Agricultural Productivity in Irrigated and Dryland Systems Increased

Mali Cereal Value Chain Project FY18 Quarterly Report (April -– June 2018) July 2018 MALI CEREAL VALUE CHAIN PROJECT

FY2018 – QUARTERLY REPORT (APRIL – JUNE 2018)

DATES: OCTOBER 17, 2013 TO OCTOBER 16, 2018 CONTRACT NUMBER: AID-688-13-C-00002 COR USAID: AMADOU DIANE CHIEF OF PARTY: RICHARD COOK

DISCLAIMER This publication was made possible through support provided by the U.S. Agency for International Development, under the terms of Contract No. 688-C-13-00002. The opinions expressed herein are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the U.S. Agency for International Development.

Mali Cereal Value Chain Project FY18 Quarterly Report (April -– June 2018) July 2018

CONTENTS

Executive Summary ...... 1 Agricultural productivity in irrigated and dryland systems increased ...... 1 Markets and trade expanded ...... 1 Facilitating access to finance ...... 2 Resilience of vulnerable communities and households increased ...... 2 Gender mainstreaming ...... 3 Monitoring, evaluation, and learning ...... 4 Project Management ...... 4 Collaboration and Partnerships ...... 4 IR1: AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTIVITY IN IRRIGATED AND DRYLAND SYSTEMS INCREASED ...... 5 Sub IR 1.1: Technology Development, Dissemination, Management, and Innovation ...... 5 Sub IR 1.2: Access to Quality Inputs Increased ...... 6 Sub IR 1.3: Economically Viable Irrigation Systems Expanded ...... 8 Sub IR 1.4: soil and water management techniques improved ...... 8 IR 2: MARKETS AND TRADE EXPANDED ...... 11 Sub IR 2.1: Market Driven, Value Added Products ...... 11 Sub IR 2.2: Sustainable farm to market linkages and access to markets strengthened ...... 11 Sub IR 2.3: Post-harvest handling and processing improved ...... 12 Sub IR 2.4: Effective aggregation of production established ...... 14 Sub IR 2.5: Access to demand driven support services strengthened ...... 15 IR3. RESILIENCE OF VULNERABLE COMMUNITIES AND HOUSEHOLDS INCREASED ...... 16 Sub IR 3.1: Income streams diversified and asset building strategies employed ...... 16 Sub IR 3.2: Drought resilient cropping systems adopted at scale...... 16 Sub IR 3.3: Appropriate food storage facilities available ...... 18 Sub IR 3.4: Community literacy, numeracy, and nutrition practices improved ...... 18 IR4. LOCAL CAPACITIES AND SYSTEMS REINFORCED ...... 19 Sub IR 4.1: Local organizations developed the capacity to receive funds from USAID ...... 19 Sub IR 4.2: Capacity of producer groups and water user associations improved ...... 20 SUB IR 4.3: Financial Services Strengthened ...... 21 SUB IR 4.4: Strengthening the Capacity of Public Sector Service Providers ...... 22 SUB IR 4.5: Building Capacity in Local Training Institutions ...... 22 CROSS-CUTTING COMPONENTS ...... 23 Gender mainstreaming ...... 23 MONITORING AND EVALUATION ...... 25 COMMUNICATION ...... 32 PROJECT MANAGEMENT ...... 32 Collaboration and partnership ...... 33

Mali Cereal Value Chain Project FY18 Quarterly Report (April -– June 2018) July 2018 ACRONYM LIST APEJ Agence pour la Promotion de l'Emploi des Jeunes APIFIMA Association of Professionals in Financial Intermediation of Mali B2B Business to Business BNDA Banque Nationale pour le Développement Agricole/National Agricultural Développent Bank CAT Community Agribusiness Team CMDT Compagne Malienne pour le Développement des Textiles/ Malian Textile Development Company COP Chief of Party CVC Cereal Value Chain DAP Di ammonium Phosphate DCOP Deputy Chief of Party DIRO Institutional Development and Organizational Reinforcement DNA National Directorate of Agriculture DPU Deep Placement of Urea DRA Direction Régionale de l’Agriculture/Regional Directorate of Agriculture EESA Education Emergency Support Agency EMMP Environmental Mitigation And Monitoring Plan FAMA Faculty of Agriculture et Medicine Animal ( FCFA West African Franc FDRY Federation for the Development for the Region of Youwarou FFSWE Finance for Food Security and Women Entrepreneurs FGSP Fonds de Garantie du Secteur Prive FUSCOSYN Federation of the Unions Cooperative Societies of Youwarou and Nianfunké GAP Good Agricultural Practices GIZ/KFW German Development Cooperation GMP Gasoil Motor Pumps ICRAF World Agro-Forestry Center IGA Income Generating Activities IFP Institut de Formation Professionnelle IFAP Institut de Formation a l'Administration Publique

Mali Cereal Value Chain Project FY18 Quarterly Report (April -– June 2018) July 2018

IPR Institut Polytechnique Rural (de Katibougou)/Rural Polytechnic Institute M&E Monitoring and Evaluation MPP Maintien du Potentiel Productive (du sol) Integrated Soil management NGO Non-Governmental Organization Organisation pour l’Harmonisation en Afrique du Droit des Affaires/ Organization for the OHADA Harmonization of Business Law in Africa ORM Office Riz de Mopti (Rice) ORTM Malian National Television PASSIP Programme d’Appui de Sous-Secteur d’Irrigation de Proximité PASSIP REAGIR Programme d’Appui de Sous-Sector d’Irrigation de Proximité/Renforcement de l’Agriculture Irriguée PAVACC Participatory Analysis of Vulnerability and Adaptation to Climate Change PERSUAP Pesticide Evaluation Report and Safe User Action Plan PO Producer Organization PPP Public-Private Partnership REAGIR Renforcement de l’Agriculture Irriguée S4C Saving for Change SGNA Support Groups for Nutrition Activities SMFM Sell More For More SODF Société Doumbia et Freres SRI Système de Riziculture Intensif/Intensive Rice Production System VIP Village Irrigated Perimeter WFP World Food Programme

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Mali Cereal Value Chain Project FY18 Quarterly Report (April -– June 2018) July 2018 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY This report highlights the major achievements of the Feed the Future Mali Cereals Value Chain (CVC) project from April 1 through June 30, 2018. The report outline follows the CVC intermediate results framework, including cross-cutting components such as gender, monitoring and evaluation, communication, project management, and collaboration with other partners.

