The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) is supporting herders and pastoralists in Niger and Chad, the organisation reported in April 2010. Following the failure of rains last year, an estimated 9.8 million people are now vulnerable to severe hunger in the two countries, with thousands more under threat in the north of Burkina Faso and northeast Mali.

In Niger FAO is rolling out eight new projects worth 12.7 million US dollars (USD) that will benefit an estimated 2.6 million people. The projects are funded by the EU, the UK’s Department for International Development (DFID), Spain, Belgium and the UN’s Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF). In Chad FAO is planning to supply agricultural inputs, seeds, fertiliser and animal feed worth USD 4.5 million, funded mainly by the EU and CERF. Distributions of animal feed and veterinary products to pastoralists in Mali and Burkina Faso are also under way.

(FAO/ib)