16 August 2018, Maradi, Niger - FAO Director-General José Graziano da Silva during the inauguration of the FAO cistern project Cistern in the village of Dargué, Maradi region, Niger on August 16, 2018. RBA UN Agencies (FAO, WFP and IFAD) along with the Government of Niger and other partners visited the agropastoral Maradi region of Niger to understand the context and local priorities, espcially the needs of women and other vulnerable groups in the area. In Niger, as in many other parts of the Sahel, climate shocks have resulted in recurring droughts with devastating impacts on the region's already vulnerable populations.