Niger: Context

Extreme poverty. Niger is a large Sahel country, a semi desert, characterized by frequent rain deficits, progressing desertification and important soil erosion. Only 3, 54 % of the territory is arable land. Cattle breeding, subsistence farming and uranium are the main resources.

According to the UNHDI classification (Human Development Index) Niger is said to be the second poorest country in the world. 63% of the population lives below the poverty threshold. Last year and today Niger was and still is suffering from an exceptional drought and a locust invasion which devastated crops, which caused the country to plunge into a deep hunger crises, (with famine breaking out in several regions). At present lofts are empty, cereal prices hit the roof (millet, corn, sorghum, rice) and are out of reach for the average citizen. On top of all that comes a serious problem of poor cereal supplies on the markets, which certainly does not make things easier.