Feed the Future Mali Cereal Value Chain Monthly Report

The project is implemented in several regions of Mali, including Sikasso, Mopti, and Office du Niger. In the agricultural productivity component, the project is establishing demonstration plots to promote improved technologies and good agricultural practices. These plots are being established in all intervention zones, including rice plots in the valley bottoms and plains of Sikasso, the VIPs of Mopti, and in Alatona of Office du Niger. The project has identified interested producers for the demonstration plots installation in Mopti and Sikasso regions and has received support from Toguna SA to provide fertilizers for the plots. Partnerships with input producers and suppliers are also being established to support the project's activities. Toguna SA has provided fertilizers for 50 demonstration plots, and the seed company SOPROSA has promised to provide required seed quantities for the plots. The project is also monitoring the management of compost pits and has designed a data collection sheet to track the number of compost pits filled, emptied, and refilled, as well as the amounts of manure produced and crops and acreage fertilized from these pits. In the markets and trade component, the project is working to expand markets and trade for small farmers. CVC participated in the WFP/P4P Farmers' Forum 2016, where the project made a presentation on the main achievements of giving access to small farmers to markets through cereal traders. The forum identified the following findings and lessons learned: all contracts were honored for 100% by the Cooperative Unions and wholesalers who purchase cereals from POs partnering with CVC, and CVC supported contracts represented 40% of the total purchases by P4P. The project is also supporting wholesaler SODF in the preparation of a response to an ECOWAS tender for delivery of 5,000 MT of cereal. SODF made a proposal for delivery of 1,500 MT of millet and 1,500 MT of sorghum, and received an approval BNDA for an additional credit line. In the resilience of vulnerable communities and households component, the project is working to increase the resilience of vulnerable communities and households. CVC is collaborating with Mali Biocarburant for Jatropha seed supply to cooperatives, and meetings between the USAID Resilience team and CVC are being held to discuss the project's activities. In the local capacities and systems component, the project is strengthening local capacities and systems. The project is training Gforce personnel on Outlook, and SMFM training of PO leaders in Mopti is being conducted. The project is also harmonizing and simplifying training modules and handouts. The project is being implemented in several regions of Mali, including Sikasso, Mopti, and Office du Niger. The project's activities are being monitored and evaluated, and the project is working to ensure that its activities are aligned with the project's goals and objectives.