This quarter was particularly important for CVC project as it was the final three-month period of technical program implementation and the last quarter that the CVC team would collect its own data before project closure on October 16, 2018. Our technical service partners will collect data for the 2018 cropping season through the end of August 2018. Agricultural productivity in irrigated and dryland systems increased The CVC project completed several activities this quarter to improve production and productivity of millet, sorghum, and rice, including the following: ▪ Strengthening technology dissemination of erosion control techniques: The CVC project trained 5,099 producers, including 1,540 women, in Koro, Bankass, Mopti, Djénné, Koutiala, and Yorosso districts. ▪ Strengthening the technical capacity of producers in Intensive Rice Production Systems (SRI): The project trained 819 rice producers, including 796 women, on SRI in Bougouni and Sikasso districts. ▪ Scaling up revolving funds: The project assessed mechanisms for scaling up and sustaining revolving funds to procure agricultural inputs and to support the management of lead farmer technology diffusion plots, and then discussed the results with producer organizations (POs). ▪ Developing the seed sector: The CVC project organized training for 250 producers and 50 seed distributors, including 73 women. The project also trained 60 seed producers and distributors from seed companies SOPROSA and Camara Semences Sarl. The training covered certified seed production, storage, packaging, and marketing techniques. ▪ Sustainable irrigation systems: The project: o trained 425 people, including 24 women leaders, including gasoil motor pump (GMP) operators and village irrigated perimeter (VIP) water managers on the maintenance of equipment and efficient management of water in VIPs o monitored the progress of dam construction and established dam management committees (seven dams under construction and three sites are under consideration for development) o trained 4,263 producers (representing 91 POs), including 1,636 women, on the efficient management of irrigation systems Markets and trade expanded ▪ A national millet and sorghum trade group created: The CVC project facilitated the development of a national millet and sorghum trade association. The association represents the professional millet and sorghum traders, and lobbies for the interests of its members. It is expected to evolve into an inclusive platform for public-private dialogue, value sharing, and above all to develop and provide economic, commercial, and institutional solutions for the promotion of the millet and sorghum value chains. ▪ Road harassment: In partnership with the Mali Just Project, CVC trained 50 cereal traders and transporters on transport procedures, documentation, and regulations for national and cross-border cereal trade. Trainees should have the knowledge, lobbying opportunities, and the know-how to reduce road harassment and corruption along major commercial transport corridors. ▪ Marketing and commercial contracting: The project organized training to improve producers’ knowledge on marketing and the development and management of commercial contracts. In Mopti, the project trained 1,155 millet/sorghum producers, including 736 women, using illustrated posters developed by CVC, which depicted best practices in cereal commercialization. ▪ Promoting bulk sales: In Sikasso and Alatona, 1,189 producers (representing 61 POs), including 503 women, sold 307.35 MT of rice, millet, and sorghum for $119,693 (65,831,150 FCFA).

Mali Cereal Value Chain Project FY18 Quarterly Report (April -– June 2018) July 2018

