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International Partnerships
Project

Developing the livelihoods of those affected by displacement in Tahoua, Niger

niger_3_fao-moumouni_agali_web.jpg
© FAO / Moumouni Agali

This project aims to mitigate the risk that displacement-affected communities in the region of Tahoua in Niger become further displaced. Support will be focused on the development of livelihoods and the management of climate-related shocks.

This project is being implemented through funding provided by the Lives in Dignity (LiD) Grant Facility.

Scope and objectives

Niger has faced a deteriorating security situation in recent years, which has resulted in situations of forced displacement both internally and across borders. UNHCR reported that, as of 30 November 2021, Niger was host to 264,257 internally displaced persons (IDPs) and 249,662 refugees, among a population estimated to be over 25 million people.

This project targets the departments of Tilia, Tchintabaradene and Abalak in the north of the administrative region of Tahoua, Niger. This is primarily a pastoral zone, with a high concentration of animals. These departments, with a total area of 73,000 km², have a total population of 440,000 inhabitants and host 20,631 Malian refugees and nearly 35,000 internally displaced persons and their livestock, placing an increasing strain on the natural resources of the region.

This project will provide pastoral land, food and water for refugees, displaced people and host communities in the region, and their animals. It will also support the access of displaced people to integrated and quality basic services (education, health, water and energy), promote the use of solar energy to reduce deforestation, and strengthen protection through the support of local governance structures. This development-oriented intervention has a strong social cohesion and conflict prevention dimension and promotes the local ownership of results.

Expected results

Increased income generation and livelihood opportunities for displacement-affected persons

  • 500 refugees, internally displaced persons (IDPs) and extremely vulnerable members of host communities (25% of whom are women) will increase their income and strengthen their resilience to crises through cash transfers
  • 1,500 hectares of degraded land will be sustainably regenerated and 2,000 refugees, IDPs and host communities (15% of whom are women and 2% are persons with a disability) gain an income, enabling them to access food, healthcare services and livestock thanks to cash for work
  • The resilience of 1,600 vulnerable livestock farmers, including refugees, IDPs and host communities (25% of whom are women and 5% are persons with a disability) living in areas with a high forage deficit will be strengthened through the distribution of livestock feed

Increased access for displacement-affected persons to quality and integrated basic services

  • Access will be provided to improved education infrastructure in 10 schools welcoming refugees, IDPs and host communities
  • 8,000 refugees, IDPs, host communities (50% of whom are women) and their livestock will have improved access to drinking water through the implementation/rehabilitation of a pastoral pumping station
  • Improved access to water and sanitation at 3 schools and 3 health centres will be provided, targeting 2,000 refugees, IDPs and host communities (50% of whom are women)
  • More than 10,000 people among the refugee, IDP and host communities (75% of whom are women) will have improved sustainable access to clean and renewable energy

Increased sense of security and enjoyment of human rights for internally displaced persons

  • Local capacity to identify and support conflict management in the community will be increased, with an emphasis on vulnerable populations and including mediation, follow-up and referral
This Lives in Dignity project will improve education infrastructure in 10 schools welcoming refugees, IDPs and host communities
© United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs / Federica Gabellini

Context

The EU-UNOPS Lives in Dignity Grant Facility was founded in 2020.The facility aims to efficiently and effectively channel funding to promote development-oriented approaches to new, recurrent and protracted displacement crises. It supports refugees and other displaced persons to be productive members of their host communities who can participate in furthering their common resilience, socio-economic growth and development.

This project, undertaken by local NGO, ADKOUL, with support from Cologne-based Arbeiter-Samariter-Bund (ASB), demonstrates how international expertise can combine with local knowledge to provide assistance to communities suffering the impacts of forced displacement, climate change, and conflict. The inclusion of host communities and their livestock was seen as critical – competition for scarce resources such as water and pastoral land had in the past led to conflict between host communities and refugees and IDPs. As such, this project sits at the heart of the humanitarian-development-peace nexus.

Implementing organisations

Arbeiter-Samariter-Bund (ASB) and ADKOUL