THE IMPACT OF MARKET REFORM ON AGRICULTURAL TRANSFORMATION IN MALI

The purpose of this paper is to review the Malian experience with cereals market reforms over the past 18 years and evaluate its contribution to agricultural transformation in Mali. We especially emphasize the importance of the interaction between sectoral reforms, macroeconomic reforms, and technological change in influencing farmers' and traders' incentives to make the investments necessary for agricultural and food system transformation. The paper draws heavily on a large body of research carried out by Malian, North American and European researchers since 1985 (see, for example, Dioné forthcoming; Dembélé and Staatz forthcoming; Diarra et al. forthcoming) and on a recent evaluation of the PRMC in which the authors participated (Dembélé, Traoré, and Staatz 1999; Shields, Staatz, and Dembélé 1999; Egg, 1999).Agricultural and Food Policy, Marketing,

Rapid Reconnaissance of Coarse Grain Production and Marketing in the CMDT zone of southern Mali: field work report of the IER-CSA-PROMISAM team December 13-19, 2009

This report presents principal findings of a rapid reconnaissance undertaken in December, 2009 as preparation for more detailed marketing studies to be undertaken in the context of PROMISAM II’s applied research program on promoting food security in Mali. The objective of the reconnaissance was to explore changes in cereal production and marketing patterns as an input to the design of a forthcoming study of changes in the structure, conduct and performance of the coarse grain sector in Mali. To facilitate discussions with farmers and traders an interview guide was prepared. The first section of this report synthesizes the principal findings, while the annex presents detailed field notes from the study together with the interview guide.food security, MALI, food policy, grain, production, marketing, Agricultural and Food Policy, Community/Rural/Urban Development, Food Security and Poverty, International Development, Marketing, q11, q12, q13, q18,

Mali’s Food Security Challenges: An Overview

Mali has a high incidence of malnutrition. The fourth Demographic and Health survey reports that in 2006 the incidence of wasting, stunting and underweight children under 5 years of age was 13.8%, 37.9% and 24.5% respectively in rural areas, and 12%, 24% and 25% respectively in urban areas. While malnutrition is found in all regions of Mali, the regions of Timbuktu and Sikasso have higher than average levels for all three indicators, while the region of Kidal has high levels of wasting. For a detailed analysis of food security indicators see Ward (2010).Agricultural and Food Policy, Food Consumption/Nutrition/Food Safety, Food Security and Poverty,

THE RESPONSE OF CEREALS TRADERS TO AGRICULTURAL MARKET REFORM IN MALI

The purpose of this chapter is to analyze how Malian traders of coarse grains (millet, maize, and sorghum) have reacted to the cereals market reforms since 1981. The focus is on the coarse grains trade because these cereals historically have comprised the majority of the cereals consumed by Malians and because the response of the rice sector to the reforms is discussed elsewhere in this book (Diarra and Staatz 1999; Dimithè 1999). Dioné (this volume) discusses coarse-grain farmers' response to the reforms, so that topic is only discussed briefly here. The chapter draws heavily on a large body of research carried out by Malian, North American and European researchers since 1985 and on a recent evaluation of the PRMC in which the authors participated (Dembélé, Traoré, and Staatz 1999; Shields, Staatz, and Dembélé 1999; Egg, 1999).Marketing,

Sécurité alimentaire en Afrique Sub-saharienne: Quelle Stratégie de Réalisation?

The analysis of the situation and perspectives on food security in Sub-Saharan Africa shows a growing gap between consumption and nutrition needs and food availabilities at the national, household and individual levels. The frailty of gains of productivity in food production and import capacities constitutes a major constraint to the realization of food security in the region. The growth of the agricultural sector becomes the prerequisite for food security improvement. However, the increase in agricultural productivity faces serious natural constraints such as climate contingencies, soil fertility and water control; socio-economic constraints such as the lack of capitalization, institutional weaknesses, lack of rural infrastructure and the frailty of markets and exchanges; and export subsidies from OECD countries. In contrast, the rise of democracy, globalization of the economy and new information technologies and biotechnology constitute major potentials for agricultural production recovery in Africa if states and donors make agriculture a budget priority. The current budget priorities and policies of poverty reduction that put an emphasis on social sectors, environment and political rights of the poor and women could provoke great social demands without creating the economic conditions that permit the economy to respond to these social demands. A strategy of rapid increase in agricultural productivity sustained by market growth and regional trade, the improvement of the land’s agronomic potential and investment in social sectors has the potential to unlock a process of food security improvement in Sub-Saharan Africa. This strategy must be supported by agricultural subsidy reduction measures and the opening of the markets of OECD members to African manufactured products.food security, food policy, Mali, Food Security and Poverty, Q18,

Evaluating the Impact on Market Performance of Investments in Market Information Systems: Methodological Challenges

