Why Is Niger Starving?

Some Background on Niger

Since ancient times drought and desertification have been inherent features of the area that is now known as Niger . For this reason, some people from northern Niger emigrated to the south. Afterwards, these people developed skills in copper and iron metallurgy.

Since that time, the region withdrew into itself. And at the time of their first contact with Islam, Uqba ibn Nafi founded a local dynasty and some cities in these lands have remained since the 10th century under the rule of the Kanem state, the Songhaïs state, the Inussufu state, and the Hausa state.

After the advent of the Hausa states, Niger began opening itself to the outer world. This was because of the caravan routes initiated by the Hausa people, who opened up the region, created new methods of ruling, and improved the Islamic progress.  

In the 11th century, this development reached its peak and Sheikh Zakariya became famous by building a fabulous minaret in the city of Agadez which was then a strategic place. After the accession of Bawa Jan Gwarzo to the throne (1771-1789), the Hausa people began facing instability. But at the end of the 18th century, the scholars decided to reform the society.

The scholar Mallam Jibril Dan Umar  lead this movement, but his best disciple Usman Dan Fodio was more fortunate and succeeded in building a vast dynasty which extended from Tera ( Niger) to Dori (Burkina Faso) and Adamawa (Cameroon), with Sokoto (Nigeria) as the main city.

Thanks to this new ideal, Niger entered an intellectual and literary boom, in Arabic, Hausa, and other languages. At the end of the 19th century, the French authorities sent some missions to Niger like the Fourreau and Lamy missions. Afterwards, they sent some armed legions which faced resistance until 1917.

Under French colonization, the Islamic environment of Niger , which was for him extremely important in order to face its chronic droughts, was replaced by the French occidental Africa (FOA).

From 1922, Niger became a French colony. The French colonial administration buckled down to reduce the power of the emirs on one hand, while trying to reduce the influence of the north.

In 1960, Niger attained independence at the same time as other French colonies of West Africa . But unfortunately, the country was deprived simultaneously of its pre-colonial Islamic environment and its French Occidental African environment.

After some political trembling, Niger equipped itself with a democratic pluralist system.  But due to it lack of resources, the country is unable to face its ancient problem of drought and starvation which is now affecting at least 2.5 million people from the 11 million people of Niger.

Why Niger Is Starving

Some people may think that the locust invasion is the only explanation for this lack of food. It is important to know that besides this fact, there are other explanations as important as the locust invasion. 

The Weakness of the State

The government of Niger which has to face so many challenges is ruling one of the driest countries in the continent whose suffering has been aggravated by the new frontiers imposed by colonial rule. On the other hand, like all the countries of the third world, Niger is always paying back the debt from international sponsors, even during this period of starvation in the country. This situation deprives the government of an important part of the few resources available. At least, this weakness pushed the government to privatize some key sectors of the national economy which have an important social function in such a situation. For example, the water sector has been picked up by the French group Vivendi.

Insufficient International Aid

It is important to note that it was possible to avoid this starvation if the international response had been more prompt after the early call of the government of Niger from autumn 2004. But unfortunately, the international reaction did not move into action until the situation degraded to this pitiful level.

By the way, it's clear now that the initiative to reduce the debts of the poorest countries is not a fundamental solution for these countries in view of the conditions which are accompanying this measure.

Future prospects

Trying to solve the problems of Niger away from the other countries in West Africa is a kind of utopia. In this era of globalization, it will be suicidal if the African countries withdraw into themselves, ignoring the necessity of integration which will make them able to face their huge challenges by counting on their own resources.  

On the other hand, we have to note that the international community must opt for more equity in its approaches by getting down to the fundamental problems of the countries of the third world, instead of curing the seasonal consequences of these problems.

** Diaby Almami was born in the Ivory Coast and is now studying in Cairo. He graduated from the department of Shari`ah and International Law at Al-Azhar university and is currently completing his masters degree in International Commerical law at Cairo university. He was president of the Ivorian student union in Cairo and has translated and revised a number of Islamic books.