Quarterly Activity Report: Project to Mobilize Food Security Initiatives in Mali—Phase II (PROMISAM II)

The project aimed to strengthen the capacity of the Malian government to develop analytical and market-based food security responses. The initiative had four primary objectives: enhancing the technical and analytical skills of the Malian food security commission (CSA) and related support agencies, helping develop methods for monitoring the implementation of local food security plans, assisting IPR/IFRA de Katibougou in developing an academic and practical curriculum in agricultural economics and food policy analysis, and providing technical support to Mali's national team developing the country's NEPAD/CAADP report and national compact. During the first quarter of the project, the team focused on getting the various components of the Associate Award started, including general program logistics. A particular emphasis was given to the NEPAD/CAADP component, consistent with priorities expressed by USAID/Mali and the tight deadlines for the overall West Africa CAADP process. The project also began to analyze the equipment and training needs of the CSA and its affiliated services, with the aim of determining which needs could be met through the project. The project made significant progress in enhancing the technical and analytical skills of the CSA and related support agencies. The team identified three economists working within the CSA system, who would be involved in joint research and analysis with the project to help strengthen their skills. The project also began designing empirical studies to inform the design of marketing policy in Mali, which would be carried out jointly with the CSA, OMA, and IER. Additionally, the team provided ongoing advice to the Commissioner on management of the rice market situation in Mali, including import policy. The project also made progress in developing methods for monitoring the implementation of local food security plans. The team contracted with Harouna Koné of the DNSI to develop draft training materials on monitoring and evaluation, which were produced by February 15. The project also held discussions with Peace Corps about involving volunteers in helping to support local communes' efforts to monitor plan implementation. In addition, the project assisted IPR/IFRA de Katibougou in developing an academic and practical curriculum in agricultural economics and food policy analysis. The work on this component built upon the October 2008 USAID-funded visit to MSU by IPR Director General Fafré Samaké and other IPR team members. The project agreed to merge two separate IPR/IFRA initiatives into a single initiative, developing an academic program in agricultural economics with a specialization in policy analysis. The aims of this merger were to concentrate resources and create a firmer analytic base for work at IPR/IFRA in policy analysis. The project also provided technical support to Mali's national team developing the country's NEPAD/CAADP report and national compact. The team met with Dennis Bilodeau of USAID/Mali's Governance/Communication team to discuss procedures for coordination with USAID's decentralization team once the new contractor for PGP2 is chosen. The project also solicited and received the expressed equipment needs from IPR/IFRA and from the CSA and its affiliated services, which were received by the third week of February and analyzed by the project to determine which needs could be met through the project. Overall, the project made significant progress in its first quarter, with a focus on getting the various components of the Associate Award started and making progress on the four primary objectives. The project's activities and achievements during this period laid the foundation for future progress and success.