Nearly half Niger’s population does not have enough to eat and the government says it is facing a grain shortfall of 692,501 tons, following another severe drought across the Sahel. The government says it needs 3.8 million tons of cereals to feed six million people spread across 6,981 villages, equating to 49.4 percent of the affected zones. Boukanda, a village with a population of 1,000 about 50km west of the capital Niamey, is typical of many insecure villages which have been largely abandoned by their younger residents. The able-bodied and young people of the village preferred to leave for big cities or abroad. Only a few ‘wealthier’ families pound sorghum instead of millet, the main staple of the village. These people still have small supplies but they will not last long. Boukanda village chief Seyni Seydou said the rains ended just when the plants needed water, and grasshoppers and other insects finished off the crops.
Pray: for the people of Niger as they face hunger and drought. Pray that the rains will come and supplies of cereals reach those in need. (Rev.7:16-17)