Facilitating access to finance ▪ Improved access to commercial credit: The CVC project supported commercial financing through banks with the total credit mobilized at $2,047,460 (FCFA 1,088,933,400) for five large wholesalers and 21 cooperatives, all of whom are heavily engaged in commercialization, bulk sales, and grain processing. ▪ Warrantage: o The CVC project continued its support to POs in the Mopti region for the implementation of warrantage activities. During the reporting period, the microfinance institution Soro Yiriwaso granted loans to one millet PO and five rice POs. A total of 58 producers, including 32 women, received $22,060 (FCFA 12,133,400), consisting of $20,045 (FCFA 11,025,000) for rice and $2,015 (FCFA 1,108,400) for millet. o To better master the warrantage process and manage the ensuing credit, the project trained beneficiaries on the principles of warrantage. The training focused on: i) the definition and concept of warrantage, (ii) the implementation mechanism, (iii) warrantage loan financing rules and procedures, (iv) the constraints of warrantage, and (v) income-generating activities (IGA) that could flow from warrantage credit. Resilience of vulnerable communities and households increased ▪ Adaptation to climate change: The CVC project trained 5,476 producers, including 2,572 women, on how to better adapt their cropping systems to climate change by using the Participatory Analysis of Vulnerability and Adaptation to Climate Change (PAVACC) approach developed by the World Agro-Forestry Center (ICRAF) in 2012. Four tools from this approach were used: (i)understanding the historical profile of climate variability and change; (ii) understanding the effects, impacts, and causes of climate change; (iii) identifying local adaptation strategies to climate change; and (iv) development of a local action plan for adaptation to climate change. ▪ Legume/cereal intercropping: During the quarter, the project trained 557 producers, including 182 women, in Sikasso and Mopti regions in cereal and legume intercropping and the nutritional advantages of increasing cowpea consumption in households. ▪ Inventory of storage capacities: CVC-Sikasso conducted surveys of household storage capacity that revealed 1474.79 m3 of storage during the quarter. This capacity was identified in 12 POs in Sikasso region and included 1,405 m3 newly installed and 69.72 m3 rehabilitated storage. Over the last three quarters, 1,882.86 m3 of storage capacity was created, exceeding the LOP target. ▪ Storage of high-value nutrient foodstuff for household consumption: To improve the nutritional status and diversify food consumption of vulnerable households, the project conducted household awareness sessions and collected household nutrition data in the Sikasso region. These awareness sessions resulted in the production of over 23MT of cowpea set-aside for family consumption for 272 households in Bougouni, Kadiolo, Koutiala, and Sikasso districts. Over the last three quarters, 62MT was set aside for household consumption. Local capacities and systems strengthened ▪ 2017 Financial Audit of Nyéta Conseils and Gforce: The accounting and auditing firm, AE2C, conducted an external annual audit of Gforce and Nyéta Conseils that covered the period of January 1 to December 31, 2017. The final report showed significant improvements in administrative and financial management of both organizations since the 2016 audit. Auditors credited the support that ACDI/VOCA provided from its headquarters and the Bamako office, as well as ACDI/VOCA contracting with local service providers to address computerized accounting and fiscal issues as major reasons for the improvement. ▪ Strengthening public sector partnerships: Meetings between CVC, Nyéta Conseils, Gforce, and technical services were undertaken during the trimester. The CVC chief of party (COP), deputy chief of party (DCOP), and training director carried out visits with the heads of missions from Nyéta Conseils and Gforce to the National Directorate of Agriculture (DNA) and the Malian Textile Development Company (CMDT). Discussions focused on the results achieved during the three years of collaboration and implementation of the CVC project, the recent request for the early completion of training activities and the need for the timely completion of all project activities, including associated data collection prior to the completion of their contracts in late August 2018. ▪ Sharing training tools: Organizing, branding, and wide-scale sharing of training materials with partners, beneficiaries, and training institutions was a strategic capacity building effort during the quarter. The CVC project developed 35 training tools 2

Mali Cereal Value Chain Project FY18 Quarterly Report (April -– June 2018) July 2018

over the life of the project. During the reporting period, CVC listed and branded these tools according to ACDI/VOCA procedures and developed plans for sharing these tools with a wide range of stakeholders, including agricultural training centers, during the next quarter. ▪ “Sell More For More”: Improving POs management, governance practices, and marketing capacities through training on the Sell More For More (SMFM) approach was a major capacity building activity during the quarter in Sikasso, Bougouni, Koutiala, and Kadiolo districts and the area of Alatona. CVC organized POs training sessions on SMFM that involved 382 producers, including 195 women, representing 18 mixed (male and female led) POs and five female-led POs. ▪ Organization for the Harmonization of Business Law in Africa (OHADA): CVC assisted POs in restructuring in accordance with the Uniform Act of OHADA. In Mopti and Timbuktu regions, the project supported POs in completing the formalization process in accordance with the OHADA law governing cooperative organization and management. Currently, 161 CVC- supported cooperatives are registered by OHADA in the Mopti region. ▪ Association of Professionals in Financial Intermediation of Mali (APIFIMA) sustainability: o Managing for sustainability: CVC organized training in institutional and organizational development for APIFIMA members. The training sessions involved 21 participants, including six women, and was an opportunity for APIFIMA members to better strengthen their skills in team building and the management of professional associations to ensure sustainability. o Linking guarantee and investment funds with APIFIMA: CVC, in partnership with APIFIMA, organized a business-to- business (B2B) meeting in Bamako to link APIFIMA and potential sources of guarantee and investment funds that target support for the private sector in Mali. The meeting involved 21 financial intermediaries of APIFIMA and Finance for Food Security and Women Entrepreneurs (FFSWE), Fonds de Guarantee du Secteur Prive (FGSP), Cross-boundary, German Development Cooperation (GIZ/KFW), Agro-Finance of CIV Support Program for the Local Irrigation Sector (PASSIP) project, Oxfam America, SNV Netherlands Development Corporation (SNV) and APEJ (Agence pour la Promotion de l'Emploi des Jeunes).

▪ Capacity building outreach: CVC organized a training workshop for lecturers of the Rural Polytechnic/Applied Research Institute of Katibougou (IPR-IFRA) agricultural training institutes of Katibougou and the Faculty of Agriculture et Medicine Animal (FAMA), University of Ségou, as well as other agricultural training institutions to promote the transfer of skills for sustainability. The training workshop involved 21 lecturers and focused on the M4, self-assessment tool for cooperatives, and the SMFM approach. The objective of the workshop was to introduce the teachers to the M4 and SMFM tools designed to strengthen PO operations, so that they can use these tools to train their students. Gender mainstreaming The project continues to progress in gender mainstreaming in-line with its three priorities of inclusion of men and women in all CVC activities (50/50), increasing the participation rate of women in all activities, and promoting female entrepreneurship. The details on the first two priorities are included in descriptions under each activity, while the third priority is outlined below.

A mentoring process initiated by the project appears to be having a snowball effect within CVC-assisted mixed POs (those having both men and women members). Mentors are both female and male professionals that have achieved a recognized place in Malian society (respected by the general population) and are committed to working for inclusive development and promoting the role of women, professionally, socially and economically. The assessment of the gender mentoring approach conducted by CVC resulted in the following: ▪ Since the beginning of the mentoring program in 2017, the CVC project strengthened the capacity of seven mentors, including three women, and 53 mentored producers from 20 POs, through activities designed to establish long-term (post- project) relationships among targeted producers and mentors; and ▪ The development of an action plan during the mentoring workshops in Mopti and Sikasso that provides a guide for continuing mentoring activities following project closure.

