Un réexamen de la dynamique de pauvreté au Niger : une approche par les échelles d’équivalence

We use the equivalence scales approach to adjust the official estimates of poverty in Niger based on household survey data. By using equivalence scales, we can see that poverty levels are higher than the official estimates suggest, despite the downward trend in poverty dynamics between 2011 and 2014. The stochastic dominance tests we performed confirm this. Furthermore, the results show poverty levels are very sensitive to fluctuations in agricultural production. Good harvests can lead to a rapid reduction in poverty, while poor harvests and exogenous shocks have a negative impact on well-being. The volatility of the agricultural sector and the exposure of households to shocks are thus major determinants of negative changes in the depth and severity of poverty. Finally, poverty and vulnerability are more prevalent in female-headed households. This situation requires the attention of the public authorities to mainstream gender in the fight against poverty, for example by strengthening their ability to access financial and institutional resources.