世界银行-萨赫勒地区的非农业收入：生计多样化和增强韧性的见解（英）

SASPP Technical Paper Series DIVERSIFYING LIVELIHOODS AND BUILDING RESILIENCE IN THE SAHEL The Role of Non-Agricultural Income April 2025 Authors Stephanie Brunelin Ulrich Zombre Majda Benzidia SUMMARY The Sahel region is highly vulnerable to climate-related shocks and the effects of seasonality due to the population's dependence on rainfed agricultural activities. Diversifying income sources at household level can help reduce risks, particularly those related to seasonality in agriculture. Over the past five years, several countries in the Sahel have developed productive inclusion programs aimed at supporting poor households in developing and diversifying economic activities. The objective of this technical paper is to better understand the nature of non-agricultural income across the Sahel. It aims to provide insights into the different types of non-agricultural incomes and their significance in enhancing household resilience and economic stability. This technical paper uses data from the 'Enquête Harmonisée sur les Conditions de Vie des Ménages' (EHCVM), which collected harmonized data from Burkina Faso, Mali, Niger, Senegal, and Chad during two distinct 'waves' throughout 2018 and 2019. The waves correspond approximately to the lean and non-lean seasons in Burkina Faso, Mali, Niger, and Senegal. The paper examines three types of non-agricultural incomes: income from non-agricultural household enterprises, wage income, and remittances. The findings highlight the importance of non-agricultural enterprises, wage employment, and remittances in providing a more stable and continuous income stream throughout the year. Although agriculture remains the predominant source of livelihood in the Sahel, it generates very low income, compelling households to diversify their income-generating activities. Non-agricultural enterprises are the primary source of income in Burkina Faso, Chad, and Niger even if running profitable household enterprises is a challenge in the region. Profit margins are very low and 80 percent of non-agricultural enterprises report earning profits below the poverty line. Some enterprises are even operating at a loss. The proportion of enterprises operating at a loss varies from 5 percent in Chad to 26 percent in Senegal, underscoring the severe difficulties businesses encounter in achieving profitability and the importance of financial literacy to manage a business effectively. Wage employment represents the first source of income in Senegal, where it accounts for an average of 38 percent of total income. Finally, Mali is the only country in our sample with agriculture as both the main livelihood and income source. Supporting the growth of non-agricultural activities is crucial for improving the overall well-being and resilience of households in the Sahel. Policies should focus on enhancing the productivity and profitability of non-agricultural enterprises for the poor and improving their access to wage employment, which can h