Mali Cereal Value Chain Project FY18 Quarterly Report (April -– June 2018) July 2018

Monitoring, evaluation, and learning ▪ Strengthen technical service partners: During this quarter, the CVC-based monitoring and evaluation (M&E) team supported technical services of CMDT and Regional Directorate of Agriculture (DRA) field staff in M&E data collection to ensure data quality. ▪ Train collaborators outsourced for M&E services: The M&E team provided guidance to locally contracted training service providers on how to use data collection tools. Community agribusiness team (CAT) members also received training on how to collect data for the CVC nutrition-based indicators. ▪ Strengthen CVC M&E team: CVC-Bamako provided backstopping to the CVC-monitoring and evaluation teams in Sikasso and Mopti to facilitate data processing and analysis for the project’s FY18 third quarterly report. ▪ Outsource annual survey: The CVC project conducted, through the Togouna Consult firm, its annual survey for FY18 to measure gross margins and incremental sales. The final report has been received and the preliminary results and calculations of the gross margin and incremental sales have been verified. However, due to project closure and the consequent absence of CVC field-based staff in the fourth trimester, this survey was completed in June, while all staff were “on-board”. However, the survey undertaken in 2017 was undertaken and completed in August. To calculate incremental sales for 2017, a final verification survey is scheduled for the last two weeks of August to verify results from the survey undertaken in June 2018, providing a consistent time period with that used for the 2017 survey. Project Management ▪ Staff meeting with USAID: As part of strengthening the coordination and communication with the contracting officer representative (COR,) three program meetings were held during the third quarter. These meetings facilitated a sharing of information on project strategic issues, such as: the annual survey, inventories, the departure of the CVC project’s technical staff, the 2017 audit of Nyéta Conseils and Gforce, and the sampling frame for the annual survey in 2019. ▪ Farewell ceremony for Mali CVC Bamako technical team: A total of six technical staff were thanked by the project for their service, commitment, and value-added contributions. This event was marked by the presentation, on behalf of ACDI/VOCA, of certificates to staff, recognizing their important contributions in the implementation of CVC project in Mali. Collaboration and Partnerships ▪ Participation in the 22nd meeting of the projects of the platform1: The 22nd meeting of USAID-funded projects in the Mopti region took place at the Sévaré Academy under the lead of USAID’s Education Emergency Support Activity (EESA) project. The meeting covered the review of the synergy framework, discussion of the importance of e-mail communication, discussion and analysis of collaboration needs, and security issues. ▪ Participation in the training of public and private sector service providers organized by PASSIP-REAGIR project: The training was organized as part of its capacity building activities and included topics related to threshing, milling, parboiling, and management of grain stores—all subjects in their agroprocessing curriculum. ▪ Participation in Soufouroulaye (Mopti) - culinary demonstration sessions: The sessions focused on using the leaves from Baobab and Moringa trees in the preparation of local dishes and was organized by the smart scaling project of the ICRAF-Sahel program. The training aimed to train trainers on the use of forest products in local foods to diversify and enrich household diets. ▪ Resilience: CVC-Mopti participated in the USAID resilience platform workshop that was held in Bamako in June to strengthen collaboration among members of the Mopti platform and share knowledge and work experience in an increasingly complex security environment.

1 The Mopti project platform is an informal association of USAID funded projects in the region that meet monthly to foster collaboration and synergy among their different programs. 4

Mali Cereal Value Chain Project FY18 Quarterly Report (April -– June 2018) July 2018 facilitating the creation of B2B relationships by linking partner producers’ cooperatives with SOPROSA. Event outcomes included:

▪ POs were more aware of SORPSOSA and its role in producing and marketing certified cereal seeds. ▪ Participants were exposed to a range of available varieties. ▪ The SOPROSA company was encouraged to further develop its client base and expand its reach into project areas where it is presently not represented, such as in Bougouni, Koutiala, Yanfolila, Yorosso districts. ▪ Participants purchased (150 kg) of improved seed, as well as placing orders for seed for the 2018 campaign. ▪ SORPSOSA decided to prospect new areas in the project zones to open shops to better meet the needs of producers.

Sub IR 1.3: Economically Viable Irrigation Systems Expanded Building capacity for more efficient management of irrigation systems The efficient management of irrigation systems, especially water, is critical for the sustainable production of VIP rice. Within this context, the project trained VIP leaders and producers in the Mopti region in improved irrigation system management. The following topics were developed as part of the training: ▪ Routine maintenance of GMP ▪ Ensuring GMP maintenance funds ▪ Management of irrigation infrastructures ▪ Management of irrigation water in the rice fields ▪ Advantages of using leveling bar for better water distribution on the irrigated plots

The project trained 4,688 producers including 1,660 women (including 425 male cooperative leaders and 24 female leaders from women groups). Irrigation pumps sold by Planet Distribution Monitoring the progress of dam implementation and establishing management committees In Koutiala and Yorosso (Sikasso region), the project carried out monitoring visits to three dam sites, involving the participation of 21 water users, including two women. The visits aimed to assess the progress of dam construction and establishment of dam management committees. The team also reviewed capacity building of dam management committees in the areas of dam operations, irrigation and drainage techniques, and health-related hazards of communities in irrigated production area. A total of seven dams are under construction and three sites under study. Site visits confirmed the following progress: ▪ 100 percent completion in Nampossela ▪ 80 percent completion in Nizanso ▪ Approximately 50 percent completion in Simona Sub IR 1.4: Soil and Water Management Techniques Improved During the third quarter, the main activities related to soil fertility and water management, including the scaling up of integrated soil fertility management technology training, training VIP producers on best practices in water management, and training in best practices for the production and use of organic fertilizer and compost. Scaling up of integrated soil fertility management technology training Loss of soil fertility leading to declining crop yields is a particular challenge faced by smallholder producers in the northern and central regions of Mali. To address this, the project developed partnerships with public sector technical services to scale up training in, and encourage the adoption of, GAP (good agricultural practices). During this quarter, and in collaboration with DRA Mopti and Sikasso, ORM and CMDT, the project supported large scale training on soil improvement technologies. The following technologies and good practices were disseminated to producers:

