Preface
With a total area of about 1.267 million square kilometers (not a small area, ranking 22nd in the world) and a total population of about 27 million, Niger is located in the central and western part of Africa, is a landlocked country on the southern edge of the Sahara Desert, with Algeria and Libya to the north, Nigeria and Benin to the south, Mali and Burkina Faso to the west, Chad to the east, and Niamey, the capital.
Here are only selected kola nuts, freshwater fisheries, cassava, animal husbandry and other representative things, and talk to you about the African country Niger, which you are not necessarily familiar with.
【Location of Niger】
1. Garlic cloves that can't be peeled
This garlic clove, not the other garlic clove, refers to something that looks like a garlic clove in Niger - kola nut, which is a plant fruit that has a deep relationship with Coca-Cola drinks.
The kola nut is the fruit of the cola tree, which is native to the tropical rainforests of West Africa and can reach heights of around 20 meters. The kola nut has a layer of pods on the outside, and when peeled off, there are petals of white or purplish-red flesh, each of which is about the size of a chestnut. Kola nuts come in both red and white, and if you chew purple-red kola nuts regularly, your teeth will stain, so white kola nuts will sell better.
In fact, kola nut used to provide the main ingredient for Coca-Cola drinks. As early as the beginning of the 20th century, when French and other Western colonizers came into contact with some local tribes in Niger, they tasted and began to study kola nuts that looked like white garlic cloves. At that time, the French believed that it had an exciting effect, so the powder of kola nut was also used by the French army as a medicine to help replenish physical strength during rapid marches.
In May 1886, a pharmacist in Georgia, USA, mixed the ingredients of coca leaf and kola nut with sugar, caramel color, etc., to create the original recipe of Coca-Cola, the name of which is the name of these two main ingredients, and kola nut mainly provides caffeine. However, in order to further reduce costs (which are also expensive to procure and transport kola nuts), Coca-Cola stopped using kola nuts in 1955 and replaced them with artificial flavors and caffeine extracts.
Just like the local people in Niger, if they are tired or sleepy from work, they will take out a few pieces of white kola nuts that look like garlic cloves from their pockets, chew them slowly and eat them. Although when you first eat kola nuts, you will only feel bitter and astringent, like bitter almonds, but you can slowly feel sweet when you chew them, and they are particularly refreshing, and you may even lose sleep if you eat too much - that is because kola nuts are rich in caffeine and theobromine, which can produce stimulant effects.
In addition to being eaten, kola nuts are also used as gifts, sacrifices and divination in Niger. For example, when entertaining guests, kola nuts are often served, which can reflect the host's hospitality to guests. For example, in local rituals, the priest first opens the kola fruit pods for the ancestors to eat, and then shares them among the people participating in the ceremony. For example, the local soothsayer will use the four flesh petals of the kola nut for divination, and after throwing the kola nut, the gods can get the answer to the question according to its front and back, and can also do divination according to the pattern of the flesh petals.
Second, the fish that can't be caught
The Niger River is a major river in West Africa, known as the "mother river" of West Africa, with a total length of more than 4,200 kilometers, flowing through Guinea, Mali, Niger, Benin and Nigeria, and its tributaries throughout Côte d'Ivoire, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Chad and other countries, making it the third longest river in Africa after the Nile River and the Congo River.
【Beautiful Niger River】
But the name of the river is said to have been given by the Greeks, and each section of the Niger has a different name, for example: the upper reaches are called Gioliba, the middle reaches are called Majorbario, Isa Eillon, and the lower reaches are called Kwara, Chora, etc., and finally flows into the Gulf of Guinea. Among them, flowing through the southwest of Niger, the river has a total length of about 4,160 kilometers, of which the length in Niger is about 550 kilometers and the area is about 5,500 square kilometers.
【Niger River and surrounding basins】
Many fish markets in Niger are located on the banks of the Niger River, and the fatty and delicious captain fish is a must-have fish for the local people's feasts and entertainment. Even Niger's state banquets use this fish, which is a signature dish – such as the captain's fish steak. And the local people have only one requirement for the captain fish: the bigger the better. There is a record of a captain fish weighing about 42 kilograms, while its length is close to the height of an adult.
[But the Niger River also has its turbidity times]
In addition to the captain fish, there are other edible fish in the Niger River and its tributaries, such as catfish, carp, barramundi and so on. But there's more to the Niger River than just edible fish:
For example, along the Niger River basin, the animals include hippos, crocodiles (there are at least three species, including the more ferocious Nile crocodile), and lizards (the emphasis is on the more variety). For example, birds, there are geese, egrets, pelicans, flamingos, rings, spotted birds, eagles, dippers and so on in the Niger River Basin. As for vegetation resources, there are thorn bushes and acacia trees, as well as large meadows, mangrove swamps, and so on.
【Niger's local fishing boats are very distinctive】
If properly developed, Niger's international tourism industry will certainly not be bad, and it can be talked about now, such as the Kennedy Bridge over the Niger River, which is one of the "Eight Views of Niamey (Niamey is the capital of Niger)", and not far from the University of Niamey, the highest university in Niger. Take a boat down the Niger River to the island of Bubang in the middle of the river. The island is lush with flowers and tropical trees, with simple grass-roofed hotels and restaurants, as well as captain fish from the Niger River and hand-clutched roast lamb with local flavors.
