Success stories in Agadez region, Niger

During a mission of UNCCD in the Agadez region in Niger in January 2017, the team discovered the “Projet d’Appui au Développement Agricole de l’Irhazer, du Tamesna et de l’Aïr” (project to support agricultural development of Irhazer, Tamesna and Aïr), supported by AREVA during 5 years, until 2020.

This very amazing experience aims to cultivate 5000 ha and shows how it’s possible by mobilizing water resources to cultivate vegetables with high level of productivity and good yield in one of the driest region of the country. You can make growth onions, mais, carots, alfalfa … and sell them on the market at local and national level.

In this project, green jobs were created by restoring degraded lands, involving vulnerable populations, particularly young, women and former rebels that left weapons to become farmers and thus, regaining their dignity.

This great experience should provide good guidance to implement 3S projects to be developed in Niger and elsewhere within the West African sub-region.