Mali Cereal Value Chain Project FY18 Quarterly Report (April -– June 2018) July 2018

EMMP practices and waterborne disease reduction is part of the CVC project’s 2018 work plan. During this quarter, the project trained 3,334 producers, including 1,667 women, in the Timbuktu region on good practices of hygiene-sanitation within VIPs. This was an opportunity to share with farmers the know-how of mitigating the incidence of waterborne diseases such as bilharzhia, dracunlosis, and malaria to populations living in and around irrigated areas. Training sessions focused on the water pollution process, types of waterborne diseases and associated prevention techniques such as filtration, disinfection, boiling, and chlorination. CVC has insisted on an inclusive approach in its training efforts, and this orientation has been successful, as the training data below illustrate.

50% 50%

male female

Figure 2. Gender balance of participants of the training on hygiene-santiation in Timbuktu region.

IR 2: MARKETS AND TRADE EXPANDED Sub IR 2.1: Market Driven, Value Added Products Under this sub IR 2.1, the project did not conduct any specific activities during the reporting period.

Sub IR 2.2: Sustainable farm to market linkages and access to markets strengthened Advisory support to millet and sorghum wholesalers for the establishment of a national trade association Good organization and governance of agricultural value chains are key factors determining their performance. Thus, at the request of major millet and sorghum traders, CVC provided advisory assistance for the creation of a national millet and sorghum trade association. The association aims to represent the professional cereal trade in millet and sorghum and to lobby for the interests of its members. CVC created this association to be an inclusive platform for dialogue, value sharing, and above all, for developing and providing economic, commercial, and institutional solutions for the promotion of millet and sorghum value chains. Membership is open to all millet and sorghum traders in Mali who commit to adopting it objectives and principles. Presently, 24 traders from Bamako, Sikasso, Segou, Mopti, Timbuktu, and Kayes regions have adhered to statutes of the association. Through the coaching and assistance by a facilitator recruited by the CVC project, the trading association had its first general assembly meeting and launching ceremony on April 25 – 26, 2018. In addition, CVC assisted in the development of the association's strategic and operational action plan and in the implementation of key activities outlined in a memorandum of understanding with CVC, which expires in September 2018. This association will consolidate CVC efforts to strengthen market linkages and provide up-stream incentives for continued investments in millet and sorghum production.

Mali Cereal Value Chain Project FY18 Quarterly Report (April -– June 2018) July 2018

▪ Financing through warrantage mechanism: During the quarter, the microfinance institution Soroyiriwasso financed six cooperatives under the warrantage mechanism for an amount of $22,813 (FCFA 12,133,400). However, due to the growing insecurity in the Koro area, the Soroyiriwasso was not able to finance the remaining 4 POs that were projected.

▪ Financing through banks and microfinance institutions: The total amount of credit mobilized during the quarter was approximately $2,047,460 (FCFA 1,088,933,400) for five commercial wholesalers and 21 cooperatives focused on grain commercialization, bulk sales, and processing.

For the Sikasso region, PO requests for input loans for the 2018/2019 cropping season have recently been introduced to commercial lenders and are presently being processed. Agribusiness coaches and financial intermediaries have developed and introduced 21 business plans and loan requests to BNDA branches in Bougouni, Nièna, and Sikasso. The value of credit requests total $38,193 (FCFA 92 254 000) for 2,806 producers, including 2,605 women. IR3. RESILIENCE OF VULNERABLE COMMUNITIES AND HOUSEHOLDS INCREASED Sub IR 3.1: Income streams diversified and asset building strategies employed Assessing the impact of the Saving for Change (S4C) approach In Sikasso and Kadiolo, CVC conducted a field visit to assess Saving for Change (S4C) activities and its contribution to vulnerable households and female empowerment. The team collected data on S4C using focus groups with local and village authorities, female leaders, and women members of the S4C groups. Data was collected from 74 participants, including 23 men, in the communes of Nièna, Finkolo Ganadougou (Sikasso), and Zégoua (Kadiolo). The participants included 10 locally elected officials, including three women, 10 village chiefs and advisors, 9 female leaders, and 45 women members of the three S4C groups. The data will be analyzed to assess the impact of S4C and provide insights on how best S4C groups can be scaled-up in the future as CVC moves towards its final closeout in October 2018. Mobilization and capitalization of local savings through S4C In Niena, Loulouni, Zégoua, and Finkolo Ganadougou (Sikasso region), the project supported 1,026 women from 44 S4C groups to mobilize and save $27,871,88 (FCFA 15,329,535). During the same period, 15 groups of 451 women shared out $34,245 (FCFA 18,834,750). The average amount shared by the group was $2,283 (FCFA 1,255,650) and the average amount per woman was $45.05 (FCFA 24,777). These activities took place in the communes of Nièna and Finkolo Ganadougou. In general, these small sums enabled women to meet household needs related to children’s school fees and materials, family health, and small commerce to provide alternative income streams to meet daily needs.

