Increasing the Resilience of the Food Systems
In Islamic States in Face of Future Food Crises
83
4.3. Field Case Studies
4.3.1. Niger
Background
Niger is the largest landlocked country in West Africa. It also remains one of the poorest
countries in the world, with a poverty rate of 44.1%.329 An estimated 80%330 of the population
works in the agricultural sector, contributing nearly 47%331 to Niger’s GDP. This sector is, thus,
highly significant to the country’s overall economic stability.
Overview of Food Security in Niger
According to the EIU Food Security Index 2018, Niger ranks 104th 332 among the 113 countries
evaluated. Among the OIC countries, Niger only ranks ahead of Chad (108th), Sierra Leone
(109th) and Yemen (110th). Nearly 20%of the population is vulnerable to food insecurity. When
there are rainfall deficits, this increases to nearly 30%.333 This vulnerability is worsened by
constraints such as a lack of (or inadequate) access to seeds, fertilizers, and capital; weak
markets and governance systems; climatic variations, crop pests and disease outbreaks, and
insufficient water resources.334
Figure 22: Niger Food Security Performance
Metric
Global
rank
Global
score
Score visualization
Availability 96 45.1
Access and
Affordability
106 22.5
Quality and
Safety
104 30.2
Overall 104 33.7
Source: EIU Food Security Index, 2018
329 Country Overview. Retrieved from:
330 Niger. Retrieved from:
331 Ibid
332 The Global Food Security Index. Retrieved from:
333 Niger. Retrieved
334 USAID. (2017). USAID Office of Food for PeaceFood Security Desk Review for Niger. USAID.
0
20
40
60
80
100
1) AFFORDABILITY
2) AVAILABILITY
3) QUALITY AND
SAFETY
Niger Average score (all countries)