Attachments
Key highlights
• According to estimates by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations’ (FAO’s) Data in Emergencies (DIEM), nearly 290 000 agricultural households (representing approximately 2.1 million people and 9 percent of the total population) in the Niger – excluding the urban community of Niamey – require emergency agricultural assistance to maintain their food security. The majority of these households are located in the regions of Tillabéri (81 976), Zinder (70 104) and Tahoua (61 422), followed by Maradi (29 749) and Dosso (29 300) (Figure 1).
• Agricultural households in need of emergency assistance (AgHiN) have poor food consumption, primarily due to economic shocks (reported by 51 percent of households), combined with shocks disrupting agricultural production (36 percent) and, to a lesser extent, exposure to natural disasters (24 percent) and insecurity (12 percent – particularly in the regions of Tillabéri, Diffa and Dosso). The vulnerability of AgHiN is linked to structural economic and productive weaknesses, as well as specific climatic and security shocks. Among the AgHiN, 53 percent were exposed to conflict and insecurity in the year preceding the survey. Combined with other structural factors – low asset endowment, precarious housing and distance from basic services – insecurity is a key driver of vulnerability.
• Despite a generally favourable 2025 agricultural and pastoral season from an agroclimatic perspective, and given the aforementioned structural vulnerabilities, 78 percent of livestock farmers in need reported a decrease in the size of their herds, and 75 percent of crop farmers reported lower harvests compared with a normal year.
• In the agriculture sector, the reported difficulties mainly concern production: 89 percent of crop farmers and 60 percent of livestock farmers reported facing at least one production constraint. These mainly involved crop pests, water shortages, and crop and livestock diseases.
• While three-quarters of the AgHiN reported no major marketing difficulties, some constraints persist, including losses related to storage, difficulties accessing markets and decreased demand. These constraints should not be overlooked.
• Food assistance remains the top priority for the AgHiN (96 percent), followed by support for agricultural activities (60 percent), generally combined with other types of assistance. The most frequently requested forms of agricultural intervention are the provision of inputs for crop production, the development of agricultural infrastructure and access to veterinary services and livestock feed. In the six months preceding the survey, 91 percent of the AgHiN had received no assistance. The very high beneficiary satisfaction rate (96 percent) suggests that coverage and alignment with production constraints are the main challenges.
• Analysis of the survey results suggests a phased response in the areas with the highest concentration of AgHiN – Tillabéri and Liptako-Gourma – prioritizing households facing additional vulnerability factors (displacement and disability). The response should include: - food assistance during the lean season to stabilize consumption and prevent asset sales; - distribution of inputs aligned with the agricultural calendar to restore productive capacity; and - support for agricultural services and infrastructure.