Combating Hunger via Livestock for Families, Niger

Summary

RI's Livestock Program is supplying starving pastoral households or communities, the most vulnerable populations in Niger, with herds & flocks of livestock for income & food supplies during droughts.

What is the issue, problem, or challenge?

With the onset of a devastating drought in 2005, survival became especially difficult for pastoral families. Most of their wealth & livelihoods lies in the flocks of cows, sheep & goats that they tend in the Sahara desert. Restocking animals is an important strategy to help pastoral households & communities build up sustainable income and food supplies. The project targets pastoral families who have lost their livestock & have suffered through months of chronic hunger & thirst.

How will this project solve this problem?

With a local partner, RI is organizing Livestock Fairs in 12 villages to provide animals to the poverty-stricken Nigerian households as well as to train animal health workers in each village. All profits are kept within the communities.

Potential Long Term Impact

The project provides individual pastoral households and ultimately whole communitites the livestock to sustain their livelihoods and secure their food source. It will boost & integrate the communities' economies to benefit the entire country.

Project Message

"This is a foundational program that provides practical & sustainable resources for Nigeriens to survive & with its expansion, will require more financial support."
- Relief International, Program Director

Additional Documentation

This project has provided additional documentation in a Microsoft Word file (projdoc.doc).

Resources