Food crisis in Niger
The Fulani tribe, whose village was among the hardest-hit by last year's famine, stand in front of their newly dedicated food bank.
Each bank is stocked with several tons of millet, a common cereal grain, that will sustain approx.
600 families during seasons of drought and famine.
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NIGER, Africa - In the wake of last year's devastating famine and with another predicted to
hit this year, food security in Niger is a critical issue. To help communities survive the dry
season, Operation Blessing has constructed a permanent food bank building near the village of
Diagourou, 100 miles outside the capital city.
"We hope to construct five more banks in the area before the arrival of this year's drought,"
said David Darg, OBI's assistant director of international programs.
The bank, which was officially dedicated on March 17, is a much-needed solution following last
year's famine that left 3.6 million residents of Niger on the brink of starvation and continues to
plague much of West Africa. OBI partnered with Humedica and the World Food Program to help distribute
more than 5,000 tons of food and provide medicine and healthcare services to villagers.
The recent construction of the food bank is part of OBI's long-term solution to fight Niger's
ongoing food crisis. "Unlike last year, the villagers now have a lifeline and will receive millet
from the bank," Darg said. "There is enough millet in the bank to sustain 600 families until rainy
season, when they can grow crops again."
To ensure a sufficient supply of food, villagers will give a portion of their harvest to the food
bank to replenish the millet stock for the next year. A committee will oversee the distribution and
restocking of the food bank and issue cards to villagers to track the amount of grain each family
receives from the bank during times of famine.
With the launch of the food bank program, OBI has also established a new regional center in the
capital city of Niamey to better support food security projects as well as provide medical aid and
supply clean water to villages across Niger.
In addition, ongoing micro-enterprise projects in the neighboring country of Burkina Faso are
helping villagers generate food and income year-round. The project, which was started over two years
ago, has been so successful that it is now being replicated in the country of Senegal. Villagers are
given plots of land to grow fruits and vegetables and then sell in the local market. A water well is
drilled in close proximity to the garden which ensures continual irrigation and harvesting of crops –
giving families not only food to survive, but a steady income.
How You Can Help
Across the U.S. and throughout the world, hundreds of thousands of people go hungry every day.
You can help Operation Blessing continue to provide food to the hungry and fund other life-changing
works by making an online contribution.
Thank you for partnering with us to break the cycle of suffering.
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