In Ouallam, Niger, Boubacar Hassimi can now cultivate his land in peace to provide for his family.
Land access: a key to sustainable livelihoods
Leaving everything behind
At 56 years old and the head of a family of six, Boubacar was forced to leave everything behind due to insecurity, finding refuge in Ouallam. After four years of displacement, rebuilding his life has been an uphill battle. The humanitarian crisis has upended his way of living, making it difficult to regain stability.
"I have always been a farmer, and it is with the harvests that we manage to meet all our needs,” he says. “But here, if you don’t have the means, it is difficult to obtain land to cultivate.”
Faced with necessity, Boubacar took it upon himself to cultivate a vacant plot of land he had identified in the village—without formal authorisation. But his efforts were short-lived. The following year, a third party barred him from using the land. With no official claim or proof of occupation, Boubacar had no choice but to abandon his work.
A fresh start with arable land
Determined to keep trying, Boubacar eventually approached a member of the host community to request a loan of arable land. With the owner’s verbal approval, a community leader advised him to formalise the agreement to prevent any future misunderstandings.
Thanks to funding from the European Union and with the support of the Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC), Boubacar secured a loan contract through the Samtigui basic land commission, established by the Departmental Land Commission (COFODEP) of Ouallam.
"This document gives me peace of mind," he says. "If a dispute arises, I can prove that I legally occupy the land."
The loan also enabled Boubacar to cultivate millet and sorghum, providing food for his family while using the crop residues as livestock feed.
"With this harvest, we will be able to improve our diet and eat what we have produced, even if it will not cover the whole year," he says.
This first experience has been a source of motivation for Boubacar, who is already planning to fertilise his field to maximise his yield in the next agricultural season.
Facilitating access
Thanks to funding from the European Union, and in strong collaboration with local authorities and technical services, NRC’s information, counselling and legal assistance programme facilitated land access for 90 people in the Tillabéri region between January and November 2024.
Leaving everything behind
At 56 years old and the head of a family of six, Boubacar was forced to leave everything behind due to insecurity, finding refuge in Ouallam. After four years of displacement, rebuilding his life has been an uphill battle. The humanitarian crisis has upended his way of living, making it difficult to regain stability.
"I have always been a farmer, and it is with the harvests that we manage to meet all our needs,” he says. “But here, if you don’t have the means, it is difficult to obtain land to cultivate.”
Faced with necessity, Boubacar took it upon himself to cultivate a vacant plot of land he had identified in the village—without formal authorisation. But his efforts were short-lived. The following year, a third party barred him from using the land. With no official claim or proof of occupation, Boubacar had no choice but to abandon his work.
A fresh start with arable land
Determined to keep trying, Boubacar eventually approached a member of the host community to request a loan of arable land. With the owner’s verbal approval, a community leader advised him to formalise the agreement to prevent any future misunderstandings.
Thanks to funding from the European Union and with the support of the Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC), Boubacar secured a loan contract through the Samtigui basic land commission, established by the Departmental Land Commission (COFODEP) of Ouallam.
"This document gives me peace of mind," he says. "If a dispute arises, I can prove that I legally occupy the land."
The loan also enabled Boubacar to cultivate millet and sorghum, providing food for his family while using the crop residues as livestock feed.
"With this harvest, we will be able to improve our diet and eat what we have produced, even if it will not cover the whole year," he says.
This first experience has been a source of motivation for Boubacar, who is already planning to fertilise his field to maximise his yield in the next agricultural season.
Facilitating access
Thanks to funding from the European Union, and in strong collaboration with local authorities and technical services, NRC’s information, counselling and legal assistance programme facilitated land access for 90 people in the Tillabéri region between January and November 2024.
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