The Context
Majority of people in Niger depend on the agricultural economy for their livelihood. Subsistence farming, livestock and informal trade in other crops dominate the country’s agriculture sector which is experiencing land degradation, desertification, and variable rainfalls patterns. According to USAID, frequent droughts in the region often damage crop yields, leading to food shortages in the country. Chronic food insecurity and a high prevalence of infectious diseases have led Niger to record some of the highest malnutrition and mortality rates in the world. According to United Nations estimates, nearly 3.4 million Nigeriens are chronically food insecure. More than 40 percent of children under 5 years of age suffer from chronic malnutrition and acute malnutrition rates regularly exceed the World Health Organization’s threshold of serious concern of ten percent.
The completion of the World Bank-funded National Agricultural Research Project in 1998 plunged Niger’s agricultural research into severe financial crisis lasting more than a decade. Since 2009, agricultural research capacity and investment levels have gradually begun to recover, in large part due to another World Bank loan-funded project, WAAPP, which is intended to support the country’s livestock research; various capacity building initiatives; and the generation, dissemination, and adoption of new technologies.
CORAF’s work in Niger
CORAF works hand-in-hand with the national agricultural research systems of Niger as well as the Regional Center of Specialization Livestock to devise science and technology solutions to enable agriculture actors to deal with some of these challenges.
Impact
To date, CORAF’s Work has contributed to:
- Generating high-performing agricultural innovative technologies;
- Increase in agricultural productivity through the provision of high-yielding varieties;
- Construction and rehabilitation of agricultural research and development infrastructure;
- Improved access to innovations and technologies by producers;
- Increase in incomes of producers;
- Strengthening of the capacity of agricultural research
- Reduction in poverty, hunger, and malnutrition in rural areas
Agriculture Research and Development in Niger
The Niger National Institute of Agricultural Research (INRAN) is Niger’s principal agricultural research agency. Administered by the Ministry of Agriculture, INRAN conducts research on crops, livestock, natural resources, socioeconomics, and agricultural engineering.
The National Agricultural Research Institute of Niger (INRAN) was created in 1975, and it is currently placed under the Ministry of Agricultural Development.
I would like to take this opportunity to reiterate the commitment of the Government of Niger to assist you in the search for ways and means to promote the agro-sylvo-pastoral systems
HE Mr. Abdou LABO, Niger’s Minister of State, Minister of Agriculture at the opening ceremony of CORAF’s 2014 General assembly
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Contact CNS Niger
First Name: Mr ADAKAL
Last Name: HASSANE
Institution: WAAPP Niger
Title: Coordonnateur CNS
Email: hassaneadakal@yahoo.fr
Phone: +227 98 93 93 93
PB/City: B.P. 429 – Niamey
Fax: 227 20 72 21 44
Contact INRAN Niger
First Name: Dr Mella
Last Name: MAMANE
Institution: INRAN
Title: Directeur Général
Email: marouma2009@yahoo.fr
Phone: 227 20 72 53 89
PB/City: B.P. 429 – Niamey