CRS in Niger

Still Hungry in Niger

Back in July and August 2005, the situation in Niger was cause for international attention. A severe, localized food security crisis was affecting more than a third of the nation. Grain production was 11 percent below the five-year average and fodder production had reached a record low. Cereal prices skyrocketed to 180 percent the normal price, making these staple foods unavailable for vulnerable families without cash or assets.

child with toy

A mother and child waiting at a therapeutic feeding center in Doutchi.

Nationally, admission rates to therapeutic feeding centers treating malnourished children soared. Rates of mortality and acute malnutrition in very young children were above the emergency threshold. In response, the government of Niger and humanitarian agencies in the country asked for global aid.

Many people are now wondering if the situation in Niger has improved since the crisis of 2005. Here are the answers to some frequently asked questions:

Has the situation in Niger improved?

Yes, according to the government of Niger's Ministry of Agriculture, this year's cereal harvest produced 3.97 million tons, enough to meet national consumption requirements, compared to a 505,000-ton deficit in 2005. Cereals are widely available for purchase in local markets at stable prices.

Are the children of Niger still malnourished?

Yes, but the preliminary results of an assessment, conducted in December 2006 by the government of Niger, UNICEF, the World Food Programme and Helen Keller International, reveal that the rate of malnutrition dropped from 15.3 percent in 2005 to 10.3 percent in 2006. This success represents diligent efforts on the parts of the government of Niger, humanitarian agencies, communities and caregivers to improve child nutrition.

Does the situation in Niger still warrant international attention, concern and support?

Yes, although this year's harvest was better than those of years past, pockets of Niger still fell short in terms of food. As a result, many households will face food insecurity in the coming months. Child mortality is grievously high, and 43.8 percent of children are stunted — not having reached their target height for their age group — as a result of chronic malnutrition. Niger is still among the poorest countries in the world, with 63 percent of the population living on less than $1 a day.

How has CRS helped and what are you doing now?

CRS has been responding to food insecurity in Niger ever since we first established a presence there in 1991. In 2005, CRS and local partners responded to the crisis with a series of activities, including free food distributions, food-for-work programs, seeds and tools distributions by way of a seed vouchers and fairs program, and treatment of malnourished children through a nutritional rehabilitation program. We ultimately reached 259,670 direct beneficiaries and approximately 223,470 additional indirect beneficiaries in the districts of Dakoro, Ouallam, Tillabéri, Doutchi and Tanout.

Men gathering water from a well

Men gather water from a garden well in Konkorindo.

CRS and local partners continue to support Nigerien families. We have assisted them as they recovered from the previous year's shocks by:

In 2007, CRS will continue to assist vulnerable Nigerien households affected by crisis. In late February, CRS and partner Caritas Development Niger distributed tents and kitchen kits to 675 homeless families in Bilma who were suffering through cold temperatures after the past rainy season's floods.