Release number IFAD/04/07

Rome, 9 February 2006 – A US$36 million development project in Niger will enable villagers in the Maradi region to develop financial and human resources to cope with periodic natural disasters, combat malnutrition, increase their income and improve the productivity of their crops and livestock.

The International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) will provide a loan of US$15.25 million and a grant of US$400,000 to help finance the Agricultural and Rural Rehabilitation and Development Initiative Project.

The agreements for the loan and grant were signed at IFAD’s headquarters today by the Ambassador of the Republic of Niger, Ausseil Mireille Fatouma, and IFAD’s Assistant President for External Affairs, Matthew Wyatt.

The Government of Niger will contribute US$4.15 million to the project. Additional funding will be provided by the World Food Programme (US$2.10 million), the Belgian Survival Fund (US$5.71 million) and the OPEC Fund for International Development (US$6.36 million).

The project aims to increase the incomes of poor rural households, improve basic services like water and education, establish food facilities at schools, and strengthen rural communities’ and the government’s ability to prevent or address crises such as crop infestations and drought. 

About 340,000 poor people will be reached by this project. Villages that are especially vulnerable to poverty and food insecurity will appoint a team of local people to be trained to conduct a census and assess the impact of poverty on individuals, households and communities. This census will generate plans for activities that will improve livelihoods.

Niger is one of the world’s poorest country and Maradi province has the largest concentration of poor rural people. It comprises three per cent of the country’s land area but 20 per cent of the population lives there. Half of the children under the age of five suffer from malnutrition. Locust attacks in 2004 and poor rains in 2005 resulted in an eight-month dry season that saw little economic activity and disinvestment that increased poverty.

Since starting operations in 1978, IFAD has provided financing for seven projects and programmes in Niger, with loans and grants totalling US$94.79 million.

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IFAD is a specialized agency of the United Nations dedicated to eradicating poverty and hunger in rural areas of developing countries. Through low-interest loans and grants, it develops and finances projects that enable rural poor people to overcome poverty themselves. There are 196 ongoing IFAD-supported rural poverty eradication programmes and projects, totalling US$6.6 billion. IFAD has invested more than US$3.1 billion in these initiatives. Cofinancing has been provided by governments, beneficiaries, multilateral and bilateral donors and other partners. At full development, these programmes will help nearly 89 million rural poor women and men to achieve better lives for themselves and their families. Since starting operations in 1978, IFAD has invested US$9.5 billion in 732 programmes and projects that have helped more than 300 million poor rural men and women achieve better lives for themselves and their families. Governments and other financing sources in the recipient countries, including project participants, have contributed US$9.0 billion, and multilateral, bilateral and other donors have provided another US$7.1 billion in cofinancing.