Sub IR 3.2: Drought resilient cropping systems adopted at scale Adapting production systems to climate change Climate change has significant impacts on agricultural production and productivity. It leads to extreme weather events, with a consequent loss of farmland, increased resistance of pests and plant diseases to pesticides and herbicides often resulting in chronic food shortages. To address this issue, CVC trained producers to better adapt their crop production systems and techniques to climate change by using the participatory analysis of vulnerability and adaptation to climate change (PAVACC) approach developed by ICRAF in 2012. This approach contains participatory tools that are well-suited for training producers 16

Mali Cereal Value Chain Project FY18 Quarterly Report (April -– June 2018) July 2018

Among the participants, 33 women were from the Support Groups for Nutrition Activities (SGNA). SGNAs are in all villages of Bankass and are responsible for monitoring and heightening awareness of good nutritional practices in their villages, presenting two culinary demonstrations a week in their local communities. Strengthening the collaboration (and hand-over) between CVC and SGNA is part of CVC’s strategy to promote and perpetuate better household nutrition in the Bankass district post-project. In Sikasso, the project continued to collect cowpea/consumption data and educate households about the production and consumption of cowpeas. The collection of nutrition-related data was carried out by agribusiness coaches in Bougouni, Koutiala, and Sikasso districts. Good nutrition is also closely related to hygiene. After each demonstration session, trainers led discussions to heighten awareness about the rules of food hygiene—the five-times of hand washing were included. Storage of nutrient foodstuff for household consumption To improve the nutritional status and diversify food consumption in vulnerable households, the project conducted household awareness sessions and collected household nutrition data in the Sikasso region. These awareness sessions resulted in the production of over 23.005 MT of cowpea set-aside for family consumption for 272 households in Bougouni, Kadiolo, Koutiala, and Sikasso districts. Over the last three quarters, 62 MT of cowpea were produced and set-aside for consumption in CVC zones in the region. Assessment of change in vulnerable households supported by the project in Mopti region Reinforcing the resilience of vulnerable communities and households is part of CVC key objectives. To capture the achievement in that component, the project has begun an assessment in the Mopti region. Survey data collection is presently underway to measure the contribution of the project in reducing vulnerability and/or strengthening the resilience of assisted households. The results will be reported in the project’s final report.

IR4. LOCAL CAPACITIES AND SYSTEMS REINFORCED

Sub IR 4.1: Local organizations developed the capacity to receive funds from USAID

2017 Financial Audit of Nyéta Conseils and Gforce The accounting and audit firm AE2C conducted an external annual audit for Gforce and Nyéta Conseils that covered the period of January 1 to December 31, 2017. In May, a debriefing meeting was held in the CVC-Bamako office where auditors presented progress made since last audit, new findings, and recommendations. The final report showed clear and significant improvements in administrative and financial management for both organization since the 2016 audit. Auditors highlighted the support that ACDI/VOCA and CVC-Bamako provided through field visits conducted by staff from headquarters and the Bamako office, as well as workshops hosted by CVC-Bamako and external consultants. The final report was shared with USAID in May 2018. Meetings between CVC, Nyéta Conseils, GFORCE, and technical service partners The CVC COP, DCOP, and training director carried out partnership visits with the heads of missions from Nyéta Conseils and Gforce to DNA and CMDT. Discussions focused on the results achieved during the three years of partnership, and CVC’s recent request for support from regional services to conduct a timely completion of project activities. The exchanges helped formally introduce Nyéta Conseils and Gforce as CVC partners to these public/para-public sector organizations for possible

Mali Cereal Value Chain Project FY18 Quarterly Report (April -– June 2018) July 2018

Data collection for the diffusion plot network included 53 voluntary producers who managed diffusion plots. They were assessed based on the accessibility of their plot, and the organization, frequency, and results of guided visits. Sampling included nine plots in Mopti and Djenné for rice, 14 plots in Niafunké for rice, 20 plots in Bankass for millet, and 10 in Koro for millet.

The project assessed input revolving funds to evaluate successes, assess management constraints, and identify strategies for fund sustainability. The aim was to demonstrate to POs that input revolving funds could be an autonomous means of access to inputs. The evaluation covered 30 POs (37 percent of the cooperatives) benefiting from the millet area.

The project assessed nine of the 27 POs undertaking warrantage. The objectives were to assess the total amount of loans mobilized through warrantage, assess the loan repayment rate, establish an operating account of the activity within POs, and identify and evaluate income generating activities undertaken with credit funds.

To evaluate resilience, the project assessed the changes in assisted vulnerable households to characterize project assistance at the vulnerable household level, describe the technologies disseminated to and practiced by households, assess the evolution of millet and rice production, assess household consumption schedules, and assess off-farm income generation. The study was conducted on a sample of 255 vulnerable households in the rice and millet value chains.

The CVC project also strengthened the capacity of POs in marketing, accounting, and operations management. During this quarter, data collection activities were completed for 68 POs (20 rice POs and 48 millet POs) on the SMFM program between 2014 and 2018.

For all studies, the preliminary results are in the process of being discussed and validated through a series of workshops that the project is organizing with beneficiaries. Validated results will be reported in the CVC project final report. SUB IR 4.3: Financial Services Strengthened Supporting the activities of the Association of Professionals in Financial Intermediation of Mali (APIFIMA) ▪ Training in institutional development and organizational strengthening The CVC project, jointly with APIFIMA, organized a capacity-building session for the members of the Association on Institutional Development and Organizational Strengthening. The training sessions were held from May 22–23, 2018, in Bamako and led by the project partner d’Intl’s Dakar-based consultant. The training involved 21 participants, including six women. The two-day training was an opportunity for APIFIMA members to strengthen their skills in team building and in the management of their professional association to best ensure sustainability.

