Kandadji Niger Basin Water Resources Program

80% of Niger’s labor force is engaged in agriculture and livestock, accounting for 40% of the GDP. However, productivity and yields are low due to limited use of inputs and lack of infrastructure, including irrigation and roads. This large, landlocked, mostly desert country in Africa’s Sahel region is crossed by the Niger River, on which depend a vast majority of the rural population. However, this population is increasingly facing the effects of climate change, including recurrent droughts and floods, as well as chronic food and power shortages. Located 189km northwest of the capital city Niamey, the Kandadji dam project, aims to increase food production, generate more electricity, boost jobs, and create economic opportunities for families and communities in the Sahel.