The relation between the coping strategies and the state of food insecurity in the Republic of Niger

The Niger’s rural population represents 80 percent of the total population. This very high percentage creates an important pressure over the environment because of the high density of population. Indeed, the agricultural favorable area is equivalent to a third of the total area of Niger. This area is located in the South of Niger over a strip 300 kilometers of broad. Furthermore, the rural population is subjected to the temporal and structural disruptions. The temporal shocks are defined by the “natural” disruptions such as the hydrometeorological disruption, etc. The structural disruptions are caused by the chronicle difficulties (low income, etc.). The capacity to struggle against the disruptions is defined by the resilience (Lhomme et al., 2010). The resilience is illustrated and assessed by the different coping strategies practiced by the Niger’s rural population. The target of the paper is to demonstrate the state of food insecurity and the coping strategies developed in the departments of Niger. The state of food insecurity and the coping strategy index are calculated as from the data of an annual survey realized by the Early Alert System (EAS) and the Statistical National Institute of Niger (INS). This survey investigates around 10.000 households in December 2009 and April 2010. The sample is extrapolated to estimate the number of people suffering from food insecurity per department. The paper illustrates the state of food insecurity of each department and coping strategy index of the departments. The results will demonstrate the differences between departments. The answers of the paper at the following question: Which are the most vulnerable departments and what is the situation of the coping strategies index in each department? This paper creates also a typology bringing together the same departments in comparison with the coping strategies and the state of food insecurity.