Support for professional agricultural organisations (PAOs) trained by Caritas Bamako

Context

To the north and south of Bamako, agriculture and livestock farming are the main activities.

Cereal crops (sorghum, millet, corn and rice) are produced first for the farmers’ own consumption and then for sale if there is a surplus. As the population grows, less and less land is being left fallow. The country’s recurrent droughts, desertification, the felling of timber for energy or agriculture, and the loss of soil fertility are the main drawbacks of this agricultural activity, which is struggling to identify sustainable methods to protect the environment and maintain plant and animal biodiversity. The reduction in availability of natural resources is provoking conflict between crop and livestock farmers who are competing for access.

This project seeks to promote sustainable agriculture as a response to the multidimensional challenges facing farmers in terms of achieving food security.

More specifically, it involves providing farming equipment and improved seeds for the main cereal crops to eight villages which have demonstrated their need for support for a sustainable agriculture approach following the results recorded in 16 villages during the two previous phases of the project implemented by Caritas Bamako.

Project owner

Fondation Jean-Paul II pour le Sahel (John Paul II Foundation for the Sahel).
Caritas Mali.

Overall objective 

Contribute to food security through sustainable agriculture in eight villages in the areas north and south of Bamako.

Beneficiaries

Direct beneficiaries:
Eight new professional agricultural organisations (PAOs) provided with equipment for the production and use of organic manure, and 24 PAOs (including the eight new ones) supplied with improved seeds and supported with a view to establishing stocks of breeder seeds to empower their own seed production.

Indirect beneficiaries:
The inhabitants of the 24 villages in which the 24 PAOs are located, a total of 31,820 people.