Christel Schiphorst is in Mali this week to look at the possibilities of setting up an Agri-Hub. Sikasso is a good location as it offers many opportunities for collaboration, having at least 26 Pôles d’Entreprise in place. SNV is also positive: L’initiative des Agri Hub est à cet effet une excellente opportunité pour tous!
Sunday 5 June 2011
After an incredible busy airport at Schiphol, I boarded just in time, and changed planes in Paris.
At Charles de Gaulle we met with a large team of Dutch experts, hired by the Dutch Embassy in Bamako to assist them in defining the strategic plans for Food Security (FSSI) by the end of September. Chef de Mission is Mrs Simone van Vugt of WUR-CDI, a long time acquaintance, as she facilitates the APF Agri-Hub process in Niger. During the flight I was flanked by the musicians of Salif Keita, the famous Malinese singer, as they returned from a tour in Europe. Well, that could have been worse!
Monday 6 June
An early rise gave me the opportunity of preparing a short presentation for this afternoons’ meeting with the FSSI team and the EKN in Bamako. The first visit was however to the ICCO office where we met with Peter Oomen, Victor, Prosper and Idrissa. We discussed the Agri-Hub principle and prepared for the meeting with EKN.
This meeting took place at the restaurant Relais. The complete team consisting of a water and irrigation expert, livestock expert, private sector expert, various representatives from various Dutch ministries and EKN Bamako, was present. A brief summary of their mornings’ activities was given after which we (Peter, Idrissa, Egbert and myself) explained our APF Agri-Hub ideas. Connections were made on IFDC programmes, private sector involvement and value chains. Informal talks were used to shed light on experiences in other Agri-Hubs, to make the ideas more tangible.
As that team set off for Segou, we went on to Oxfam Novib, where we had a constructive meeting with Souley Sana, discussing the entry point of ON: Governance & Advocacy. Having a new law in force on Agriculture, this topic is likely to surface in the talks we are about to have with local partners, in the coming days and may come up as a cross-cutting issue in the Agri-Hub.
Sun is setting on the Niger river now, so it’s time to close down the laptop for a moment and contemplate on todays’ meetings and the consequences for the rest of our week.
Tuesday 7 June
An early rise should assure a good start of the day, but apparently others thought the same. In trying to reach the other bank of Bamako (referred to as Bako), we were in an endless traffic jam, due to bad road management, no traffic lights and not properly functioning police/traffic officers. But once on the other side, the meeting with SNV progressed favorably, having prepared very thoroughly for our visit, possibly related to the Embassy’s mission, as well. SNV informed us that various platforms are in place in Mali already, created around specific themes, amongst which food security . Collaboration with IICD, IFDC and ICCO is taking place too on various topics, and the region of Sikasso bringing together many Dutch and other international actors. The proposed Agri-Hub is welcomed by SNV, I quote from their powerpoint: L’initiative des Agri Hub est à cet effet une excellente opportunité pour tous. Des ponts devraient rapidement être jetés entre: – L’Ambassade du Pays Bas au Mali, – Les institutions d’appui (Agri Hub), – Les Organisations paysannes et – les département ministériels concernés.
Once at IFDC the discussion on benefits of collaboration continued and it was confirmed that Sikasso has many opportunities for collaboration, having at least 26 Pôles d’Entreprise in place. The need for improved access to finance, improved business development services and strengthening of institutions and PO’s remain on IFCD’s agenda, as well as processing for the local market. Collaboration proposals related to putting in place systems with (market) information, together with IICD and ICCO were re-established during this meeting.
The meeting with the company Yiriwa, which originally started as an Agri-ProFocus project in 2006, further confirmed the logical relationship between NGO’s, private sector and the research world. Their activities take a flight in Sikasso and assistance is needed to improve the quality of groundnuts for both the international as well as the national market in relation to food security and health. A pro-active approach leads to collaboration with Icrisat in this field, but could be further supported by other APF members.
Today’s harvest in a few words: Start the Agri-Hub in Sikasso, look at value chains such as cotton, livestock, sesame, groundnuts, potatoes. Consider themes like: Rural Finance, BDS, Access to inputs, improve production methods and resources.
Wednesday 8 June
Today we focus on APEX bodies, and have meetings planned with AOPP, CNOP and Febevim.
