Rice carries a particular significance for Malagasy people. This study offers empirical insights into which rice attributesAttributes are preferred in rural Madagascar, considering both producers’ and consumers’ perspectives. We conducted an interview-based household survey of 596 randomly selected rice-producing households in the Vakinankaratra region. As producers, the dominant preference was for high productivity, followed by early maturity and drought resistance. As consumers, qualities such as cleanliness and purity were important, and sweetness was expressly preferred. While boosting productivity remains critical, understanding consumer preferences is also important because it is transmitted through markets and affects production decisions. We also identified several unique characteristics of Malagasy rice preferences, such as the tendency to prefer local, non-scented rice, in contrast to the preference for aromatic imported rice observed in many other African countries. The comprehensive findings of this study on Malagasy rice preferences could contribute to the development of targeted rice breeding and marketing strategies in Madagascar.