Mali, Development of Agriculture through Sorghum Hybrids (DASH)

Development of Agriculture Through Sorghum Hybrids (DASH)

Donors: Common Fund for Commodities (CFC), the Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa (AGRA)

Partners: Faso Kaba; Association of Rural Professional Organization of Mali (Association des Organisations Professionnelles Paysannes du Mali, AOPP); Local Union of Cereal Producers (ULPC), the Cooperative of Oure, and Talabani seed producers (Bougouni, Sikasso region); Institut d’Economie Rurale du Mali (IER); International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT).

Goals:

To transform subsistence farmers to become market-oriented entrepreneurs through the introduction of hybrid sorghum varieties to Malian smallholders and by facilitating the marketing of sorghum to wholesalers and processors.

What We Do:

The project carried out trial plots in 30 sites in the Koulikoro, Segou, and Sikasso regions and the urban periphery of Bamako and organized field days and culinary demonstrations for the farmers. The farmer group leaders were trained in marketing, commercialization and basic accounting. All farmers, additionally, were trained to produce hybrid seed in rural areas.

Accomplishments:

From 2011 to 2013, the project successfully raised the awareness of improved sorghum amongst farmers in Mali by training extension agents and farmers on the management of on-farm trials and demonstrations with sorghum hybrid varieties. Moreover, the project helped to strengthen linkages among research institutions, farmers, and seed companies by organizing field days and cooking demonstrations for farmers. Finally, the project increased the availability of improved varieties to farmers through training for cooperative managers, the participation of federations and cooperative in cereal commercial fairs, and exchange visits between producers, wholesalers, and processors.