Niger
The Importance of Niger
SMIL collaborates closely with the Institut National de la Recherche Agronomique du Niger (INRAN) and implements its activities through a network of farmer cooperatives, entrepreneurial food processers, universities, and private sector input providers. All projects in Niger work with counterparts in Senegal to maximize learning across nations and generate spillover benefits throughout the region.
Niger is one center of genetic origin for pearl millet. Pearl millet has adapted to harsh Sahelian climates to become one of the most heat- and drought-resistant cereal crops in the world, serving some of the most vulnerable populations in the Sahelian zone. Many traditional food dishes are based on sorghum and pearl millet as a nutritious, native ancient grain.
