Completed project
Women and Food Security (FSA)
April 2009 to April 2013
CAD$ 4,159,250
Funder
231,274 people, 51% women
Project implemented by the Alliance Agricole Internationale* (AAI)
- National and regional unit of Niger for prevention and management of food crises
- Office of the Canadian Embassy in Niger
- Decentralized state technical services
- Local NGOs
They plant - and then reap what they sow
Around the world women are particularly vulnerable to food shortages; they represent the bulk of the agricultural work force and are primarily responsible for the day-to-day subsistence of families. This is particularly true in Niger, where nearly 60% of the population experiences food insecurity. A Sahelian nation and one of the poorest in the world, Niger suffers recurring food crises. Headed by the AAI¹, the Women and Food Security Project (FSA) has taken effective action to reduce the impact of these crises.
Despite the difficult political and food security situation, the project attained solid results and improved living conditions for households in 85 villages of the five municipalities where it was implemented. For example, rehabilitation activities for degraded lands increased agricultural output. Groups of the most vulnerable people (mainly women) took up income-generating activities, such as developing farming areas and distributing small ruminants. They were subsequently able to build back up their savings and feed their families during the 2010 and 2011 food crises. Heads of household also took over managing certain project objectives and started their own self-financed activities.
Dynamic local development took root with this project and sustainability is now the key to its success. Municipal authorities and departmental technical services are largely responsible for project continuation. With the training they received, these local actors now exercise much improved management of their activities and do regular self-assessments. Mayors were made well aware of the importance of sustainability and integrated the project activities in their community development plans. The role of local actors mainly entails monitoring and testing grain banks to make sure they are managed in an efficient and transparent manner. In addition, these actors must make sure the perimeters of the developed farmland are maintained. They must also oversee the improved seed-producer cooperative that helps strengthen rural food security and reduce poverty.
By promoting the participation of women, which is key to sustainable food security, the project laid the groundwork to combat poverty in these five municipalities of Tahouna and Keita.
¹ The Alliance Agricole Internationale (AAI) is a platform for agricultural mobilization and action in developing countries that enables CECI, the Union des Producteurs Agricoles Développement International (UPA DI) and the Société de Coopération pour le Développement International (SOCODEVI) to combine their experience and their expertise to contribute more effectively to agricultural development.