Press release number: IFAD 29/06

Rome, 6 June 2006 - A large number of Mali’s population living in the Niger River Inner Delta will benefit from additional resources within the Sahelian Development Fund to address rural poverty and environmental degradation.

The US$20.5 million project for Biodiversity Conservation and Participatory Sustainable Management of Natural Resources in the Inner Niger Delta and its Transition Area, Mopti Region, will be financed by a US$11.9 million grant from the International Fund for Agriculture Development (IFAD) within the framework of the Sahelian Development Fund. The grant agreement was signed today at IFAD headquarters in Rome by the President of IFAD, Lennart Båge, and the Ambassador of Mali in Rome, Ibrahim Bocar Daga.

“The signing of this grant agreement the day after World Environment Day is symbolic because the resources mobilized in partnership with the Global Environmental Facility (GEF) will go a long way to restore and manage the ecosystems and biodiversity in the delta of the Niger River, which is one of the rare inland deltas in the world,” said Lennart Båge. “It is even more symbolic as it is IFAD’s first grant agreement as an executing agency for GEF.”

“The project will focus on an area of 30,000 square kilometres in the Mopti region, which is flooded for several months every year. The population of 622,000 is predominantly rural. Most are farmers producing millet, sorghum, rice and cotton. There are also fisherfolk, whose skills are highly regarded in the West African region. These communities will be deeply involved in the decision-making and financing of the project’s activities.

With this project, IFAD and its main partner, the Global Environment Facility (GEF), will work on restoring the agro-pastoral and fishing potential of the Inner Niger Delta, while preserving its unique ecosystem. The project will improve the processing and marketing of products, particularly fishery products, derived from the delta. It will also develop alternative activities capable of generating income, which will reduce pressure on natural resources. To support income-generating activities, funding will be provided for environmental protection, including the establishment of a monitoring system on the state of biodiversity in the delta. 

The area’s environment has been degraded as a result of recurrent droughts and irregular rain patterns, and human factors such as uncontrolled clear cutting for firewood and timber or cropland, overgrazing and bush fires. During the dry season, the whole delta is subject to intense wind erosion and desertification. Rural people, who are highly dependent on natural resources for food and income, are severely affected.

This area is one of the rare large inner deltas in the world. It is characterized by complex ecosystems and constitutes a unique refuge zone for a large number of migratory birds and other wildlife, including endangered species such as manatees or hippopotamuses.

With this project, IFAD will have financed ten rural development programmes and projects in Mali for a total investment of US$129.5 million.

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IFAD is a specialized agency of the United Nations dedicated to eradicating poverty and hunger in rural areas of developing countries. Through low-interest loans and grants, it develops and finances projects that enable rural poor people to overcome poverty themselves. There are 187 ongoing IFAD-supported rural poverty eradication programmes and projects, totalling US$6.2 billion. IFAD has invested more than US$2.9 billion in these initiatives. Cofinancing has been provided by governments, beneficiaries, multilateral and bilateral donors and other partners. At full development, these programmes will help nearly 80 million rural poor women and men to achieve better lives for themselves and their families. Since starting operations in 1978, IFAD has invested US$9.0 billion in 705 programmes and projects that have helped nearly 300 million poor rural men and women achieve better lives for themselves and their families. Governments and other financing sources in the recipient countries, including project participants, have contributed almost US$8.8 billion, and multilateral, bilateral and other donors have provided another US$7.0 billion in cofinancing.