Perspectives - Quel avenir pour les cuvettes oasiennes dans le Niger oriental ?

The oasian interdunal depressions of eastern Niger are areas of life providing refuge to agro-pastoral activities in a generally hostile environment. The inter-university Targeted Program (ITP) funded by the Coopération Universitaire au Développement (CUD) called "Invasion of circular lowlands (cuvettes) of south-eastern Niger by aeolian deposits: processes, impacts and means of struggle" has studied the problem of silting of these refuge areas and proposed technical means, including physical and biological fixation of dunes that threaten the villages and interdunal depressions. Given the increasing human pressure and the present climate context that seems to move towards dryer conditions, environmental degradation of the study area should be investigated more broadly. Set up of strategies to allow people to adapt their conditions of life to an environment increasingly rough should also be considered. This paper presents some possible options for adaptation and examines the question of the very future of these interdunal depressions.