TİKA Establishes Agricultural Production Gardens Benefiting 100 Families in Niger

Turkish Cooperation and Coordination Agency (TİKA) established a 2-hectare Vegetable and Moringa Production Garden in Niger’s Diffa region. The project is equipped with water wells, solar energy systems, and modern farming equipment, designed to assist farmers affected by terrorism and drought.

Communities residing in the rural areas of Diffa, one of Niger’s regions most impacted by acute drought, rely on agriculture and livestock for their livelihoods but face significant challenges due to climate-related events. Additionally, the region suffers from the effects of terrorism and its associated demographic impacts. Given its large population, situated near Lake Chad and bordering Nigeria, Diffa has been designated as a priority area for aid and development initiatives.

In this context, TİKA implemented the “Vegetable and Moringa Production Garden” project in Diffa, a rural area of Niger with significant agricultural potential. This initiative, which had previously been successfully executed in Tillabéri, Zinder, and Dosso, was carried out in collaboration with the Niger Ministry of Agriculture and OADEP (Organization for Support to Development and Peace) in the town of N’Gourti, located 300 kilometers north of Diffa’s city center.

The 2-hectare garden was established to support farmers engaged in agricultural activities in N’Gourti, a region characterized by a challenging desert climate and accessible only via a three-day land journey from Niamey. The garden was equipped with essential irrigation and processing infrastructure. As part of the project, it was supplied with two water wells, water tanks, solar energy systems, California-type irrigation systems, seeds, fertilizers, and complementary agricultural tools.

The garden, designed to benefit approximately 100 families and support five women’s cooperatives, was officially handed over to the N’Gourti Municipality. The delivery ceremony was attended by N’Gourti Mayor, Abba Mamane; OADEP President, Djibrin Issa Bana; TİKA’s Representative, Chetima Moustapha Laouel; the N’Gourti Provincial Director of Agriculture and local residents.

During the ceremony, officials highlighted the positive contributions the project would bring to the local community and expressed their gratitude to Türkiye and its people through TİKA. The project aims to enhance food security in the region, diversify agricultural production, enable year-round cultivation beyond the rainy season, provide employment opportunities for women, and address the water needs of surrounding villages.