Niger, a vast, arid, landlocked country is located on the edge of the Sahara desert and is believed to be one of the world's poorest nations. This poverty stricken nation is in the midst of a food crisis in which 25% of its 12 million population are now in desperate need of food aid. The food crisis is the result of a number of factors, one of which was the poor harvest last year. Drought in 2004 meant that the food crop available for harvest was far lower than normal and much of the crop that did survive the drought was ravised by plagues of locusts. Niger's problems are due to a combination of both physical and human factors, including climate change and drought as well as corruption and the failure of development policies. The warning signs of a crisis have been around for a number of months and there concerns have been voiced over why aid has not appeared before. Some figures currently suggest that one in four children are dying before the age of 5. The problem has become increasingly severe as due to the food crisis, many children are frail and suffering the effects of malnutrition which has left them vulnerable to disease etc. An acute shortage of safe drinking water in some areas has made matters worse. Funds for aid are being raised and charities are working in Niger to distribute food to those in need.

Article Entry - 7th August 2005

Follow up links:

Niger Country Profile (BBC)

Niger's Silent Hunger (BBC)

Niger's People Living on the Edge (BBC)

Niger Food Crisis Timeline (BBC) - Background to the Crisis

Aid and the Crisis

West Africa Crisis (Red Cross)

Food Crisis and Aid (what lies behind the food shortages and how aid can help)

Niger Food Crisis (Medecins Sans Frontieres)

West Africa Food Crisis - your questions answered (Oxfam)

Syllabus Links:

Year 12 – (Unit 2 - Human Environments: 2.1 Population) The relationship between population and resources

Year 13 (Unit 5 - Human Systems, Processes and Patterns: 5.2 Rural-Urban Interrelationships) 5.2.2 – physical constraints of agricultural systems and 5.3.3 Factors affecting the rate of development and the role of international links (aid etc.) in the development process