Context
Niger is susceptible to food shortages due to its location, growing population and dependency on agriculture.
Farmers use rain-fed farming as their main form of cultivation. However, due to climate change, this method is becoming increasingly unreliable and more farmers are turning to irrigated cultivation methods. Despite its aridity, Niger has large underground water reserves, but this potential is barely utilised.
Objective
Farmers engaged in irrigated horticulture in the Agadez, Tahoua and Tillaberi regions farm their land in an innovative and environmentally-friendly manner.
Approach
The project promotes the expansion of small-scale irrigation, for example by improving the quality of agricultural advisory services. To achieve this, it trains representatives of agricultural associations, enabling them to become advisors. The counselling results for example in higher yields. At the same time, it ensures a balanced diet. The project also forms advisors in modern information technologies, for example smartphones. Thus, they can conduct counselling sessions with distant target groups or detect pests remotely.
The project also provides support to ensure that irrigated areas can be used on a long-term basis. It teaches the farmers agro-ecological methods to ensure soil fertility. Soil conservation also increases the level of groundwater and prevents soil degradation.
Further funding from the United States provides support with expanding the activities to other areas.
The consulting company ARGE ECO Consult implements some of the measures.
