On Tuesday, December 3, the African Development Bank Group's Board of Directors approved US $55.27 million for the Food Security Consolidation through Development of Irrigation Farming Project (PRESA/DCI) in Mali.

The project aims at enhancing sustainable increase in agricultural output and productivity through efficient management of irrigation infrastructure and development of value chains for growth-oriented crop sectors.

It comprises two components - Development of farming infrastructure; Rehabilitation of irrigation infrastructure over 4,926 hectares with full control over irrigation water - and the development of value chains under three sub-components:

Development of value chains

Capacity building in programs on fertilization, mechanization, guidance-support, land tenure security, climate resilience, output and productivity, support for women and youths, support for value chains and authorities.

Promotion of technical innovations in programs on fertilization, mechanization, land tenure security, output and productivity, support for women and youths and support for value chains.

Support for local initiatives and governance in programs on mechanization, real estate security, climate resilience and the environment, literacy, support for women and youths, marketing and social infrastructure.

The project will rehabilitate or develop 4,926 ha of irrigated farm lands on three (3) sites, as well as reinforce and consolidate activities in the value chains. The three (3) sites concerned are: (i) the 274 ha irrigated area of Farabana within the Upper Niger Valley Authority zone in Koulikoro region; (ii) the 1,050 ha downstream area of Sélingué and its 50 ha extension, as well as the 126 ha Koutouba plain in Sélingué Rural Development Authority zone of Sikasso region; and (iii) the 3,426 ha central Molodo irrigation area and the 54.6 km drains of Kio and Bounouboua within the Niger Authority zone. Koulikoro, Sikasso and Ségou regions, which have a chronic malnutrition prevalence rate of over 30 per cent, are the most affected by this deficiency that affects over 843,000 under-five children.

Overall beneficiaries are estimated at 85,695 people including 5,700 households in the rehabilitated irrigation areas, 1,000 women in the market gardening irrigation areas, 2,100 youths and women from EIGs dealing with small-scale stockbreeding, fish farming, processing and marketing of agricultural produce, and 200 youths from agricultural machinery Economic Interest Groups. At full development, an additional output of 25,000 tonnes of paddy rice, 24 tonnes of fish, and 73 tonnes of broiler meat is expected.

The total project cost is estimated at UA 39.30 million* (CFAF 29.64 billion). The Bank's support is in the form of a loan and a grant of UA 33.856 million (86.10 per cent of total cost) and UA 2.144 million (5.5 per cent of total cost), respectively. The Government will also contribute about CFAF 2.42 billion (UA 3.21 million) to finance mainly the operating costs, training, support for the economic interest groups, planting works and cadastral survey costs. Similarly, beneficiaries' contribution in kind, estimated at CFAF 66.97 million (UA 88,800), will be needed for certain works related to forest planting and control of floating aquatic plants.

* As of December 2013, 1 UA (Unit of Account) = US $1.53521 = 740.68041 CFA Franc BCEAO (XOF)