Government to launch farming project

The government of Niger has launched a new farming initiative to promote cattle milk production with the aim of reducing poverty, lessening dependency on foreign milk products and cutting costs of milk imports. Niger has at least 21 million head of cattle. However it imports up to 10 billion francs CFA (US $152 m) worth of milk products a year. The new project is intended to improve food security and raise farmers incomes, the director of the government animal production department, Aboubacar Djibrillou said. The project, set to run for five years, is currently in its pilot phase. The government has allocated 300 million francs CFA ($458,000) to kick off the project which will first run in the capital, Niamey, and its environs; the regions of Zinder, Konni and Maradi. Niger's farming sector, which employs about 87 percent of the population, accounts for more than 35 percent of the country's gross domestic product and for 12 percent of the national economy. It will however face some obstacles in the implementation of the project, according to the authorities. Among others, the insufficiency of grazing land, the high dependency on rainfall as well as the lack of water points for the animals will have to be addressed as the project is extended to other parts of the country. Other major obstacles include the eradication of diseases that each year kill thousands of cattle and the low amount of financial investment into the farming sector, Djibrillou said.