Due to their believe in our non-profit organization, 6 villages have provided 200 hectares of land to grow crops in Kayes, Mali. To counter poverty, migration, desertification, malnutrition and unemployment, Biopal NGO wants to start an agricultural training center. With this project, we want to enable the local farmers and young people to secure their livelihood, be educated in ecological and sustainable techniques and to provide fresh vegetables to the city of Kayes (250,000 citizens).
Mali is a sparsely populated, predominantly desert country with a highly undiversified economy. It is vulnerable to commodity price fluctuations and to the consequences of climate change. Desertification is one of the main challenges of the region which leads - in combination with a high population growth rate and droughts - to food insecurity, poverty, and instability. Over half of the Malian population lives on less than US$1.25 per day.
Ensuring food security, a regular income and generating entrepreneurship among the Malines population are the main objectives of the "Biopal" project. The project supports the participating families with knowledge, training, animal feed and seeds. An economic network among the various villages is promoted. Due to the fact that more than 80% of the Malian population is dependent on agriculture, this project supports the most vulnerable and acts as the key to self-employment.
The project will ensure food security for the city of Kayes (250.000 citizens) and the 11 surrounding villages. The goal is to enable several villages and its farmers to be self-employed and to spread knowledge to several 1000 people each year. With our eco-friendly and biological way, we also hope to stop the spreading of the desert and to enable the future generation of Mali to use alternatives methodes.
This project has provided additional documentation in a PDF file (projdoc.pdf).
