5340783248

2

institutionss IRAT (Research Institute for Troplcal Agriculture), IEHVT (Animal Produetion and Health Research Institute for Troplcal Countrles), IRHO (Research Institute for Oleaginous Plant®), and CTPT (Troplcal Porest Research Center). In parallel, th;. University of Niamey has developed a research capability through the creatlon of the departments of Agronomy and Biclogy and smali research unita specialiaed in human Sciences (IRSH)_V solar energy (OHERSOL) and radio-isotopes. Hovever, due to a lack of resourcea and inezperience, these young national institutions cannot provide efficient support to rural development. In order to fili the gap₉ decentralized research activities have been ezecuted by numerous rural development projects largely with eztemal financing. Although these dispersed research endeavors may have responded to the elear needs of the projects, they have suffered from comparatively high costs, lack of continulty and limited dissemination of results outside the projects. The performance of the national agricultural research agency (INRAN) has also been disappointing. Its bias towards plant breeding research neglected urgently needed adaptive and f&rming systems research. Recognizing the need to redefine research priorities₉ the Goverament initiated a review, with assistance from ISNAR, of the current system of agricultural research. ISNAR then assslsted INRAN to establish a long-term national agricultural research plan.

1.05    The first phase of the review involved two missions by an ISNAR team (preliminary mission May 1986 and main mission September/October 1986). Then siz working groups were formed with Nigerien Staff from INRAN, the Uniyersity, and the relevant Ministries as well as a selected number of ezpatriate researchers to work with ISNAR on the preparatlon of a long-term research program. The long-term plan was nrese^ted to several donors including IDA, CCCE. PAC, and CSAID in October 1987. In June 1988, a joint preparatlon mission (PAO/CP and ISNAR) yisited Niger to assist the Government to identlfy a national, five-year research project as an operational first tranche of the long-term research program for possible IDA financing. The proposed project was rather ambitious given the initlal time needed for strengthening and improving the management capability of INRAN; thus the proposed project has been re/ised to conform with research priorities and ezisting absorptive capacity.

B. The Agricultural Sector

1.06    Although agriculture remains the most important economic activity and the principal llvelihood of the population, accounting for about 451 of the GNP and about 20Z of the country ^vs ezports, Niger is constrained by poor natural resources. Nigerien agriculture ls largely subsistence-based, producing low-value crops such as millet (supplying about 75Z of the total cereals production) and sorghum (providing about 20Z)• The most important ezport comnodity is livestock (cattle on the hoof), followed by cowpeas. With irrigated lands representing only about two percent of the total cultivated area, the contribution of the irrigation subsector to national agricultural production is limited.

1.07    Despite its meager resource base, Niger has traditionally been self-sufficient in food production ezcept during severe drought periods. However, production has been inereased to keep up with population growth by shortening fallow periods and cultlwatlng morę marginal lands. The areas under cultlvation doubled in 25 years from 186 million ha in 1960 to 386