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 The International Program of the
Cooperative League of the United States of America (CLUSA) is the prime
contractor for a project called PRODEPAM—Program for the Development of
Agricultural Production in Mali. IFDC is a member of a consortium led by
CLUSA, which manages the project and focuses on farmer organization.
Other consortium members and their areas of focus include: Sheladia
(irrigation); Land O’Lakes (animal feed); and Approtec (irrigation
equipment—pumps). IFDC is responsible for NRM, production technology
(irrigated crops), extension (ISFM strategies) and input marketing
issues.
The goal of PRODEPAM, which began in
2004, is to increase producer incomes and foster sustainable,
environmentally sound economic growth. PRODEPAM is funded by USAID and
is one of its primary projects in Mali. The project, led by Dr. Kabirou
N’Diaye, PRODEPAM/IFDC Team Leader, aims to stimulate agricultural
productivity in Mali in two sectors: (1) irrigated crops (rice and
horticultural crops) and (2) animal feed. The project covers a large
part of Mali: the Mopti, Ségou, Sikasso, Bamako, Tombouctou and Gao
regions.
The project’s activities are designed to
achieve the following four results:
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Irrigated land rehabilitated and
expanded;
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Increased access to improved animal
feeds;
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Improved community-based natural
resources management; and
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Access to agricultural inputs and
technology, including the promotion of seeds and biotechnology.
“One of IFDC’s main activities during
the first year of implementation involved introduction of improved seeds
at the local level,” says Dr. N’Diaye. “To increase the access of
producers to improved rice varieties in southern Mali, 73 farmers have
been trained to become seed producers. As a group they produced about
10,000 kg of Nerica 4—a variety developed by the Africa Rice Center (WARDA),
covering about 30 hectares. The availability and qualities of the
Nerica 4 have been promoted during farmer field days that have involved
more than 200 farmers.”
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