RMI exporter sorting sites

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ASM mines identified by RMI exporters to be onboarded on the Mica CRAFT Code implementation

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sessions of OHS training delivered at ASM mines

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pieces of PPE distributed at ASM mines

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miners that benefited from literacy training sessions

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schools built

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direct beneficiaries of RMI interventions

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water drills/pumps installed and 1 pump repaired

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children newly enrolled in schools

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members of mining community took part in participatory shows sensitizing on child labor’s elimination

Expert Insights from the Responsible Mica Initiative 

Testimony from Marine Gourvès, Country Manager for Madagascar at the Responsible Mica Initiative

Marine Gourvès

The RMI program in Madagascar faces significant challenges, unexpected events, and promising opportunities – yet is already delivering concrete, positive results.  

The challenges we face include:

  • Informal mica extraction conducted in indecent conditions, with very low incomes and widespread child labor.

  • Poor governance in the mining sector, characterized by the use of copies of administrative documents by informal actors in the supply chain that complexify traceability, by informal taxes imposed by certain authorities, and by the absence of the issuance of mining permits since 2011.  


  • A steady decline in mica export prices over the past decade, deepening poverty in mining communities and limiting the capacity of businesses to adopt responsible practices. 


  • Infrastructure gaps – few schools, health centers, roads, or utilities – and limited state capacity. For instance, mining authorities have a single vehicle to cover an area larger than Denmark (Anosy and Androy regions), and the Ministry of labor lack transportation to monitor child labor at mining sites.