PRESS RELEASE – Launching of the project “Intensification and Replication of Sustainable Land Management (SLM) and Good Agroforestry Practices in Koulikoro Region in Mali”

Sept. 29, 2017

The Ministry of Environment, Sanitation and Sustainable Development, in partnership with UN Environment, the Global Environment Facility and the Africa Sustainability Center (ASCENT), are launching the project “Intensification and Replication of Sustainable (SLM) and good agroforestry practices in the Koulikoro region of Mali, “on September 29, 2017, in Koulikoro.

With a cost of more than 750,000,000 FCFA and a four-year implementation period, the Project is a joint initiative to be implemented specifically in the rural communes of Didiéni and Niamana in the Koulikoro region; a region facing land degradation and land cover, declining production and productivity, deteriorating living conditions, the exodus of young people to cities and gold-washing sites. From its creation to the present day, Mali has benefited from $ 465 million in the form of a grant from the Global Environment Facility through 82 projects.

Mali particularly welcomes the innovative approach of the projected impact programs for GEF 7 and the flexibility that will be provided to the country for the use of the Fund’s resources for each country. Mali asks the GEF to consider these innovative programs on food security, sustainable management of ecosystems and waters, but also the Environment Security Program, among others, are priorities and will play an active role.

The strategic vision of the project is to offer young people and women in the intervention zone opportunities for development, based on the promotion of entrepreneurship in the agro-sylvo-pastoral area.

In this respect, it is a contribution of Mali in the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals, by 2030.

The Project has four components:

Component 1: Intensification of sustainable management of land and water resources in agricultural and pastoral systems:

  • Support for 2,500 farmers, including 1,000 women and 1,000 breeders, including 600 women for the adoption of good SLM and agroforestry practices; which should lead to:
  • Increase agricultural productivity on 50,000 ha of degraded and recovered land and
  • The improvement of ecosystem services on 50,000 ha of pastureland.

Component 2: Diversification of livelihoods and improvement of the community’s standard of living (AGR)

  • Identification, training and support to 25 groups, including 15 women and 10 youths, to diversify their income by:
  • Agroforestry and manure management, which in turn will contribute to increased productivity.
  • Identification and implementation of 300 GEF households, six (6) income-generating activities (3 agricultural and 3 livestock)

Component 3: Support for capacity building at the local level to increase understanding of good SLM practices

  • Identification, training and support to 20 local producer groups including 8 women’s groups engaged in Sustainable Land Management and Agroforestry;
  • Identification and training of 50 groups including 25 women and 25 young people on the conservation of local food crop varieties;
  • Establishment of a conflict resolution mechanism comprising 30% of women.

Component 4: Knowledge Management and Monitoring and Evaluation.

  • Development, replication, testing and dissemination of guidelines on best practices in SLM and agroforestry;
  • Development and integration of land use monitoring, a participatory monitoring and evaluation system of SLM and agroforestry practices, to identify the impacts of SLM and agroforestry practices in the project.

Bamako, September 29th 2017

Dr Bakary KANTE,

Chairman of Africa Sustainability Center

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