In Niger, the Arewa region, like many other Sahelian regions, suffered from the catastrophic droughts in 1973 and 1983-1984, and is currently severely affected by a famine that is raging in the center and east of the country. In addition, the doubling of the population over the last 25 years has led to a significant increase in the area of cultivated land, the result of which has been the saturation of arable land and the reduction in plant cover. This has had a knock-on effect on other parts of the ecosystem, and has notably led to a worsening of erosion and to major disturbances in the local hydrological system. In response to the ecological and land crisis, the farmers of the Arewa valley have modified their production systems, increasing the amount of livestock they raise and growing more onions and fruit. These speculative strategies always have social consequences.