In June 2025, Action Against Hunger (ACF) released a monitoring bulletin on micro-enterprises in Bassikounou, Mauritania, as part of its economic resilience program. The study assessed 50 ACF-supported micro-enterprises, mainly operating in retail trade, catering, and services. Findings indicate an average 18% increase in turnover since the previous assessment, despite ongoing challenges such as supply chain issues, rising prices, and limited product diversification. Most beneficiaries are women (72%), who report improved income and autonomy. However, reliance on local markets and low savings capacity continue to hinder the sustainability of these businesses. The report recommends strengthening management training, diversifying business sectors, and improving access to credit.

Economic Development, Natural ressources, Security, Education, Development, Gold, Aid, Private sector, Civil Society, Funding

The April 2025 policy brief by Africa Education Watch, authored by Kofi Asare, reviews Ghana’s basic education infrastructure. Despite significant enrolment growth since 2001, about 1 million children remain out of school, including 400,000 dropouts. Key deficits include school buildings, furniture (40% of pupils lacked desks in 2021, rising to 80% in some regions), electricity, and digital infrastructure (only 2% of basic schools in deprived districts have functional ICT facilities). To meet SDG 4 targets by 2030, Ghana needs around 2,000 fully furnished basic schools, 3,600 junior high schools, 508 kindergartens, to replace 5,300 makeshift schools, and supply 800,000 desks. Estimated cost: USD 2 billion. Budgetary constraints and declining donor support necessitate innovative financing, climate-resilient building technologies, community-led furniture initiatives, and targeted interventions for underserved communities.

Governance, Inequality, Education, Infrastructures scolaires, Funding

This bulletin, published by Action Against Hunger (ACF) in May 2025, presents monitoring data from 64 microenterprises supported in Bassikounou, Mauritania. The report highlights the continued economic vulnerability of households, despite support for income-generating activities (IGAs). Average monthly income remains low (27,540 MRU) and unstable, particularly for women (22,250 MRU). Households face heavy expenses for health, food, and education, with limited savings capacity and weak income diversification. The report also notes the negative impact of climate shocks on economic activities. While beneficiaries acknowledge positive effects from the program, their prospects remain precarious without structural support, enhanced market access, training, and financing opportunities.

Agriculture, Economic Development, Gender, Natural ressources, Education, Development, Gold, Aid, Private sector, Funding

In this video interview, Zounon Félix, a research officer at Niger’s National Institute of Agronomic Research (INRAN, Maradi center), explains how his institute relies on its own resources to conduct agricultural experiments. He outlines INRAN’s history, founded in 1975 and gaining public institutional status in 2010, with four regional centers (Niamey, Kollo, Tahoua, Maradi). Although the infrastructure is in good condition, the institute lacks scientific equipment, communications gear, and office supplies. Félix details its five research departments—irrigated and rainfed crops, animal production, natural resource management, and rural social sciences. He emphasizes INRAN’s enhanced autonomy and its ability to maintain programs despite limited external funding, through local engagement and self-financing efforts.

Governance, Agriculture, Knowlege production, Funding, Scientific research

In this article, Dr. Idi Saidou Sani, a specialist in plant genetics and improvement and a lecturer-researcher at the University of Diffa in Niger, advocates for a significant increase in the budget allocated to research and higher education. He emphasizes that the current underfunding hampers the country's scientific and technological development, limiting its ability to address critical challenges such as food security, desertification, and climate change. The University of Diffa, established in 2014, plays a central role in education and research, with specialized units focusing on key areas for sustainable development. Dr. Sani stresses the need for increased investment to strengthen research capacities, promote innovation, and ensure sustainable socio-economic development in Niger and the Sahel region.

Governance, Politique publique, Funding, Scientific research, Sustainable development

In this article, Dr. Ahmed Mahmane Ahmadou Bachir, a pastoralism expert and lecturer-researcher at the Higher Institute of Environment and Ecology (IS2E) of the University of Diffa in Niger, highlights the lack of dedicated funding for research in Sahelian countries. He emphasizes the challenges faced by researchers, including insufficient resources to conduct studies on critical issues such as desertification, climate change, and sustainable natural resource management. Established in 2014, IS2E plays a vital role in training senior executives and specialized technicians in natural resource management. Dr. Bachir calls for a significant increase in research budgets to enable local institutions to develop solutions tailored to the realities of the Sahel.

Governance, Pastoralism, Environment, Funding, Scientific research

This monitoring bulletin, published in April 2025 by Action Against Hunger (ACF), evaluates micro-enterprises supported in the moughataa of Bassikounou, Mauritania, under a project for the socioeconomic inclusion of Malian refugees and host communities. The report highlights slight improvements in profitability, particularly in agriculture and crafts, but also reveals entrepreneurs' heavy reliance on external aid, limited access to formal financing, and persistent economic fragility. Key challenges include high costs and scarcity of raw materials, limited use of management tools, and underdeveloped local financial mechanisms. The bulletin recommends strengthening personalized support, structuring community financing systems, and building local partnerships. It also suggests innovative strategies such as resilience funds and collective input purchasing to improve sustainability and autonomy.

Power, Agriculture, Economic Development, Natural ressources, Education, Development, Gold, Aid, Private sector, Funding

This multi-country study examines Education in Emergencies (EiE) across six Sahel countries facing security, humanitarian, and health crises. Based on document reviews and 209 field interviews, it highlights how displaced children face restricted access to quality education and a weakened educational system. EiE funding is inadequate, fragmented, and largely driven by humanitarian actors, with little institutional coordination. The study recommends leveraging best practices (multigrade teaching, e-learning), establishing national EiE coordination agencies, engaging local communities and diasporas through a Trust Fund, and scaling up the integrated territorial approach tested in Niger. Strengthening the capacity of both public and community actors is critical. The report calls for improved governance, structured financing mechanisms, and more systematic emergency education responses to ensure long-term educational resilience in crisis contexts.

Economic Development, Natural ressources, Education, Development, Gold, Soicial sciences, Researh, Knowlege production, Crisis, Funding

This ACF monitoring bulletin presents the progress of 56 micro-enterprises supported in Bassikounou, Mauritania, under a UNHCR-funded project. Despite a fragile economic context, some positive trends are observed: improved debt repayment (88%), increased use of personal savings, and emerging financial diversification. Agriculture, livestock, and general trade prove most profitable, while solar energy remains the most vulnerable sector. However, major challenges persist: reliance on humanitarian aid, limited access to formal financing, poor business structuring, rising input costs, and client indebtedness. ACF recommends reinforced support (training, management tools, formalization, access to credit) to ensure long-term sustainability. The strong involvement of women and the growing use of community-based solutions (tontines, AVECs) are encouraging signs of economic resilience and adaptation.

Agriculture, Economic Development, Gender, Natural ressources, Education, Development, Gold, Aid, Private sector, Funding