from AISHA NDIAYE in Niamey, Niger
Niger Bureau
NIAMEY, (CAJ News) – WITH 80% of Niger’s population reliant on rain-fed farming and nearly four in ten facing food insecurity, the International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT) has reaffirmed its four-decade commitment to helping the country withstand intensifying climate threats.
ICRISAT’s Country Representative, Prof. Falalou Hamidou, met with Niger’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Cooperation, and Nigeriens Abroad, Bakary Yaou Sangaré, to outline new measures for sustainable agriculture and food sovereignty.
Minister Sangaré praised ICRISAT’s long-standing partnership, describing the organization as “always welcome, the ministry is its home.”
Operating from its Sadoré Research Station, ICRISAT has developed technologies in crop improvement, livestock integration, soil and water management, and landscape restoration.
These innovations, including drought-tolerant millet and sorghum varieties, have already helped farmers adapt to Niger’s harsh dryland conditions.
Prof. Hamidou stressed the institute’s readiness to align with government priorities, including irrigation programs and food sovereignty initiatives championed by the president.
Scaling up proven innovations, he said, would strengthen farmer resilience and deliver sustainable returns.
ICRISAT Director General, Dr Himanshu Pathak, emphasized Niger’s global role as an example of dryland resilience.
“For over forty years, ICRISAT has been privileged to turn science into solutions that help farmers face drought, restore soils, and feed their families with dignity,” he said.
Minister Sangaré confirmed plans to visit the Sadoré station with the Agriculture and Livestock Minister to explore joint strategies for advancing Niger’s agricultural development goals.
– CAJ News