Smiles all round. Transforming lives in Mali with improved vegetable varieties and targeted training
Members of the Tamani Soba group proudly present their recent vegetable harvest, alongside WorldVeg trainers
In Mali, the agricultural sector employs around 60% of the working population and contributes 30% of steady economic growth that plays a crucial role in reducing poverty and improving food security. However, Mali has been hard hit by the impacts of climate change, an inescapable reality which seriously affects the livelihoods of farming families. In this context, continuing to produce and producing more is a constant challenge, where it also be silent struggle to ensure daily survival.
WorldVeg is committed to working alongside rural communities to help them overcome food insecurity. To this end, a seed production chain was established, linking research to farming practices, to improve the availability and quality of vegetable seeds for local producers. At Tamani Soba in Koulikoro region, new and improved vegetable varieties were made available and became readily adopted as a sustainable solution to food production and improved nutrition. In long, well-organized rows, many varieties are now seen, of colorful chili, tomato and onion, as well as traditional African vegetables such as jute mallow, okra and amaranth.
Against this backdrop, WorldVeg launched an ambitious program with one group of producers, providing them with the keys to a more resilient agriculture. Thanks to this program, 132 members (78 women, 54 men) rediscovered local varieties that used to grow wild, and learned how to grow them in the best possible way. These vegetables, perfectly adapted to the difficult climatic conditions, represent a real life insurance policy for these communities.
Mariam Diarra, a committed producer and dedicated member of the Tamani Soba village group, harvests the abundant vegetables from her field, a symbol of her hard work and dedication.
“Before, I only knew how to grow a few vegetables. Today, thanks to WorldVeg, I have learned how to maintain a garden and, above all, how to grow a wide variety of vegetables, whatever the season” says Mariam Diarra, a producer from the village group. The group didn’t just learn vegetable production techniques. The women in particular also saw how to diversify their diet by eating a wider variety of vegetables. They learned how to enrich infant cereal formulas with the vegetables they grow, making it much richer in vitamins and minerals essential to growth.
This ongoing revolution is built upon solid foundations, being two decades of WorldVeg research in Mali that continues to develop new vegetable varieties that are better adapted to local conditions, that meet nutritional and economic needs, and encourage further adoption of vegetable production.
There are also additional benefits. By sharing their knowledge and seeds, particularly of improved varieties of amaranth and jute mallow, women have created a real network of solidarity. Jute mallow, for example, a highly prized plant, was generally only available seasonally, as it grows wild during the rainy season. Thanks to WorldVeg, production has increased through the introduction of improved varieties. Today, as well as producing for their own consumption, Tamani Soba growers are able to increase their income by selling this much sought-after plant throughout the year.
The perimeter of the village is a space for innovation, where farmers experiment with new varieties and techniques to make agriculture more sustainable and productive.
The group also produces onions, even during the rainy season. Onions are one of the most widely grown vegetables in Mali, and production has a crucial role in food security and producer incomes. However, most growers only manage to cultivate it in dry periods, due to a lack of expertise in moisture management techniques. But the Tamani Soba group successfully overcame the challenge. One farmer, Daouda Coulibaly, explains that onions are in great demand on the local market and are now a lucrative option. “This year, we sold almost half a tonne of onions – a huge amount – at 300 francs a kilo in the locality, and outside, we could sell for 600 francs a kilo”.
These successes can be seen as a real boost of hope and life for the Tamani Soba community, previously considered vulnerable as they are exposed to climatic, economic and nutritional challenges. But now, the villagers benefit from new sources of income and nutrition, thanks to support from WorldVeg, that is actively helping to build a more sustainable future for this rural community amongst many others.
Financial support for this work was provided by the World Food Programme, Mali Office, through the project, ‘Contribution to the implementation of the WFP Country Strategic Plan 2020-2024 and the WorldVeg Strategic Vision 2017-2025’, with genetic material and new varieties developed and supplied by WorldVeg.
