Stabilisation through irrigation: KfW supports Mali in encouraging citizens to stay and attracting them back home
Main (ots)
- EUR 33 million for irrigation of 22,600 hectares of land in the
Niger catchment basin
- Around 90,000 smallholder farm families to benefit
- Security of food supply for 260,000 peopleOn behalf of the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Develop-ment (BMZ), KfW signed a financing agreement with the Malian Ministry of Agriculture amounting to EUR 8.5 million for the construction and rehabilition of irrigated areas in the Gao and Ménaka region to facilitate sustainable and profitable agricul-ture. A second agreement worth EUR 24.5 million was concluded for similar measures in the Timbuktu and Mopti regions. The new and rehabilitated irrigated areas of around 22,600 hectares will produce 35,800 tonnes of grain (mainly rice), 17,500 tonnes of vegetables and 15,200 tonnes of Bourgou a year, a fodder plant native to the Sahel - all even in periods of drought. This is equivalent to the annual food requirements of 260,000 people and ensures the survival of the livestock.
"Increasing agricultural production and the resulting growth in jobs play a key role in improving Mali's living conditions and development. These factors make an im-portant contribution to peace and security in the country. In addition, greater food security and employment will increase opportunities to prevent people from leaving and attract them back home," said Dr Joachim Nagel, member of KfW Group's Ex-ecutive Board.
The living conditions of the people in northern Mali had deteriorated even more than in the rest of the country as a result of the rebellion and military coup in 2012/2013.
More information on KfW Development Bank is available at: http://ots.de/vRdK2i.
Contact:
KfW, Palmengartenstr. 5 - 9, 60325 Frankfurt
Kommunikation (KOM), Charis Pöthig
Tel. +49 (0)69 7431 4683, Fax: +49 (0)69 7431 3266,
E-Mail: charis.poethig@kfw.de, Internet: www.kfw.de