During all meetings we are greeted by a large representation of the organisations, leading to extensive info on bottlenecks, ongoing programmes, collaborations and alike.
We are informed that various groups on specific themes already have regular meetings;
the idea of farmer entrepreneurship is something to be explained, as one considers this easily as agro-business (large-scale), rather than entrepreneurial farmers and SME’s.
Access to equipment, improving production technologies, access to markets, producing for markets, access to inputs and finances are the regular themes to be discussed.
And a reoccurring theme is seed: improved seeds and availability of enough seeds.
The strategic plan of AOPP should indicate the intervention axes, and thus address the hot issues at stake.
Something to get a hold on, thus !
CNOP also indicates that a modernization of agricultural practices is needed in Mali, and the ongoing collaboration with IICD already gives this an impulse
Febevim indicates to be very pleased with all the support given by SNV so far in the livestock value chain. Yet there remains work to be done to be more competitive, to prepare for the international markets, to be more skilled in various processing techniques, both in meat as well as in milk.
Thursday 9 June
Time to look across the borders of our small country – les Pays-Bas- and to the high hills of Switzerland: Helvetas Inter Cooperation (HIS as of 1 July 2011)
HIS has many activities in Sikasso (and Boukoni) and considers the hot issues to be:
- Institutional complexity, as politics are hesitant in promoting the modernization of the agricultural sector
- Access to seeds and water, as bases for increasing food production and thus improving food security
- Problems of ‘commercialisation/marketing’ are not considered crucial as many activities are ongoing on the ground to improve this
- Yet there is limited access to modern production techniques and advice
- And research is not geared toward market needs
In the spare hour we discuss the tasks and responsibilities of the local coordinator, as Idrissa Ba at ICCO will take this role.
The meeting at the Dutch Embassy with SNV, ICCO, IFDC, Terrafina (and Agri-ProFocus) present, gives opportunities to the NGO sector to connect to the FS mission and share their longtime experiences.
After which the APF mission continues to Oxfam GB and finds an open mind to participate in the Agri-Hub as well, considering farmer entrepreneurship to be a theme not often considered in Malinese agriculture.
Friday 10 June
The final day of our mission, time to connect to the dots, to present our findings and to prepare for the trip back home.
A two-pager was drawn up by Egbert Hoving and myself, yesterday evening, and upon the results of the final meeting with Terrafina and Oikocredit this may be adapted.
It is interesting to learn the structure of Terrafina, mainly supporting MFI’s in their capacity building and working with CeVeCa’s(Caisse Villageous d’Epargne et de Credit Auto-geree)) in some 6 regions in Mali, unfortunately not in the Sikasso region. Oikocredit is directly into paying loans, as of $ 50,000, provided that the capacity of the requesting organisation is up to it. Otherwise they are first trained in entrepreneurial/business administration) skills, before receiving access to the credits. There is a need to finance modern agricultural equipment, and there is a budget available with Oikocredit, they are searching for suitable projects to finance.
The lunch meeting with the Embassy and the FS mission focused on exchanging experiences and sharing their powerpoint and the APF 2-pager (drafts).
The Embassy underlined the fact that one of their tasks is to involve the Dutch private sector, and if APF is also seeing this as one of its activities for the Agri-Hub, Caro Pleysier stresses the need of open lines and good communication between EKN and APF Agri-Hub participants. I cannot but reply that this is THE aim of APF, connecting, exchanging info, learning from each other, all for the benefit of farmers, their organisations and other players in the Value Chain that contribute to increased food security. It’s an open meeting, good exchange of ideas and opportunities.
Once back in the ICCO office, we debrief with SNV, IFDC and ICCO on the EKN meeting and the mission. Catherine indicates the necessary nuances in the 2-pager, the cultural perspectives of pastoralisme, and at the same time IFDC stresses the importance to modernize, also in livestock activities.. Good inputs from both sides to update the two-pager and to shape it for APF purposes, rather than having the focus on the FS mission.
The Agri-Hub approach was met with enthusiasm and we consider it launched in this first week of June 2011!!
Much appreciation to the input of Egbert Hoving in this mission and the constructive support by SNV, ICCO and IFDC!
Time to take it back to the parties with offices in NL and shape the action plan further to realize a multi-stakeholder meeting in October 2011.