FAO/GIEWS: Africa Report - August 1997

NIGER

CURRENT SITUATION

Generally good rains in June permitted widespread plantings. Following first rains in the south-west and centre-south in late April and in the west in May, rains increased significantly over the main producing regions during the first dekad of June. In mid and late June, they decreased in the south but progressed northwards and to the south-east. Plantings are underway. Early planted millet is emerging/tillering.

Grain eating birds are concentrating in several arrondissements of Diffa department. Insect attacks are reported on maize in Agadez region. Grasshoppers are also present in several areas. Low numbers of solitary Desert Locust adults may be present in some parts of the Tamesna in the north. Numbers may increase slightly if adults appear from the east. Breeding on a small scale is expected to commence with the onset of the seasonal rains in this area.

Despite an above-average harvest in 1996, the food supply situation is tight in several areas which gathered poor crops in 1996, some for the second successive year. The National Early Warning System (SAPR) estimated that the nine arrondissements of Ouallam, Tahoua, Tanout, Tchintabaraden, N’Guigmi, Arlit, Tchirozerine, Bilma and Agadez commune are particularly vulnerable. Substantial population movements have notably been reported in Tanout area, in Zinder department. Twenty four other arrondissements are also classified as moderately vulnerable and need to be monitored closely. Cereal prices are much higher than last year at the same period and shortages have occurred. Imports from northern Nigeria are also lower than usual due to limited cereal availability. In late February, an assessment mission visited the vulnerable areas of Maradi, Tanout and Zinder departments and confirmed the tight food supply and nutritional situation. Migrations of entire families had increased. Remaining families were consuming wild food and selling small livestock or borrowing against future harvest. The situation varies greatly in the villages but assistance is most urgently needed in the arrondissement of Tanout and neighbouring areas of Dakoro arrondissement. Some assistance is also needed in urban areas where migrants from affected areas have concentrated, notably in Zinder. In the Tanout and northern Mirria area, WFP is expanding its ongoing development projects to provide food to an increased number of schools and health centres. WFP is also supplying food stocks to open 40 new cereal banks in addition to re-stocking some 72 existing cereal banks. Food aid distributions or food for work activities are underway in several arrondissements. However, distributions in affected areas are very slow. Urgent action is needed to expedite distribution or food for work activities.