World Vegetable Center and the World Food Program empower several populations in southwestern Mali

Equip vulnerable populations in southwestern Mali with knowledge and know-how to effectively fight malnutrition and undernourishment. This is the credo of the World Vegetable Center team, which has been crisscrossing several villages and camps around Segou.

Tonzougouwere is a very welcoming Fulani camp. This tour of four very remote and distant localities from each other is to build the capacities and resilience of the populations targeted by the World Food Program. Under the big tree in the village, an open-air classroom is installed. The populations received several course modules on agricultural techniques, mainly watering and mulching in these arid areas. Identifying pests and the means of pest control was another module which greatly interested these populations.

The highlight of this intervention in the field was undoubtedly the teachings of the World Vegetable Centre’s vegetable conservation and processing unit, whose easy-to-reproduce techniques conquered the populations.

Everywhere, learning by example consisted after the theoretical course in making step-by-step cans of fresh vegetables, which after pasteurisation, can last more than a year. The same for the tomato puree made. Very useful in these arid areas where nothing grows as soon as wintering is over

Whether it was Soya, Diarabougou or Nonzonbougou, the modules taught were identical. As for mobilisation and enthusiasm, they were everywhere great.

Throughout the week and in front of wildly enthusiastic populations eager for knowledge, the team of specialists from the World Vegetable Center and the IER deployed, in the local language, a package of interventions well received and highly appreciated by the populations of the various localities visited.

The fight against malnutrition and undernourishment in the southwest of Mali is scoring points thanks to the technical support of the World Vegetable Center.