Reaching the Chronic Poor and Food Insecure after a Disaster: The Case of Niger

Abstract

Using a cross section data collected in 2005, this study uses both parametric and semi-parametric methods to investigate key factors associated with household vulnerability to drought and economic downturns from exposure to shocks in Niger, conditioned on household and community assets. The findings provides evidence that factors positively affecting ability to overcome drought and economic condition downturns are the educational levels of the heads of households, livestock ownership, access to income generating activity opportunities, and participation to government decision taking. Household size and dependency ratio are found to negatively impact household ability to cope or manage shocks. Descriptive statistics are also used to determine major shocks faced by households after the drought and common coping strategies after the shocks. The results show that the prevailing shock experienced by Niger's population (especially the rural population) in 2004/05 is drought, followed by important loss of agricultural products. The most common coping strategy employed after these shocks is food aid and receiving assistance from other households.