Ecologically-based Rural Development in Mali
November 16, 2015
Location: Douentza Region, Mali
A Unitarian Service Committee of Canada (USC-Canada) project in eastern Mali combined educational programs, soil conservation techniques, agro-forestry practices, seed conservation, market gardening, and fruit tree planting as key innovations to fight hunger and poverty. From 1995 to 1998, over 5,000 farmers received training on ecological agriculture techniques; learned how to select and preserve high yielding, locally adapted staple grains that produce much higher cereal yields; and were introduced to new income generating activities based on market gardening and fruit tree production.