Accurately measuring poverty andassessing trends in its incidence and severity are among themost fundamental challenges in economic development. Theissue of effective poverty measurement has been the subjectof renewed interest since the United Nations adopted themillennium development goals (MDGs) in 2000. In Niger, as inmany comparable countries worldwide, poverty data arecollected through household surveys of consumption patternsand living conditions. A number of methodological factorscan affect the accuracy of consumption data during thecollection phase, especially the number of survey visits,the time of year during which the questionnaire isadministered, the recall period, and the composition of theconsumption basket defined in the survey. The purpose ofthis paper is to produce a robust analysis of poverty trendsin Niger from 2005 to 2011 by using the 2011 survey as thebasis for monitoring poverty and correcting formethodological differences in earlier surveys. The decisionto use the 2011 survey as the basis for establishingmethodological consistency is rooted in two factors. First,the large variations in poverty estimates obtained indifferent survey periods are suspected to be due in part tochanges in the survey methodology. Second, the 2011 surveycoincided with the adoption of Niger’s current growth andpoverty reduction strategy, programme de développementeconomique et social (PDES). The report describes the 2011survey methodology and the techniques used to make theprevious figures compatible with this methodology. Itpresents the revised poverty figures and discusses theirimplications. It also offers conclusions and recommendations.
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