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Niger is the second poorest country in the
world. Its climate is harsh and natural resources are deteriorating.
Sixty-three percent of the country's 11.5 million people live on less than
one U.S. dollar a day. According to the United Nations Children's Fund
(UNICEF) , 40 percent of Niger's children are malnourished and 84 percent of
the adult population cannot read or write. Niger has suffered through
decades of chronic poverty and is one of the countries for which the G-8
recently promised future debt relief.
 In addition to Niger, neighboring countries
Burkina Faso, Ghana, MalI, Mauritania, Nigeria and Senegal are facing severe
food shortages and even starvation too. The World Health Organization fears
that these countries in the Sahel are at risk of outbreaks of cholera,
tuberculosis, malaria, measles and diarrhea because of poor sanitation and
hunger. Every year, in anticipation of such emergencies, the U.S. earmarks
resources for countries that may experience such a crisis through its Title
II food aid program. Title II is used largely for natural disasters that
destroy food crops like droughts, or to feed people in times of emergencies
due to civil conflict. Although the list of countries needing such food aid
assistance continues to grow, U.S. funding for the program this year is
experiencing a shortfall. In order to meet the needs in the next fiscal
year, CRS is recommending a minimum of $1.7 billion to cover the United
States' contribution to global food aid. (See information on our latest
action alert on this issue below.)
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Food Crisis In Niger
Food Crisis In Niger
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