The following discussion will focus on the poverty alleviation in the country of Niger.

Introduction

Many sociologists tend to think that poverty is part of the society and that it can not be avoided. The pangs of poverty however cause people to look for alternative means of survival to escape the danger of diseases, hunger and illiteracy. Poverty eradication is a word which is used to refer to the process by which governments try to develop policies meant to alleviate the living standards of the people. Africa is said to be one of the continent which harbors the poorest people in the world, with majority subsisting in less than a dollar a day. The following discussion will focus on the poverty alleviation in the country of Niger.

Niger is a country found in West Africa and also happens to be in the South of the Sahara desert. Just like any other country found in the later part, the main challenges faced by the people in this country is the state of illiteracy (Adedoyin, 23). It is said that a significant sixty percent of the population have not been socialized through the formal education. The state of poverty has therefore been attributed to lack of skills and knowledge which are passed through education.

With the above in mind, the government is working tirelessly to ensure that every child gets access to the basic education since this is the only way to eradicate the perpetuating patterns of poverty. This is actually said to be one of the Millennium Development goals which the African countries signed for, in the attempt to achieve better living standards for their members.

With the biggest part of the country under the equatorial kind of climate, the ministry of agriculture in collaboration with the government and international community are working hard to ensure there is food security (Agbamu, 67). In the recent past, the country has been hit with the worst famine where hundreds of people died for lack of food, especially in the northern part of the country which is relatively arid. Irrigation facilities are underway, which is one way the experts say will combat the unpredictable weather conditions and increase food productivity. The storage facilities are also in the processes of upgrading, for the purpose of storing the excess products while at the same time ensuring the stability in prices.

The unemployment rate is also said to be very high especially among the young generation. This has been attributed to the lack of job opportunities and creativity among the people (Agbamu, 32). The later could however be as a result of illiteracy levels which are addressed in the above discussion. To address the issue of unemployment, the government is actively engaging in the development of infrastructures such as the roads, communication networks, social amenities and improvements of the governance. All these are meant to create a conducive environment for business activities. Apart from that, market liberalization is been encouraged to give people freedom of business and attract the foreign investors. The success of all the above has been seen as being one way of creating employment to thousands of the affected young people.

Unequal distribution of the national resources has been observed as one of the main way through which poverty perpetuates in Niger (World Bank, 10). With over fifty percent of the people said to be below the poverty line, the government in the past did little to change the situation. Embezzlement of funds and corruption tainted the government image. The two acts which have been common not only in Niger but in many other developing nations in Africa, are the main causes of poverty.

Resources have in the past been channeled to the minority who hold big positions in the government, while the majority poor continue to languish in sheer poverty. However, with the current call for democracy and human rights respect, it is expected that the situation will change. There are several activists who are proposing for accountability and transparency within the government institutions to ensure that the finances are used for the purpose they were budgeted for. The change of government from dictatorship to democratic one is expected to boost investment by the foreigners, a move that will see the growth of economy.

The other greatest challenge that has been identified in Niger is the malaria epidemic, just like many other countries in the south of Sahara. It is said that thousands of women and children die annually due to lack of treatment and lack of facilities such as mosquito nets which are meant to prevent them from such attacks. Lack of enough funding in the ministry of health, is said to be the greatest challenge in this important social institution. However, with the current developments undertaken by the government, it is said that there would be a double increase in the number of health facilities, with subsidized prices that the majority can afford.

Conclusion

Poverty alleviation is a call by many developing nations, as a way to improve the living standards of the people. The various strategies that have been laid in Niger include the refurbishment of the business sector to create employment, development of the infrastructures, education, health facilities and the improvement of governance. When all that is in place, the experts see the country transform from a developing country to a middle income country with the ability to support her citizens.

Cited works

Agbamu J.U. Poverty reduction strategies for agricultural and rural development in Niger. In: National Economic Empowerment and Development Strategy, Abuja Nigeria. 2007.

Adedoyin S.F. (Ed.). Proceedings of the Annual National Conference of the Agricultural Extension Society of Nigeria (AESON) held in Badeggi, Niger State, 2008

World Bank.Niger: poverty in the midst of plenty, growth with inclusion. A World Bank Assessment, Washington, D C. 2006

National Academy of Sciences. Lost Crops in Africa. Grains. Publication announcement March 4, 1996 URL accessed June 11, 2006