The Context

Over 80 percent of Mali’s population is engaged in agricultural activities making it a critical sector in the country’s economic growth. In the meantime, farming is still characterized by low productivity, post-harvest crop losses, under-developed markets, and vulnerability to climate change. Malnutrition remains a significant challenge for the growing population.

Transforming the agriculture economy sustainably requires the increase in productivity, the generation and uptake of high yield technologies and access to market and trade.

CORAF’s work in Mali

As a research coordination organization, CORAF works hand-in-hand with the national agricultural research systems of Mali as well as the Regional Centers of Specialization on Rice to devise science and technology solutions to enable agriculture actors to deal with some of these challenges.

Agriculture Research and Development in Mali

Three entities conduct agricultural research in Mali. These include the Institute of Rural Economy, the Central Veterinary Laboratory, and the Rural Polytechnic Institute of Training and Applied Research Katibougou.

The Institute of Rural Economy is Mali’s principal agricultural research agency, primarily focusing on research agricultural and livestock production, postharvest, food technology, and socioeconomic research.

CORAF works with many different actors in Mali including the Ministry of Agriculture, the National Directorate of Rural Engineering, the Mali Seed Association (ASEMA), Mali’s National Rice Producers’ Platform, the National Seed Service (SSN) Ségou, the National Coordination of Peasant Organizations, Mali’s National Seed Association (PNPR-M), the National Rice Specialization Centre (CNS-Riz), the Office of Niger (ON), the Permanent Assembly of the Chambers of Agriculture of Mali (APCAM), the Permanent Assembly of Chambers (APCM) of Mali, and the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Mali (CCIM).