▪ Linking APIFIMA with guarantee and investment funds On May 2, 2018, CVC, in partnership with APIFIMA, organized a B2B meeting in Bamako to link APIFIMA and guarantee and investment fund organizations supporting the private sector in Mali, as an initial effort to promote APIFIMA as a client for guarantee and investment funds to better ensure sourcing of financing needs post-project. The meeting involved 21 financial intermediaries of APIFIMA and FFWE, FGSP, Cross-boundary, GIZ/KFW, Agro-Finance of CIV PASSIP project, Oxfam America, SNV, and APEJ. The workshop enabled participants to learn about each other, to share activities and portfolio contacts for profitable collaboration with the financial intermediation mechanism coordinated by APIFIMA.

Mali Cereal Value Chain Project FY18 Quarterly Report (April -– June 2018) July 2018

As 2018 marks the end of the CVC project, the CVC gender team conducted outreach and information gathering from project beneficiaries. The purpose of the visits was to inform beneficiaries about assessment activities related to the impact of the project's gender approach as regards the link between gender and nutrition and to discuss household decision-making regarding the management of cereal stocks for household consumption. Meetings were held in the Sikasso region (Niena, Zangasso, Zaradougou, and Kaboila) with 79 participants, including 47 women. All socio-professional groups took part as well as mentors, communal authorities, and traditional leaders.

During exchanges, whether in focus group or individual interviews, positive changes in the behavior of men were noted. Men seemed to increasingly appreciate the role of women and many noted that, ''Currently, no decisions are made within the household without first consulting our women.'' Men interviewed also noted that, “The many training activities undertaken by CVC for POs and the support provided for the S4C groups allowed us to clearly recognize that the contribution of women in household expenses is very significant (clothing, condiments, and school supplies, etc.).” Women participation in the POs activities The leaders of many mixed POs are committed to increasing the integration of women into activities of the cooperatives. This commitment has been demonstrated through their willingness to implement mentoring activities involving their members and CVC-identified mentors. In general, the mentoring process was viewed as positively contributing to social behaviorial change within POs. In fact, the mentors met by the team during field visits universally mentioned that male members of POs universally agreed on the importance of including women as decision makers in the community and in the household.

However, the mentoring process is a recent development and needs to be nurtured and strengthened by establishing a network of “champions” to ensure mutual support and the commitment necessary to extend the mentoring process. Presently, a major constraint is the lack of communication with other mentees because of telephone network problems and the fact that most mentors do not have the means to do hands-on individual coaching. Promoting female entrepreneurship A transition phase in the promotion of female entrepreneurship is coinciding with the end of the project. There is a process of social transformation underway where women are becoming more self-confident, increasingly assuming the same responsibilities as men within POs. In fact, women’s strengthened ability to access and control productive resources has made them more visible and recognized within their communities as fully engaged economic actors—in part due to the “S4C effect”. Mentoring is also having an impact on women processors, providing them with confidence in their abilities to develop their businesses. Men increasingly have confidence in women An analysis of S4C loan repayments shows that during the during last three agricultural seasons, women have repaid their S4C loans at a higher rate than men. All female beneficiaries repaid 100 percent of their fees. The Niéna village chief said, "We give thanks to the S4C program because we no longer go into debt from the bank, which sometimes chased us with its rules and regulations. It was through S4C that my wives helped me buy my two oxen during the past cropping season.”

MONITORING AND EVALUATION Improving M&E data collection and data quality assurance by technical services (DRA, CMDT) CVC-Sikasso conducted a training session to refresh technical service agents on the procedures for data collection in Sikasso and Koutiala. A total of 78 people, including nine women, were involved in the training. Participants came from different areas of the CVC-intervention zones as follows: 21 people, including one woman, from DRA -Sikasso; 37 people, including three women, from CMDT-Sikasso; and 20 people, including five women, from CMDT-Koutiala. The training sessions provided an opportunity for each participant to review their understanding and use of data collection tools in the field. 25

Mali Cereal Value Chain Project FY18 Quarterly Report (April -– June 2018) July 2018

Training staff of the local NGO Faranfasi-So on M&E data recording CVC-Sikasso led a workshop for Faranfasi-So (a local training service provider in the Office of Niger) trainers on completing training data collection sheets. Faranfasi-So trainers were also introduced to the use of training posters created by CVC. The project trained five people from Faranfasi-So (four trainers, including two women, and one male supervisor). This activity falls within the context of a formal collaboration agreement signed between Faranfasi-So and CVC-Sikasso for the implementation of training activities in the Alatona area. IT technical support to configure the GFORCE server CVC’s implementing partner Gforce received project support to train their Segou office team for the reconfiguration of their system server, as well as on the design and procedures for routine data backup. Seven Gforce participants, including four women, benefited from this support, including the head of mission, Gforce administrative assistant, CVC project accountant, CVC project accounting assistant, CVC project training manager, Gforce gender specialist, and CVC financial assistant. Training of CATs on the collection of nutritional data In the Bankass and Koro areas, CVC trained CATs to collect data on household cowpea production and consumption. The training focused on using data sheets to collect the quantity of cowpeas produced and consumed at the household level. The training involved 84 CAT members, including eight women. Data was used for the CVC performance indicator of “quantity of product with high nutritional value produced and consumed by households”. The training then required that each CAT member conduct surveys within households of their respective POs. Because of the training, the CATs conducted data collection in all 160 targeted POs. Supervision of the survey was provided by coaches. Backstopping the CVC-monitoring and evaluation team in Sikasso and Mopti As part of producing this quarterly report, the CVC-Bamako based M&E team conducted technical support visits to Sikasso and Mopti. The visits provided an opportunity to coach the Sikasso M&E team in data entry, verification and cleaning of data; extraction of data from the database and analysis for reporting; and finalization of Annex A, including FY18 Q3 key results and an assessment of variance for all indicators.

