The Effects of Colonialism on Niger’s economy, Agriculture, and Environment 

By: Kenny H., Fatim K., Maci N., and Brittany S.

Taking a look at the economy, environment, and agriculture of the nation Niger we can see a difference in between the northern and southern region. The southern region of Niger has an economy that is largely driven by it’s cash crops. These cash crops consist of sorghum, millet, cowpeas, maize, tobacco, palm oil (and kernels), kola nuts, sugarcane, and fish. These crops are very important to their local trade because the people of Niger depend highly on exporting their goods for a source of income. The southern region of Niger is closer to wetter climates while the northern region is closer to dry and hot climates. The environment of the northern region of Niger is under a lot of stress. There has been droughts and poor soil quality which are a persistent threat to many African nations. These droughts affect agricultural production, leaving the people of this nation unable to produce enough food for themselves.  

The economy in the southern region of Niger, as stated before, is highly depended on the production of cash crops. One of the cash crops in this region is Paddy rice. It is widely grown in this area due to the south being considered the floodplains of Niger. These regions are close to the Kaduna rivers, allowing for a wetter climate. Food security in the southern region has steadily improved as harvests have been very widespread, a decline in seasonal prices, and the income-earning opportunities with the sale of food and cash crops and livestock. The majority of households are able to meet their food and nonfood needs without straining their livelihoods and there will be minimal food insecurity. Although the southern region is some what better off than the northern region, there are some downsides. The fact that this area gets a lot of rainfall can lead to cereal and pasture deficits. The excessive rainfall disrupts plant growth and can cause crop yields to be low. Leading to low production and less income.

As for the northern region of Niger, the local economy is heavily dependent on outside aid from World Bank, IMF, and other relief organizations. Since 1999, Niger’s government has been ran mostly by private companies and plans that have been instituted by these debt relief agencies. The southern region of Niger doesn’t face these same issues due to the fact their land is more sustainable to live on. They have more fertile land and water within the area which allows them to live more comfortably. The tribes within the Northern region are nomadic people, so they are less likely to have an established economic system. The northern population conduct in traveling within local areas to trade cattle and other animals which is why they don’t stay in one location for long, they are constantly moving to wear they gain profits. Unlike the people in the South who live sedentary lives mostly as farmers.

Sustaining growth in Niger will be difficult due to the lack of their weak economic drive. Presently, the economy remains extremely vulnerable to outside influences. Niger’s goal of developing a healthier economic independence has been irregular and slow-moving. The financial system still remains underdeveloped which reveals their small size when compared to an international economy. The inefficient regulatory and legal environment constrains commercial operations and investment. Outdated labor guidelines depress employment development.

One of the main farming methods in which contributed to the cause of droughts is the slash and burn method. The slash and burn technique removes trees from the land in order to have the land cleared for agriculture.During colonization many sub-saharan African countries partook in using the slash and burn technique which causes a large release of carbon dioxide within the the environment then destruction of living trees reduces the amount of photosynthesis, a process that removes carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. With the lack of forests it reduces the amount of precipitation in the environment, which will cause the land to become dryer and increase the probability of drought. Deforestation by contrast normally causes large losses of CO2 from the soil and vegetation , which causes the land to degrade.Agricultural production became a priority during the colonization period within Niger  because they were more pressured into producing cash crops specifically in the Southern area of Niger. The boost in the production of cash crops has damaged the environment so much, that they are incapable of producing as much as they previously were. This is why they are not capable of producing enough agriculture to sustain themselves, and the agriculture in which they do produce gets exported out of the country for profit.Between 1990 and 2005, Niger lost 34.9% of its forest cover, this is evidence of the impact of intensive agriculture. There is an continuation of desertification within Niger, the desert area , located in the North is extending further into the south due to desertification.  There is a poor distribution of rainfall within the Northern Niger region which contributes to the drought and lack of ability to produce agriculture within the area . Unlike the North , Southern Niger areas with more forests receive much more rainfall which allows for them to have more water supply and assists in the health of the soil in order to farm.

As we go further back we can see that when Europeans stepped in; traditional agricultural practices, such as migratory or rotational cropping systems based on climatic conditions, were replaced with more stagnant practices. These were intensive farming methods that cultivated the same land over and over again, which resulted in extreme degradation of the soil. Europeans had a tendency to think that the local practices of the people of Niger were very wasteful. So they were influenced to maximize their production of agricultural crops. Therefore their economy was very reliant upon agriculture, so after French colonists left the state and they became independent, the people of Niger relied heavily on agriculture to survive. Without France's assistance they were incapable of sustaining their economic development, especially within the Northern region of Niger. France ensured that Niger stays dependent on them for aid in exchange they can have more access to their natural resources specifically uranium.That is why Niger especially the Northern area relies heavily on assistance from outside the country , specifically aid from European nations  in order to provide them with necessities.Due to the fact that their economy is not diversified and their is an increase of drought and desertification, Niger is one of the poorest African countries in the world.

Works Cited

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