(Ecofin Agency) - Last Wednesday, a decree to establish an investment fund for food security and nutrition (FISAN in French) was adopted in Niger, during a council of ministers.

The decree mainly aims at boosting public-private investments in food and agro-food sectors. “The FISAN’s main purpose is to improve financial services’ offer for producers and other actors of value chains,” reads a statement published following the council of ministers.

The end goal is to support the transformation of agro-sylvo-pastoral and fishery production systems and enhance the modernization of processing and marketing systems for agricultural and agro-food products.

Besides the recently adopted decree, another project regarding the approval of FISAN’s statutes was also adopted during the council. However, the value of this other fund was not disclosed.

Agriculture, husbandry, fishery and forestry contribute to about 50% of Niger’s GDP. In the southern part of the country which is often humid, cereals are grown, while the north is solely associated with pastoral farming.