(Ecofin Agency) - U.S. government through the Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC) will provide Niger $437 million (253.5 billion CFA francs) over five years to finance projects in agriculture, animal husbandry and boost employment under Compact program.

Niger’s parliament voted last Monday a law to approve the agreement signed by its government and U.S.’ on July 29, 2016 in Washington, via the MCC. The funds will be used to finance projects which aim at increasing the revenues of rural populations by modernizing agricultural practices and improving flood management systems while insuring a sufficient access to the various existing sectors and markets.

To this end, the MCC will support the large scale irrigation by developing irrigated areas including 2,452 hectares in Konni (Tahoua) and 2,600 hectares in Gaya (Dosso).

Under the project, it is also planned that 83km of road will be developed on the Dosso-Bella route, while 187km of the Gaya-Margou road will be rehabilitated and upgraded. Also, community-based husbandry is to be developed along weather-resilient agriculture, as well as land tenure.

MCC-funded actions will impact 16 municipalities across four (4) regions namely Maradi, Tahoua, Dosso and Tillbery. “More than 3.5 million people including many women and youth will benefit from the program,” said the Committee on Foreign Affairs and Cooperation of the National Assembly in a report.

According to the same report, MCC will disburse $410 million when Compact starts, since $27 million have already been made available when the agreement was being signed.

It should be recalled that Niger was declared illegible to the MCC Compact Program in December 2012. The years after were dedicated to receiving approvals for projects presented by the country and final negotiations took place in May 2016.

M.S.S.