Feed the Future Mali Sugu Yiriwa FY21 Annual Report (January-September 2021)

Its overall objective is to build the resilience of farming and trading communities in the Delta Zone through market-driven, inclusive, nutrition-sensitive, agriculture-led economic growth. The Activity operates in eight districts in the Mopti Region and four districts in Timbuktu Region. CARE International is the lead partner, with AMASSA and Nyeta Conseils as local partners. The Activity aims to address multiple constraints limiting growth in the Delta Zone, including lack of access to quality seeds, improved tools, and other supplies, restrictive seed certification policies, and lack of access to official financing. The Delta Zone has the potential to grow economically and contribute more to the national economy. Historically, Delta Zone producers and traders serve urban markets throughout Mali, supply horticultural crops to Bamako and Kayes, and export commodities such as cattle and smoked fish to other West African countries. The Delta Zone plays an important role in the grain trade, lying between the grain surplus areas of the south and the grain deficit North Zone, making it key to the country's food security. However, periodic shocks caused by climate change, conflicts, price fluctuations, and insecurity have destabilized communities and undermined social cohesion, disrupt services, and displace populations. Feed the Future Mali Sugu Yiriwa works through market system actors, including producer organizations, microfinance institutions, and private sector companies. The Activity aims to improve access to quality seeds, improved tools, and other supplies, and to increase access to official financing. It also aims to improve market information, reduce transportation costs, and increase value addition. The Activity has established partnerships with government, microfinance, and private sector actors, as well as with DevWorks, which implements the Agricultural Production Activity in the same region. The Activity has made significant progress in the first four quarters of FY21. More than 2,500 farmers have received training in sustainable agriculture techniques, and demonstration plots have shown yield improvements of 60% when applying the recommended practices. The Activity has also made progress in improving market access and increasing value addition. More than 1,000 farmers have been linked to markets, and the Activity has established partnerships with private sector companies to increase value addition. The Activity has also made progress in improving access to financial services, with more than 500 farmers accessing microfinance services. The Activity has encountered several challenges, including insecurity, conflicts, and climate change. The COVID-19 pandemic has further exacerbated these challenges and created a public health emergency in the region. The Activity has taken several actions to address these challenges, including establishing partnerships with government and private sector actors to improve security and access to financial services. The Activity has also made significant progress in environmental compliance. The Activity has established an Environmental Mitigation and Monitoring Plan (EMMP) to ensure that all activities are environmentally sustainable. The EMMP has identified several environmental risks, including soil degradation, water pollution, and loss of biodiversity. The Activity has taken several actions to mitigate these risks, including establishing conservation areas, promoting sustainable agriculture practices, and reducing water pollution. Overall, Feed the Future Mali Sugu Yiriwa has made significant progress in the first four quarters of FY21. The Activity has improved access to quality seeds, improved tools, and other supplies, and has increased access to official financing. It has also improved market information, reduced transportation costs, and increased value addition. The Activity has encountered several challenges, including insecurity, conflicts, and climate change, but has taken several actions to address these challenges.