The objective of this side event is to mobilize political and financial support to realize the "Nigeriens feed Nigeriens" initiative.

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Sixth Africa Agriculture Science Week
NIGER and CORAF/WECARD Side Event
The initiative of the Government of Niger "Nigeriens feed Nigeriens"
Background
Niger is a country characterized by the predominance of the primary sector and practices
subsistence agriculture, which is heavily dependent on the weather. The initiative of the
Government of Niger "Nigeriens feed Nigeriens" or « 3N » is a principle, the willingness and a
political commitment of the President of the Republic of Niger, Issoufou Mahamadou, to free
Nigeriens from hunger and thirst. It consists of an investment programme that incorporates the
provisions of the poverty reduction strategy, which is geared towards ensuring the conditions for full
public participation in national agricultural production and improvement of income. It is aligned to the
objectives of the Agricultural Policies of the ECOWAS and the UEMOA, and therefore contributes to
the implementation of the Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development Programme (CAADP) of
the New Partnership for Africa’s Development (NEPAD) and the Millennium Development Goals
(MDG).
The main challenges that the 3N initiative will strive to overcome include the enhanced use of crop
residues and bush forage, promoting reliable supply and distribution routes for agro-industrial by-
products and private providers, and managing the natural resources. As far as agricultural research
is concerned, this initiative strives to revitalize agricultural research in order to enhance the results
currently available. It intends achieving this through capacity building of national institutions,
diffusion of technology and the generation of new agricultural technologies.
To facilitate its implementation, a High Commission has been established, which is attached to the
Office of the Prime Minister, and headed by Mr. Amadou Allahoury Diallo.
Link to the sub-themes
The 3N initiative “Nigeriens feed Nigeriens” is based on five major axes:
Increase in agriculture forestry, pastoral and fisheries production.
Economic and commercial utilization of this production.
Strengthening the resilience of the Nigerien people in the face of food crises.
Improving the nutrition level of the population.
Establishment of a favorable environment for achieving increased food security and
sustainable agricultural development.
In its entirety this side event corresponds to sub-theme B - Innovations to improve productivity
and resilience.
Objectives and expected results
The objective of this side event is to mobilize political and financial support to realize the 3N
initiative. The expected outputs includes: (i) a better understanding by participants in the African
Science Week of the 3N initiative of Niger and how it contributes to the ensuring food security, and
Conseil Ouest et Centre Africain pour la
Recherche et le Développement
Agricoles
West and Central African Council for
Agricultural Research and
Development

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(II) the identification of priority policy and research for development elements of the 3N initiative that
could be addressed during the 4th
West and Central Africa Agricultural Science Week to be held in
May, 2014 in Niger, and which could be spilled over to other countries in the region by
CORAF/WECARD.
Methodology
Three presentations will be made as follows:
(i) Highlights of the 3N initiative and its role in improving agricultural productivity and
increasing resilience.
(ii) Contribution of WAAPP/Niger to the 3N initiative
(iii) Research for development features of the 3N of Niger of sub-regional/continental
importance
These three presentations will each be followed by a question and answer session to deliver the
expected results.