The 2018 annual survey by a private consulting firm During the reporting period, CVC hired a consulting firm to conduct the 2018 annual survey that focused on data collection for determining incremental sales and gross margins. The project assessed 13 consulting firm applications, and selected Togouna Consult. The consulting contract was signed in April 2018.

The methodology of the annual survey was sample-based, with the project beneficiary population divided into five sub- populations, each representing one of the major production systems in CVC’s zones of intervention as follows: ▪ Millet/sorghum in Sikasso ▪ Millet in Mopti ▪ Lowland rice in Sikasso ▪ Irrigated rice in Alatona (Segou) ▪ PIV rice in Mopti

Individual POs within a given production system are relatively homogeneous and production systems are essentially mutually exclusive, where producers effectively belong to only one production system. The survey unit is the producer member of a producer organization supported by the project. For the sampling, the Raosoft Online Calculator (www.raosoft.com) was used to calculate the sample size, which was globally 2,155 beneficiaries distributed by production system, region, and gender as shown in the table below.

Mali Cereal Value Chain Project FY18 Quarterly Report (April -– June 2018) July 2018 information sharing on strategic issues, such as the annual survey, project closeout plans, disposition of inventories, key issues with program implementation, the departure of the CVC project’s technical staff, and the 2019 annual survey. Project top management meetings During the reporting period from April to June, the Senior Management Committee of the CVC project (COP, the DCOP, the heads of mission of Nyéta Conseils and Gforce), held three meetings to discuss major issues related to program implementation and to make timely decisions affecting program progress. The various meetings provided an opportunity to inform and anticipate program decision needs. Discussions also enabled all senior management to agree on major strategies, program orientations and priorities, and to ensure that communications were consistent between the field and Bamako. Farewell ceremony for Mali CVC Bamako technical team CVC-Bamako’s technical team’s last day was June 30, 2018. A total of six technical staff were thanked by the project for their service, commitment, and value-added contributions. Their early departure was planned as part of the CVC closeout process. To thank staff, project management organized a ceremony and lunch on June 28, 2018, with the outgoing team that included the participation of USAID Accelerated Economic Growth colleagues. ACDI/VOCA distributed certificates to staff to recognize their important contributions to the CVC project in Mali. COLLABORATION AND PARTNERSHIP CVC Participation in the official launch ceremony of the VOICE "Ni Yoro Gnini" Project in Natien (Sikasso region) On April 10, 2018, in Natien, CVC-Sikasso participated in the launch ceremony of project activities of the NGO association SORO, chaired by the prefect of Sikasso. The VOICE "Ni Yoro Gnini" project is a five-year project (2016-2021), funded by Oxfam Mali and executed by the NGO association SORO and One World. It aims to promote vulnerable persons (rural women/youth and persons with disabilities) as agents of change at the local, regional, and national levels by contributing to policy changes that will improve beneficiary access to the factors of production. It targets the populations of three communes in Mali—Natien and Kaboïla (Sikasso region) and Sio in Mopti region. The 22nd meeting of USAID project platform The 22nd meeting of USAID-funded projects in the Mopti region took place at the Sévaré Academy under the lead of USAID’s EESA (Emergency Education Support Activity) project. The meeting covered the following topics: i) review of last meeting’s notes; ii) review of recommendations, iii) review of the synergy framework, iv) discussion of the importance of e-mail communication, v) discussion and analysis of collaboration needs, vi) security situation, and vii) future activities. Participation in training public and private sector service providers organized by PASSIP-REAGIR project The training took place in the inland delta zone of Youwarou organized by the PASSIP-REAGIR (German/Canadian collaboration - REAGIR - Renforcement de l’Agriculture Irriguée) project. It was organized within the framework of the Support Program for the Local Irrigated Sub-Sector “PASSIP” as part of its capacity building program. The training included topics related to threshing, milling, parboiling, and management of grain stores—all subjects contained in their agroprocessing curriculum. Two CVC coaches (both men) participated in the training as part of the collaboration between CVC and GIZ projects. Culinary/testing demonstrations using baobab (adansonia digitata) and moringa leaves In Soufouroulaye (Mopti), CVC participated in culinary demonstration sessions using leaves from the baobab and moringa trees organized by the smart scaling project of the ICRAF-Sahel program. The training aimed to train trainers in the use of forestry products in the preparation of local foods to diversify and enrich household diets. This was an opportunity to strengthen the

Mali Cereal Value Chain Project FY18 Quarterly Report (April -– June 2018) July 2018 capacity of producers in the processing of agroforestry products into food, the diffusion of technologies for the processing of agroforestry products, and the marketing of processed agroforestry products. Partner workshop of the USAID resilience platform The workshop was held in Bamako on June 26 –27, 2018, to strengthen collaboration among members of the Mopti platform and share knowledge and work experiences in an increasingly complex security environment. Specifically, it was an opportunity to: (i) share good practices in the context of a deteriorating security environment, (ii) reflect on the indicators of resilience in Mali, (iii) identify and strengthen possible areas of synergy between partners within the framework of existing work plans, (iv) share evidence of actual successful interventions on resilience, v) share successes, lessons learned from last year's performance and collaboration, vi) identify new challenges, and (vii) make recommendations and suggest new strategies and approaches. The workshop involved 119 participants, including four women, representing the following organizations: Mali Climate Change Adaptation Activity, Livestock for Growth, Aga Khan Foundation, Care Hygiene Nutrition, International Fertilizer Development Center, Coordination for Resilience in Mali, and CVC – Mopti/Nyéta Conseils.