For villagers in the Douentza region of northern Mali – who have suffered drought, political turmoil, and occupation by rebels and extremists — market gardens have not only helped them to survive, but have improved livelihoods and strengthened the resilience of communities.
With your support, over the last two years farmers have produced an incredible 70 tons of food in market gardens with an estimated value of 17,700,000CFA – that is an estimated $37,000! The project has directly benefited 400 farmers, and indirectly benefited thousands in the communities surrounding the eight market gardens.
With communities on stronger footing, this month marks the end of our campaign on Global Giving. Our work in Mali continues – and we hope that you will continue to follow our activities and the impact of our projects through our website, Facebook page, or Twitter feed.
We thank you for your generous support for vulnerable families in northern Mali, and leave you with highlights of the impact of your donation:
The impact of your donation is perhaps best expressed by those who have benefited:
“We have received much support in planning, organization, financial management, and gardening techniques,” Dico (a farmer in N’Gorodia market garden in the Rural Commune of Korombana) said. “This has been so important for our community, and particularly our women. The benefits are immeasurable.”
The market gardens have done more than just ensure food security in the eight-targeted communities – they have improved livelihoods and lives.
“Before market gardening was introduced in our community, nearly all of our girls had to go to towns (Mopti, Bamako, etc.) after the rainy season to serve as housekeepers – with all the risks of disease, crime, and accidents that accompanied this travel,” Aissata, a farmer in the Garity market garden in the Rural Commune of Debere, said. “With revenues from market gardens, this is no longer necessary. The gardens provide enough revenue for women to set up their marriage trousseau.”
THANK YOU!!! Your generous support has allowed NEF to work with communities in Mali to build sustainable solutions that will benefit community members for years to come. We hope that you will continue to follow NEF’s work! For more on Global Giving, consider NEF's work in rural Armenia.
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In recent months, the farmers you have supported were able to produce 33.7 tons of food, with an estimated value of 8,425,000 CFA – that’s nearly $18,000!
Most communities in northern Mali experienced a poor agricultural season and they are still struggling to recover from drought and political unrest. Despite this, NEF’s support in eight villages—made possible by generous donors like you—helped to ensure food security and income for hundreds of families.
NEF provided support to over 400 people – nearly 80% of them women – to develop and improve production through market gardens. Farmers produced crops including shallot, tomatoes, lettuce, eggplants, peppers, carrots, and beets.
For vulnerable families in the region, the impact of these market gardens has been significant.
One beneficiary from Dari in the rural commune of Diaptodji estimated that her personal revenues from the sales of products have been nearly 150,000 CFA ($350).
“My revenues have allowed me to help our family with daily expenses for food, healthcare, and the education of our children. This has been so important, especially during a bad agricultural season,” she said. “I want to express my deep appreciation and gratitude for the project and what it has done for my family.”
Through its work, NEF seeks to improve the capacity of villagers to meet food needs and increase their income for years to come. NEF continued to work with communities to strengthen their ability to manage investments and improve the governance of farmers’ organizations (groups of women) to provide ongoing support.
In the coming months, NEF will continue to work with market garden farmers in the eight villages of Bagui, Korientzé, N’Gorodia, (rural commune of Korombana) Dari, Deri (rural commune of N’Diaptodji), Mounouwel, Kikara (rural commune of Gandamia), and Gafity (rural commune of Débéré).
Your generous support allows NEF to continue and expand its work with women and communities in need in Mali! Thank you!
In a region that only a year ago was ravaged by drought and political unrest, NEF’s support for vulnerable farmers – made possible by generous donors like you – is helping communities recover and rebuild food security.
During the last three months, farmers in Northern Mali began planting for another harvest season. NEF helped the farmers in preparing soil with organic manure, planting seeds, and improving irrigation. Through market gardens, the farmers will produce crops to eat and sell including shallots, lettuce, carrots, tomatoes, eggplants, and cabbage.
