Securing agropastoral system and rural livelihood through the market garden in Niger: unfolding smallholders’ resilience to interwoven challenges

Abstract

Market gardens in Niger are a crucial tool for securing agropastoral systems and rural livelihoods amid interwoven challenges such as climate change, conflicts and insecurity, demographic pressure and poverty. A study of 60 small garden farmers found that market gardens significantly enhance farmers’ income and household food security. The average annual income from market gardens is 126.51 USD, accounting for 70% of total income. However, challenges like water scarcity, land insecurity, and limited access to credit and markets hinder their full socio-economic role. The farmers try to overcome those obstacles through cooperation, sending remittance from part-time off-farm activities, and mobilisation of resources based on their social capital. Those who could not overcome the challenges left the village for a ‘safer’ location. The study emphasises the need for community collective action, rural-urban networking, and external support to improve market gardens for rural poverty reduction and food security improvement.