【The sunset over the Niger River is also beautiful】
3. Endless cassava
Cassava is actually native to South America, I don't know if you have eaten cassava or cassava as a raw material related food, the growth of this crop is not too picky about soil and moderate, drought resistance, acid resistant soil, suitable for planting in barren land, and sweet potato, potato and called the world's three major potato crops, about the 16th century with the Portuguese colonizer's fleet, introduced to Africa.
[This cassava is also not a yam]
In fact, if this thing is not processed, it is slightly toxic, but after slicing (there is also grinding), soaking, cooking and other treatments, cassava has become one of the rations of many African countries, to be precise, at least more than 30 African countries grow cassava as the staple food. If it is a bit more exaggerated, it can also be said that cassava is the lifeblood of African people, especially the most important staple food for the local poor in Niger.
【Kikuda】
In Niger, there are only two staple foods that the average person eats the most: cassava and potatoes. The other four crops – millet, sorghum, maize and peanuts – are also produced in Niger but can only be used as staple foods for the general population – they can be eaten at every meal of the day, along with some leafy greens and meat, which is the diet of wealthy families in Niger.
[Cassava cannot be eaten directly, it needs to be mashed, steamed and other processes]
We actually also plant cassava, as early as the 20s of the 19th century, cassava was introduced to us from Southeast Asia, after about 200 years of cultivation and improvement, now Guangxi, Hainan, Guangdong, Fujian, Yunnan and other places are also planted in large quantities, according to the data of 2021, our cassava harvest area has reached about 300,000 hectares, and there are many names, such as cassava, cassava and so on.
Our total cassava production has generally remained at the level of 4.5 million to 5 million tonnes, but we still need to import large quantities. Taking 2023 as an example, we have imported about 5.61 million tons of dried cassava, a decrease of about 1.502 million tons or about 21% compared with the same period in 2022.
[In Niger, tapioca flour with a small amount of grain can be used to make cakes and porridge]
We use cassava, and in addition to eating it and adding it as a food product (such as the pearls in bubble tea), the focus is on brewing alcohol. However, the sources of cassava imports are mainly from Southeast Asian countries such as Thailand, Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia, not African countries.
Most African countries, including Niger, rely on cassava as one of their staple foods, which is natural selection – there are not many areas of soil suitable for high rice and wheat yields on the entire continent; It is also artificially promoted, which is directly related to the colonial history and the slave trade, which is why cassava, which is native to South America but can achieve high yields and fill more bellies, is introduced to Africa for cultivation.
[Cassava is grown in Niger, like other African countries: more drought tolerant and higher yields]
Although cassava is very resistant to drought and barrenness, although cassava is rich in starch, a variety of mineral elements, various vitamins, and although cassava is praised as the "king of starch" and "underground grain", I believe that if you can eat rice and white flour, it seems that you will not choose to eat all kinds of staple foods processed from cassava every day.
[The truth is: we won't adapt to eating cassava every day]
Fourth, the endless pasture
Niger is near the Sahara Desert, not to mention that the land area is not small, but the area suitable for growing grains, vegetables, and fruits is very small, and most of the places not close to the river are very arid, but it is an extremely backward agricultural country - more than 80% of the people in Niger are engaged in agricultural labor full-time, how can we solve the problem of insufficient land to grow?
The only way to find a way out is in the primary sector: in addition to crops, freshwater fisheries and aquaculture, only animal husbandry remains.
【Camel breeding and trading market in Niger】
As of the end of 2020, the data released by Niger shows that animal husbandry, which is one of the pillar industries, has the following numbers:
(1) There are more than 16 million cattle (mainly beef cattle) - according to the total population of more than 27 million in Niger, this number is not low, and the soil of Niger is relatively poor, in addition to forage, it also needs some sorghum and other fodder. Niger's climate and environment are suitable for the growth of cattle, so the breeds of cattle are all cattle, and Niger has the title of "country of cattle".
【Niger's bighorn】
(2) More than 13 million sheep (mainly) - compared to the more scarce green leafy vegetables and various fruits, Niger's mutton is still cheap, and ordinary people can often eat mutton, but there will be less beef, because Niger's beef is mainly exported, which is one of the few important commodities that can be exported to earn foreign exchange.
(3) More than 1.8 million camels (mainly dromedary) – mainly exported to the Middle East as meat.
[Although there are many lakes in Niger, there is still a shortage of water in some places]
epilogue
Niger became a French West African territory in 1904, officially became a French colony in 1922, and did not withdraw from the French Community in July 1960, when Niger officially declared its independence in August of that year - so the influence of France on Niger can be seen only from the administrative divisions, the first-level administrative units of Niger are not called cantons, nor provinces, but regions.
【Niger's Countryside】
If you only look at the products and resources, you can't finish peeling garlic cloves and catching fish; The inexhaustible cassava and endless grazing can basically describe the general outline of Niger, and this landlocked country can only be said to have some reserves in terms of metal minerals and biochemical energy, but relying on these exports, although it cannot meet the foreign exchange needed for the import of grain, medicine, daily necessities, etc., to this day, Niger is still one of the world's least developed countries with a per capita GDP of only more than 600 US dollars (equivalent to about one-twentieth of our per capita GDP).
For example, the National Museum of Niger was built in 1958, covering an area of about 24 hectares, and the collection is relatively rich, with nearly 5,000 exhibits, which is one of the famous museums in Africa. As one of the world's least developed countries announced by the United Nations, Niger also has about 2,000-300 compatriots, mainly in Niamey, the capital of Niger, and the surrounding areas.
[Of course, this will be the case in Niger]