03-11-2023 | di COOPI

Mali. Promoting access to food resources with AICS

In Mali, political insecurity, climate shocks and persistent population displacement continue to exacerbate the country's agriculture, fisheries and livestock sectors. Within a context of difficult access to resources, the country has been witnessing a rise in prices for the most common food items in recent years. According to a market analysis of February 2023, the price of some basic commodities, such as millet, has more than doubled. (UN, May 17, 2023)

Food insecurity arises as one of the consequences of this situation; for 1.2 million people In Mali access to food is not regular, a situation that impacts especially the most vulnerable groups, such as women and children (UN, May 17, 2023).

We are forming groups of women to carry out agricultural activities, not only to improve the food supply for families, but also to treat quality food that would improve the diets of children under the age of 5 and pregnant women in the villages.

Says Francine Mbida, head of mission for COOPI-Cooperazione Internazionale in Mali. The agricultural activities carried out by the women beneficiaries are one of the activities of the project "Emergency response to the health, nutrition and food security needs of internally displaced people and hosts in central Mali”, funded by the Italian Agency for Development Cooperation (AICS).

Started on October 10, 2022 with an end in December 2023, the project has brought an improvement in food security and livelihoods of the crisis-affected populations through an agro-ecological approach, family farming, and the processing and sale of local agricultural products, in the cercles of Barouéli, Bla, Ségou, and Bamako.

For the project's implementation, COOPI cooperates with the Italian NGO Tamat, the local NGO Tonus, and the High Commission for Agriculture.