About this document: This desk study presents estimations of scale, severity and likely impact of a disaster and aims to inform decision making for preparedness and emergency response. Information has been collected through a review of secondary data, contact with the field and lessons learnt from past similar crises. The DNA is intended to complement and integrate assessment-related data from other agencies. Feedback to improve the DNA is welcome (dna@acaps.org). CaLP, infoasaid, ECB, MapAction and ACAPS thank agencies and NGOs who have shared data and analysis. Disclaimer: Information provided is provisional as it has not been possible to independently verify field reports. As this report covers highly dynamic subject, utility of the information may decrease with time. Please use the most recent update. References: Please note that sources are generally hyperlinked and that an accompanying glossary is available here.
Disaster Overview
Niger has seen rapid population growth and environmental change over the last 40 years. Arable surfaces have decreased, the population has multiplied by four, and the country is regularly affected by major food crises (three in the last decade). A food security assessment undertaken in December 2011 showed that more than 5.4 million people (35% of the population) are food insecure, of whom 1.3 million (8.5%) are severely food insecure. Government projections estimate the total number of people with food insecurity to be 6.4 million in April 2012.
All current information indicates that food deficits will persist until the next harvest season. The context and aggravating factors of this impending food crisis include: acute malnutrition prevalence remaining above emergency thresholds, rising food prices, scarce local labor opportunities, large scale movements of people seeking employment, arrival of refugees fleeing fighting in Mali, a disruption of the flow of remittances from neighboring countries also affected by crisis in 2011 which has generated the return of more than 240,000 unemployed migrants to Niger.
Pastoralist and agro-pastoralist communities are the most affected by the uneven harvest repartition and a massive fodder and cereal balance deficit: Niger is in a state of national food access crisis that will expand countrywide as harvest food availability decreases and import prices continue to increase.
Humanitarian agencies are active across Niger. Niger was the first Sahel country to develop an emergency response plan, considered as the most complete in the Sahel region to face the current crisis