Dr Mamoutou Kouressy, Coordinator of the “Enhancing Crop Productivity and Climate Resilience for Food and Nutrition Security” (UE-APSAN-Mali) at the Institute of Rural Economy (IER), visited the project sites in Dioila, Cinzana, Bla, M’pessoba, Koutiala, Sikasso, Bougouni, Kayes and Kita. He visited the sites from August 3 to 14, 2021 along with Dr Abdoulaye Diallo, head of sorghum breeding (IER), Mr. Issa Traoré, journalist, (head, project’s visibility actions), and Mr. Adama Diallo, research assistant (IER).

 

 

 

           Sorghum plot of the UE-APSAN-Mali project in Kita                                    Cowpea plot UE-APSAN-Mali in Kita. Photos Credit. IER

The purpose of this mission was to exchange with partners, including the farmers and women farmers and their organizations working on the ground about ongoing planned activities for the cropping season 2021-2022. During the visit, the team noted that the rainy season started late in all the sites and has affected the cropping calendar, with the sowing dates spreading from July 5 to August 5 in the regions of Kayes in Sikasso.

Although this late starting of the season, the project team was satisfied with the overall progress made in the implementation of the activities by the partners. Ongoing activities on the UE-APSAN-Mali project sites are centered on participatory trials, demonstration, and distribution of millet, sorghum, groundnut and cowpea mini-seeds packs between producers. In addition, in the agronomic research stations, activities are focused on the production of pre-basic seeds, the advancement of generations, preliminary and advanced tests.

 

 

 

 

Groundnut plot in M’Pessoba                                                                            Sorghum plot in Bla. Photos Credit. IER

 

The mission observed good vegetative development of the crops, as shown by the images above.