Evaluating the impact on market performance of investments in agricultural market information systems (MIS) face several methodological challenges. These fall into two broad categories: (a) defining the dimensions of market performance to measure (which is a function of whom the MIS is designed to serve) and identifying reliable indicators of those performance dimensions, and (b) identifying the causal effects of the MIS. The determination of causal effects in turn requires establishing a credible baseline, measuring “treatment effects” (i.e., the effects on economic behavior of receiving improved information from an MIS), dealing with problems of endogenous placement of treatment, and interpreting the validity of stakeholders’ statements and governments’ revealed preferences regarding the utility of MIS. Many of these challenges arise because improved market information can affect the welfare of market actors through improved market polices and increased competition even if those actors do not have direct access to that information. The paper discusses these challenges and identifies approaches that may be useful in developing a “convergence of evidence” concerning whether investment in a given MIS is socially worthwhile.market information services, impact assessment, market transparency, food policies, Agricultural and Food Policy, Food Security and Poverty, International Development, Marketing, Research and Development/Tech Change/Emerging Technologies, Research Methods/ Statistical Methods, C81, D80, H43, N57, 013, Q13,

Propositions de mesures à court terme pour réduire le haut niveau des prix de certaines denrées de première nécessité notamment les céréales, le bétail-viande et le ciment

The high increase in the prices of cereals, meat, and building materials is due to the weakness of stocks, increased exports, and the increase of internal demand. To attenuate the effect of the high increase in the price of cereals, meat and cement, the following measures are necessary: • Import important quantities of maize • Draw down on the national security stock, in consultation with the donors. • Reduce the price of animal feeds through reduction in the price of cotton-seed from the state-run cotton ginning facilities • Reduce slaughter fees • Reduce the cost of transportation through reduction in taxes on fuel and spare parts, and • Reduce the tariff on imports of cement Elements of a medium-term strategy to hold down food prices include: • At the production level, focus on better water management, the organization and training of farmers in improved techniques, and the development of the input markets as first priorities. • At the marketing level, take actions to facilitate domestic trade of cereals within the country, reduce barriers to external trade, and promote a series of actions to develop further cereals and livestock processing within the country. • At the consumption level, promote creation of consumer cooperatives, create a second intervention stock, and promote employment generation.Food Security, Food Policy, Mali, Agricultural and Food Policy, Q18,

Commerce International des Céréales et Production Céréalière au Mali

The liberalization of foreign trade has positively impacted the production of cereals in Mali. The increase in the production of cereals is due to both price increases and the effectiveness of the marketing system. The liberalization made Mali a cereal exporter in contrast with its former status ten years ago, that of a cereals importer Mali supplies its neighboring countries such as Mauritania, Niger, Burkina Faso, Senegal and Cote d’Ivoire with coarse grains. However, subsidies, rapid urbanization, and changes in the food habits of the urban population threaten Mali’s capacity to remain an exporter. To remain an exporter, Mali should, in the long term, process coarse grains into products conforming to the expectations and food habits of the urban population. Food security remains a major challenge in Mali in spite of the country’s food self sufficiency.food security, food policy, Mali, cereals, Crop Production/Industries, Q18,

Achieving Food Security in Mali: Key Issues and Investment Needs

A key role for USAID and its partners is to identify how their resources can best contribute to increasing the capacity of the private and public sectors in Mali to scale up their investments, and increase the impact of those investments, in relation to the food security dimensions of availability, access, utilization and stability. To fulfill this role will involve identifying opportunities presented in the Malian agricultural sector investment plan (PNISA) to address critical needs in each of these dimensions, the types of investment that will best address the needs, and the set of resources and skills that will enable Malian organizations and entrepreneurs to implement those investments successfully and at scale. Even with increased resources, however, it is critically important that the USAID mission make strategic choices about where to focus resources. The scale and depth of rural poverty, and the complex nature of malnutrition, means that resources must be focused to have measureable impacts. The question is for whom, where and how should those resources be focused in the context of Mali’s CAADP compact and investment plan? To stimulate discussion of these questions we first highlight some key challenges and the nature of choices about resource allocation priorities, and then highlight the central role of information to achieve food and nutrition security objectives. We conclude with thoughts on two specific issues: graduating from fertilizer subsidies to free up resources for other investments, and the implications of smallholder heterogeneity for development strategies.Agricultural and Food Policy, Agricultural Finance, Food Consumption/Nutrition/Food Safety, Food Security and Poverty, International Development,

Compte Rendu de la Reunion du Comite Technique de Coordination des Politiques de Securite Alimentaire

PRESIDENCE DE LA REPUBLIQUE, REPUBLIQUE DU MALI UN PEUPLE UN BUT UNE FOI, COMMISSARIAT A LA SECURITE ALIMENTAIRE; COMITE TECHNIQUE DE COORDINATION DES POLITIQUES DE SECURITE ALIMENTAIRE; SECRETARIAT TECHNIQUEfood security, food policy, Mali, Food Security and Poverty, Q18,