Feed the Future Mali Cereal Value Chain Monthly Report

The project's main activities during the period of April 20 to May 20, 2016, focused on increasing agricultural productivity in irrigated and dryland systems, expanding markets and trade, and strengthening local capacities and systems. Preparations for the crop year 2016/2017 involved planning to increase the area under improved technologies to 59,340 hectares, with a potential increase to 80,000 hectares once the project receives approval for further extension into Timbuktu and additional zones in Sikasso. The planned area under improved technologies included millet, sorghum, and rice, with a focus on promoting good agricultural practices and correct application of other improved technologies. Agribusiness coaches training on millet and sorghum production was conducted in Koro, with a focus on strengthening the knowledge and skills of coaches on good production practices of millet and sorghum. The training covered topics such as understanding the challenges of millet and sorghum production, good millet and sorghum production techniques, and disease control methods. A total of 12 coaches, including 4 women, and 42 CAT members, including 10 women, were trained. Negotiations were conducted with Mali Biocarburant SA and ICRAF on the supply of Jatropha curcas seeds for live fencing. The project aims to propose such seeds to farmers for planting live fences around their plots as a soil conservation measure, while Mali Biocarburant is interested in buying Jatropha nuts for production of biofuel. Lists of intervention villages were exchanged, and a seed purchase and distribution plan was developed based on an assumption of 470 producer organizations, 7 members per PO, and 3 kg per selected member. Progress in purchases and marketing by wholesalers was made, with the first forward contract of 2000 MT between CVC supported wholesalers and WFP being respected by wholesalers who purchased cereals from CVC supported producer organizations in Mopti and Sikasso. Purchases for a second contract were in progress, but WFP-Mali had not yet received the green light for signing the announced contract. Additionally, a new development was the announcement of the establishment of food security stocks by ECOWAS, with wholesalers starting purchases for this new market opportunity. Establishment of market linkages between POs with unsold stocks and wholesalers was also conducted, with the Bamako based Marketing Manager and the Sikasso based Marketing Specialist visiting POs with unsold millet and sorghum stocks and linking them with wholesalers with purchasing needs. This market linkages activity aimed to find a market opportunity for cooperatives so that they could reimburse the input credit to BNDA before the deadline. The project also strengthened local capacities and systems through supervision of SMFM training implementation, training of agribusiness coaches of the Koutiala basin on technology diffusion through demonstration plots, and contract signing and start-up with financial intermediaries. Additionally, information sessions on the value chain concept were held for local authorities in Mopti Region, and environmental compliance was ensured through preparation of training materials and contribution to subcontract development. The project's gender component involved identification of female rice POs in Sikasso region and participation of the CVC Sikasso's gender coordinator in modules validation workshop PASSIP. Monitoring and evaluation activities included participation in IOS-Partners' CVC impact harvesting exercise, and communication activities included success stories, CVC participation in seed fairs, and USAID visit to Koutiala. Coordination and collaboration activities included monitoring visits to the construction of the new warehouse in Pomorododiouna, funded by USADF, and participation in the training workshop and establishment of the Cowpea Innovation Platform in Bankass. The project also participated in the National Forum on Fertilizers Deep Placement (FDP) and field visits of the ACDI/VOCA Director.