Dec 28, 2015 | News

Mali to focus on financing for its agriculture priorities

Last week, Mali held a business meeting to agree on the financing requirements for implementating its agriculture investment priorites.

The Mali National business meeting, held from November 4 to 5 at the Hotel Salam, on the financing of the national plan for priority investment in the agricultural sector (PINP-SA) was, unquestionably, a success both by the number, quality and diversity of participants and the importance of the topics discussed and the frankness with which they were discussed. This, was said by the representative of the NEPAD Planning and Coordinating Agency, Mr. Komla Bissi.

The Business meeting objectives were to enable the Government of Mali to present its national priority investment in the agricultural sector (PINP-SA) and its partners to make funding announcements of PINP-SA.

After two days of discussions between the Government of Mali, technical partners and bilateral and multilateral financial organizations, civil society, private sector institutions and regional technical cooperation Bissi Komla held fruitful discussions. Remember that before the signing, October 13, 2009, of the Covenant ECOWAP / CAADP Mali to hold this Business meeting, he had spent only thirteen months, a record that should be emphasized. That, he said, time was needed for the provision and the final negotiation of the national plan for priority investment in the agricultural sector (PINP - SA).

The plan aims to achieve a growth rate of at least 6% in the agricultural sector, through increased production of more corn, millet, sorghum, rice, meat, milk and fish. The PINP-SA is designed over a period of five years, from 2011 to 2015, which aims to ensure food security and nutrition of populations. It contributes to the achievement of food sovereignty of the country for the well-being in accordance with the provisions of the Law on Agriculture of Mali (LOA) and direction of agricultural policy of ECOWAS.

Its specific objectives are to increase cereal production (maize, millet, sorghum, rice), by the intensification and modernization of production and marketing, to increase animal production (meat / milk), by resource management and intensification of pastoral production systems, to increase fish production and aquaculture, for resource management and intensification of production systems, improve farmers' incomes through improved economic surplus production and improve nutritional status through actions on Information, Education and Communication (IEC).

The expected results of PINP-SA in terms of additional production of various sectors in 2015 are: 494,594 tonnes of maize, 56% increase, 407,683 tons of millet, 36% increase, 157,780 tons sorghum, 15% increase, 168,262 tons of paddy rice, 12% increase, 91,467 tons of meat, or 42% increase, 362,235,000 liters of milk, or 19% increase, and for fisheries and aquaculture, 47,559 tons, or 28% increase. The PINP-SA is estimated at 358.845 billion CFA francs.

Among the recommendations are high on the formulation of a clear strategy for implementing the plan, clarifying roles and responsibilities of different actors and the coordination of its implementation by the interdepartmental committee, in close collaboration with the all stakeholders; effective participation of the private sector in the implementation of PINP-SA and its professionalism, so that it plays its role, particularly in outreach and marketing; determining data to assess trends in poverty and vulnerability and, finally, strict enforcement activities to mitigate impacts related to physical and social infrastructure facilities and agriculture.

The Minister for Malians Abroad and African Integration, in his closing speech, say that the learned today is even more important for the Government of Mali that represents our contribution to implementation of CAADP ECOWAP / NEPAD. "The components of PINP-SA demonstrated to perfection, and their immediate implementation will contribute to the promotion of agricultural development in our country to eradicate hunger, reduce poverty and food insecurity and increase opportunities in export markets, in respect of regional complementarities. "

In conclusion he said: "The PINP-SA demonstrates to perfection, the fruit of the principles of partnerships and alliances between communities of farmers and producers and those in the agro- business and civil society, a concept at the center of the CAADP at its critical implementation. "

Pierre Fo'o Medjo 
Source: www.maliweb.net