The best way to share what a great impact we’re having is through the words of the beneficiaries themselves. Here’s what one woman from the village of Mounouwel had to say about how the market garden initiative has changed life for her family:
“The project has helped us meet our needs. Money from the selling of vegetables has allowed me to pay for my daughter's clothes and help with education expenses … In addition, the contribution to family finances has helped maintain a climate of harmony in my household as we are less worried about how to pay for basic expenses. While expressing my deep gratitude to all partners, I ask that the project continues to support us to improve and enhance our production. I sincerely thank you.”
Families across the region are experiencing similar progress because of your support!
In addition to working with individual farmers, NEF is also working at the community level to strengthen production and natural resource management. To help build sustainability into the areas we’re serving, we’re supporting the creation of community-level management committees to provide support to farmers.
Over the past quarter, members of management committees from eight participating villages attended trainings on the management of investments and good governance. With the skills they have learned, members of these committees will provide ongoing support to farmers to improve livelihoods into the future.
Your generous contribution makes it possible for NEF to continue this life-changing work. THANK YOU!
Given the outstanding amount of food that these market gardens have produced, and the effect these gardens have had in improving the lives of people in the eight villages taking part in the project, NEF-Mali is entering the new quarter with a strong commitment to continuing this program. There is considerable interest in focusing on encouraging youth and women in the participating villages to become involved.
Farmers used the winter months (July – September) to meet and review the previous season’s results, analyze the overall market garden plan, and work out solutions to challenges they encountered. NEF organized meetings to assess how much water is available and to check on seed production levels as well as to set a production schedule for the upcoming growing season. The NEF team also advised farmers on techniques that will help them continue to increase their market gardening production potential.
NEF has helped farmers in eight villages launch and operate market gardens where they sell a portion of their produce to meet community food needs and meet their own financial needs. Families eat the remaining portion of their produce at home.
The villages in need where farmers are now producing vegetables with NEF support include: Bagui, Korientzé, N'Gorodia (rural town of Korombana), Dari, Deri (rural town of N'Diaptodji), Mounouwel, Kikara (rural town of Gandamia), and Gafity (rural town of Debere).
THANK YOU for supporting families in Mali as they recover from drought and occupation! YOU are improving their lives today and helping them build food security for the future!
Food Security Improved in Rural Communities
An estimated 28.2 tons of vegetables have been produced in 2013 through NEF’s initiative to support smallholder farmers in Mali, where political instability, drought, and climate change have caused widespread hunger.
The combined monetary value of the crops is 7.05 million CFA francs (based on an average cost of 250 FCFA per kilogram on the local market).
This significant food production and cash income for farming families was made possible after NEF distributed—free of charge—1,775 kilograms of seeds in Mali this year and provided support through the growing process.
NEF has helped farmers in eight villages launch and operate market gardens where they sell a portion of their produce to meet community food needs and meet their own financial needs. Families eat the remaining portion of their produce at home.
Their new crops include potatoes, tomatoes, beets, cabbage, lettuce, and peppers.
Overall, NEF’s market garden activities are contributing to a reduction in the exodus of young people and women from impoverished villages. We are also helping to improve household nutrition and to create a sustainable source of both food and income in rural areas.
In addition, NEF’s support is building the skills and capacity of participating farmers. In the past few months, we have organized seven group training sessions to share tools ranging from sustainable management of investments to good governance in farmers' organizations. Producers have also learned conservation strategies and ways to improve vegetable processing, including the use of drying techniques and storage boxes to better promote their products.
The villages in need where farmers are now producing vegetables with NEF support include: Bagui, Korientzé, N'Gorodia (rural town of Korombana), Dari, Deri (rural town of N'Diaptodji), Mounouwel, Kikara (rural town of Gandamia), and Gafity (rural town of Debere).
THANK YOU for supporting families in Mali as they recover from drought and occupation! YOU are improving their lives today and helping them build food security for the future!
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