The onion is a very important agricultural product in Niger. SNV is working with farmers in the region of Tahoua, where 70 per cent of Niger’s onions are produced, to help them improve their profits.

In the past, these farmers had difficulty preserving the onions they harvested; they often had to sell them quickly, at a low price, before they had a chance to rot. SNV has been working with local organisations to build modern onion storage spaces. The result: the farmers can now stock their products for up to four months, sell their onions when market prices are higher, and triple their profits.
Moreover, if the farmers have the capacity to store their onions, they become eligible for a micro-credit. This means they can invest in fertilisers, trucks and other agricultural products, and improve their harvests. And with the profits they make, they can easily repay their loans. 
SNV is one of the pioneers of this inventory credit system. Since 2005, the initiative has enabled 30 storage places to be built, local banks to invest about USD 1 million in loans, and over 20,000 farmers to improve their profits. SNV also works with farmers to help them export their goods. In 2009, 1,000 tonnes of onions from Niger were shipped to the Ivory Coast.
Watch the film to watch how SNV helps alleviate poverty in Niger.