A particularly harsh climate and inhospitable geographical features - less than 3% of the land is arable -, a completely land-locked situation, such are the underlying economic realities of the Republic of Niger. However, subsistence farming and stock-rearing contribute approximately 50 to the GDP and nearly three-quarters of the labor force is employed in this sector. Based principally on agriculture and livestock breeding, the country's economy is still largely at the mercy of the vagaries of the climate. Recently, however, a considerable effort of industrialization has been made, initiated and maintained by the development of mining.
Agriculture:
The main purpose of agricultural policy in Niger is to achieve food self-sufficiency independently of climate hazards and through the following conditions:
- Dry-cropping in rural areas must be encouraged through various projects
- Hydro-agricultural projects, the use of depressions and water-points must be expedited to bring more irrigable land under cultivation;
- The land capital must be more nationally exploited;
- Soils must be improved by the introduction of phosphates, nitrogen-based fertilizers and manure; and
- Traditional farming techniques must be replaced.
The following means are being employed to achieve these aims:
Rural productivity projects to farm rain-fed crops on dune lands. These projects aim to increase the production of cereals (millet, sorghum), as well as cash crops such as peanuts and cotton, through a better use of regional potential. Each department has its productivity project:
- Niamey -- cereals, rice;
- Zinder - peanuts, millet;
- Dosso - cereals, black-eye beans, peanuts, and cotton;
- Maradi - cereals and peanuts.
Hydro-agricultural projects in the River Valley, depressions, basins, etc. Agricultural extension services and use of fertilizers. Training and deploying an adequate number of competent agricultural technicians. The main food crops are: millet, sorghum, peanuts, black-eye beans, rice, maize, potatoes, sugar cane, manioc.
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Animal Husbandry:
This continues to be one of the principal activities of the country, in spite of enormous losses sustained as a result of drought. Stock is raised on an extensive scale, the herd being constantly on the move in the Saharan and north Sahelian zones. In the agricultural Sahelian zone, stockraising is a sedentary activity. The main livestock are: cattle, sheep, goats, dromedaries. Cattle are sold to neighboring countries, and hides and skins overseas.
Mining:
The mining sector is currently the major source of growth in income because of Niger's uranium resources - approximately one-fifth of the world's total deposits. A processing plant at the Arlit uranium mine began production in 1971.
The mining company, Société des Mines de L'Aïr (SOMAIR) is under French control. The majority interest is with the French government's Commissariat à l'Energie Atomique and French private bodies with the Niger government holding a 33% share.
Production at the country's second uranium mine, at Akouta, was begun in late 1978 by a consortium the Compagnie Minière d'Akouta (COMINAK) of the government , the Compagnie Générale des Matières nucléaires (COGEMA) in France, the Japanese Overseas Uranium Resources Development, and the Spanish Empresa Nacional des Uranio (ENUSA).The decline in demand for uranium has slashed foreign exchange earnings by one half since prices peaked in 1983. Still, uranium accounts for about three-quarters of export earnings. Other mineral resources include: cassiterite ore, phosphates, molybdenum, salt, and coal. Foreign firms are involved in explorations for gold along the Burkina Faso border, and for ail in the Lank Chad region. Coal mining has also seen an increase in foreign investment recently.
Manufacturing:
Niger includes sugar refining, brewing, cotton ginning, tanning, rice milling, and small-scale production of cement, metals, textiles, plastics, soft drinks and construction materials.
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