Reducing food insecurity through equitable investments in irrigation: The case of Niger

We use Niger as a case study to examine the relationship between irrigation and household food security controlling for the point of crop harvest sales. We use longitudinal household and agriculture data collected by the Living Standards Measurement Study. Using panel fixed effects, we find that irrigation was associated with a 10% decrease in food insecurity, a 9% increase in food consumption expenditure, and improved dietary diversity. Farmers using irrigation experienced higher cash incomes, sold a higher share of the harvest, and had higher crop revenues. Access to irrigation was also positively correlated with the consumption of nutritious food items such as fruits, vegetables, and meat products. Importantly, these effects were found for both farmers using irrigation that primarily sold their harvest locally to neighbors and village shops, as well as for farmers using irrigation who sold in bulk to regional or national traders. Results suggest that investing in irrigation can improve food security, even in areas with limited access to formal markets.