Topic: DROUGHT, DESERTIFICATION AND FAMINE: CHALLENGES FOR FOOD SECURITY IN NIGER REPUBLIC

Chapter One

INTRODUCTION

1.1 Background of the Study

The inability of man to meet his food needs has continued to pose challenges to his livelihood and survival. This could be as the result of harsh natural conditions or due to social and economic factors. Governments’ role is to provide an environment conducive for citizens to meet their food demands. Failure to achieve that goal can lead to social disturbances and economic crises. The consequences of these crises are deterioration in living conditions and the advent of poverty and sometimes hunger. Poverty and hunger, when occurring at a large scale and for an extended period of time, lead to famine. Recurring onsets of famine are a serious food security threat for Niger. The issue concerns the larger portion of the population living from agricultural activities. In Niger, as in other African countries especially those in the Sahel, agriculture is suffering from climate instability, lack of adequate infrastructure and bad economic policies. Other obstacles to rural economic progress include; Increase in food demand by a growing population, urbanization which is emptying rural areas from workforce, absence of bank credit support for agriculture, reluctance by, or inability of, the State to invest in agriculture. Succession of bad crop years prevents farmers from generating a stable cash flow and substantial savings to finance productive investment. The immediate consequence is the increased dependency on food imports on one hand(GON Annual report, 2008:29) and international emergency aid on the other hand. In Niger, deficits can reach record levels of 600,000 tons corresponding to 80% of deficit (Ibidem, 29). Over the period between 1980 and 2010, the gap between demand and supply indicates an average rate deficit of 22% per year (Ibid 29).The gap is thus wide and permanent. By weakening the nutritional status of the population, the recurrence of deficits reduces the ability to produce. The drop in productivity leads to even larger deficits, making savings impossible at a moment when health problems due to nutritional deficiencies increase financial needs.

1.2 Statement of Problem

The predominance of the primary sector which depends heavily on weather conditions, is poorly diversified and has low productivity is at the core of the structural food insecurity in the country. The food insecurity, that is, the daily fight for subsistence, means that the peasant population is unable to break the cycle of poverty. The poverty compounds the effects of food crises and turns them into famine. This paper aims to understand the mechanisms that lead to famines and the characteristics of food crises in Niger. It will review agricultural policies and assess their impact on food security. It will look at mechanisms of prevention and management of outbreak of famines. To do this, the research shall seek to answer the following questions: a. What are the influences of the economic international environment on agriculture development in Niger? b. What are the effects of Niger successive Governments policies on agriculture development and hence on food security? c. What are the strategies put in place to respond to food crises in the country? d. What are the factors of the food crises and what to do to remedy the situation?

1.3 Aim and Objectives of the Study

The Objectives of the study stems from these questions and are as follows: a. To examine the global context impacting agricultural development in Niger. b. To review government’s policies,put in place since the independence, destined to achieving food security. c. To assess the mechanisms of management of food crises and the responses of various actors to food insecurity. d. To identify factors and variables leading to food crises and famines. e. To proffer solutions for an effective agricultural policy aimed at addressing the root causes of food insecurity in Niger.

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