Rural Development Support Project for the Mopti Region

Overview

Reference: P-ML-A00-003
Approval date: 10/10/2001
Start date: 17/09/2002
Appraisal Date: 01/08/2001
Status: On goingOnGo
Location: REGION DE MOPTI
Implementing Agency: MINISTERE DE LA COMMUNICATION ET DESNOUV

Context

The polders in the Mopti region have been the subject of significant investment over the years, especially since 1970, in order to secure and intensify rice and bourgou production.
In 1997, the Mopti Rice Authority (ORM) prepared, on the basis of a number of GID/SCET-Tunisia studies, an Integrated Rural Development Programme for the Mopti region as part of new financing for the ORM zone. The project is based on the achievements of, and lessons learnt from development operations carried out in the region by ORM over the past 20 years as well as of numerous partners who have gradually established themselves there.

Rationale

The project is justified by the potential of the Central Delta, one of Mali’s granaries, the food insecurity of the population, whose production systems have been fragilized by a reduction in rainfall and the declining floodwaters of the Niger, It is also justified by the willingness of the Government and ORM management to adopt a new better targeted approach – listening to and empowering rural dwellers who are likely to sustain the activities, by strengthening producer groups, and by promoting the private and associative sector as well as ORM personnel in their new functions as development partners.

Objective

The project’s specific objectives are diversification and increased agricultural production as well as the development of income-generating activities. The project comprises:

the implementation of some strengthening work to secure production on 179.5 ha in small village irrigated areas (PPIV);
the development of 760 ha of new PPIV and 1,100 ha of medium-size irrigated areas;
implementation of 225 ha of village reforestation for environmental protection; basic social infrastructure creation (20 domestic latrines for promotional use in certain villages and 20 boreholes in those villages with the greatest shortage of clean drinking water), etc.

Description

The principal project components are:

Hydro-Agricultural Infrastructure;
Local Production Capacity Building; and
Project management.

Impact

The project’s tangible economic benefits come from the roduction of rainfed crops (millet/sorghum), diversification crops (onions), and rice (controlled submersion rice-growing, rainy-season and off-season irrigated rice).

At full development, the project will significantly increase rice production from an average of 20,000 to 39,520 tons, thus providing a certain degree of coverage of the estimated requirements of 46,000 tons of rice for the population of the 70 villages. The project will contribute to food security in the area where the cereal deficit is often chronic.

Socially, living conditions in the area will be improved by the construction of domestic latrines, the establishment of drinking water points, and environmental sanitation activities. Almost 7,000 women directly affected by the project will see their working conditions and income levels improved by the credit provided for income-generating activities (agricultural produce processing units, market gardening, dyeing, and pottery). The project will significantly contribute to training of the different segments of the population involved in the activities. All of the decentralized institutions involved in the project will benefit from adapted and appropriate technical support. The project’s principal expected benefits are: Local producer supervision, stemming and containing rural-urban migration, improved cropping methods, and technical and logistical support to the local authorities and communal councils.