Our Work in Mali
LWR began working in Mali in 1986 to address drought-related famine, and continues to partner with rural communities to address the root causes of poverty and lay the groundwork for greater food and nutritional security. LWR works to break the vicious cycle of poverty by improving local agricultural production and investing in sustainable land use. In times of emergency, LWR and its partners use cash-for-work approaches in which farmers earn immediate income to feed their families, while at the same time rehabilitating community assets in order to build future resiliency. LWR currently works in the Mopti and Ségou regions of Mali.
Agriculture: Value chains and climate smart agriculture
LWR improves the lives of thousands of rural farm families in Mali by improving their participation in agricultural value chains and strengthening their livelihood base. LWR works with partners to improve smallholder farmer cultivation, processing and marketing capacity in rice, sesame, and fonio value chains. Recognizing women’s important role in agricultural production, LWR works to enhance their productive resources and incomes, through training in value-added postharvest handling and marketing. LWR strengthens the capacity of agricultural cooperatives and unions that serve these farmers with training in governance and financial management, facilitating joint negotiation of credit and other services, and strengthening cooperative sales and marketing.
Climate: Building resilience through conservation
In Mali, LWR reduces marginalized rural populations’ vulnerability to ongoing environmental degradation and the effects of global climate change through long-term, sustainable development and emergency projects that meet immediate needs while building resilient communities. LWR supports the environmentally sound and economically viable rehabilitation and communityled management of irrigation canals and systems. LWR organizes and trains community members to ensure long-term community management of water resources.
Emergency response: From relief to recovery
LWR’s established experience and strong relationship with communities in Mali place it in a privileged position to respond quickly and effectively to emergency situations. LWR collaborates with donors such as the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation to respond to drought and food crisis in Mali with assistance to affected populations through cash-for-work initiatives focused on the rehabilitation of irrigation systems. LWR also works with Malian refugees and IDPs fleeing conflict to rebuild their livelihoods and strengthen their resilience.
Health and livelihoods: innovative Partnerships to fight malaria
In Mali, with generous support from USAID, LWR works with national NGO, private sector and community-based partners to improve rural populations’ access to malaria prevention and treatment. Prevention programs help reduce the incidence of malaria through behavior change communication focused on disease recognition, early treatment and the correct and consistent use of insecticide-treated nets. LWR has also piloted community-managed health insurance mechanisms that subsidize members’ health care costs and encourage access to timely diagnosis and treatment in community health centers.
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