Mali UNDP/GEF Project Document

United Nations Development Programme

Mali

PROJECT DOCUMENT ([1])

Project Title: SIP: SLWM & Environmental support to PAPAM (Fostering Agricultural Productivity in Mali)[2]
UNDAF Outcome(s):
UNDP Strategic Plan Environment and Sustainable Development Primary Outcome: Most vulnerable rural areas benefit from reinforcement in food security and sustainable development
UNDP Strategic Plan Secondary Outcome:
Expected CP Outcome(s):(Those linked to the project and extracted from the country programme document)
Expected CPAP Output (s): (Those that will result from the project and extracted from the CPAP)
Executing Entity/Implementing Partner: Ministry of Environment and Sanitation - Permanent Technical Secretariat for Environmental Affairs (MES / STP du Cadre Interministériel de Gestion des Questions Environnementales)
Implementing Entity/Responsible Partners: The World Bank (for the overall PAPAM) with UNDP (for the UNDP-managed budget, which this document describes)
Brief Description
This project is a component of a large development programme, entitled “Fostering Agricultural Production in Mali” (PAPAM), consisting of a large World Bank's agricultural investment, this GEF project by UNDP, and another GEF project to be implemented by The World Bank.
The primary, underlying driver for land and natural resource degradation in Mali is the application of inappropriate land management techniques, attributed to the poor dissemination of knowledge on best SWLM practices.The impacts of climate change on theseenvironmentally-weakened land use systems carries a high risk of further exacerbating the speed and severity of depleting the natural resource base, which are the base for the agriculture, livestock and forestry sectors. Predicted increasing temperatures, reduction and higher variability in rainfall will impact negatively agricultural seasons, land use systems’ productivity, water availability, vegetation cover and species composition. Increased migration of people and animals can be expected towards areas with higher rainfall, thereby increasing the pressure on natural resources in these areas, which could lead potentially to conflicts over access to and use of natural resources.
The project’s main global environmental objective is to increase and expand the use of SLWM practices in order to stop, decrease and reverse land degradation, with a focus on the areas where the agricultural investment component will be realised. This objective will be achieved by the dissemination and wide-scale adoption of SLWM technologies, using both public and private sector advisory services. The project’s investments will be focused on four key production systems for staple foods(irrigated rice and vegetables, rain-fed cereals, fodder production and livestock production) with potential for productivity increase and confirmed domestic demand. These production systems have already been studied by research programs, and innovative techniques are readily available. Within each production system, a reference agriculture product and SLWM technologies have been selected to secure their production potential, productivity gains and significant environmental impacts. The target is that 75% of PAPAM beneficiary producers will have adopted SLWM technologies by the end of the project. The project will also develop SLWM advisory services at the community and county levels.
The project will result in improved ecosystem resilience and productivity in the fragile agricultural areas of Mali. This will be monitored via the project’s second outcome – a comprehensive system for monitoring agricultural impacts on natural resources and ecosystems. The project aims to have developed a comprehensive monitoring system for the selected agroecosystems by the end of year 3.The global environmental benefits of the project will be a reduction in the rate, then gradually a reversal in land degradation by progressively increasing the percentage of land area of the project under SLWM, compared to the baseline.
This project proposal is well aligned with the UNDAF (2008-2012) and UNDP's Country Programme (2006-2012) and fully fits into the fourth strategic priority which aims at “increasing food security, rural development and job opportunities for vulnerable rural communities." The project is equally consistent with the GEF sustainable land management strategy and will directly contribute to the implementation of the Strategic Programmes SP-1 and SP-2, with UNDP providing the leading support to Government on the SLM domain. The project is also consistent with the GEF Operational Program OP-15 regarding the mitigation and prevention of land degradation and desertification. The project conforms with the agreed SIP principles.

Agreed by (Government):

Date/Month/Year

Agreed by (Executing Entity/Implementing Partner):

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Agreed by (UNDP):

Date/Month/Year

Table of Contents

I.List of Acronyms

II.Situation analysis

1.1Context and global significance

1.1.1 Environmental context

1.1.2 Socio-Economic context

1.1.4 Institutional Context

1.1.5 Policy context

1.2Threats and Root Causes

1.2.1 Environmental Degradation due to Poor Land Management

1.2.2 Cross-Cutting Threat - Climate Change

1.2.3 Population Growth

1.3Long Term Solution and Barrier Analysis

1.3.1 Long Term Solution

1.3.2 Expected Measurable Global Environmental Benefits

1.3.3 Barrier Analysis

1.4Stakeholder and Baseline Analysis

1.4.1 Stakeholder Analysis

1.4.2 Baseline analysis

III.Strategy

2.1 Project rationale and policy conformity

2.1.1 Project rationale

2.1.2 Consistency with GEF policies and strategies

2.1.3 GEF added value compared to the BAU scenario

2.2Country ownership

2.2.1 Country eligibility

2.2.2 Country drivenness

2.3Design principles and strategic considerations

2.4Project objective, outcomes and outputs/activities

2.5Key indicators, risks and assumptions

2.6Financial modality

2.7Cost-effectiveness

2.8Sustainability

2.9Replicability

IV. Project Results Framework:......

V. Total budget and workplan

VI. Management Arrangements

5.1 Project Operational Coordination

5.2 Field Implementation of Activities and Service Provision to Producers

5.3 Project Implementation Manual

VII. Monitoring Framework and Evaluation

VIII. Legal Context

Annex 1: Risk Analysis......

Annex 2: Capacity Assessment

Annex 3: Fostering Agricultural Productivity in Mali – Full Project Description

Annex 4: Incremental Cost Analysis

Annex 5: Baselines and Arrangements for Results Monitoring PAPAM

Annex 6: Key results of the SLM-PER and CBA study

Annex 7: Land degradation and SLWM in Target Production Systems

List of tables

Table 1: Progress Towards Poverty, Hunger and Agricultural Growth Spending Targets

Table 2: Key Government Agencies Involved in Natural Resource Management

Table 3: Synthesis of Threats and Drivers

Table 4: Target Production Systems and Basins

Table 5: Major Related Projects Financed by the Bank and/or other Agencies

Table 6: Sharing of the GEF/UNDP and UNDP Mali contribution in the PAPAM project ($US 127.7 millions)

Table 7: Summary of Sector, Operational and Overall Risks

Table 8: Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E) Workplan and Budget

Table 9: Summary of Sector, Operational and Overall Risks

Table 10: Capacity Issues of Key Government Agencies Involved in PAPAM

Table 11 : Matrix of the incremental value added by GEF and benefits expected

Table 12 : Budgeting of SLM expenditures by the National Government (000 F CFA)

Table 13 : Cost of land degradation and benefit of SLM practices in the Banifing river watershed

Table 14 : Cost-Benefit analysis of maize and rice

Table 15 : The SLWM techniques in targeted production systems

I.List of Acronyms

AASC / Agricultural Advisory Service Council
ACDP / Agricultural Competitiveness and Diversification Project
AfD / Agence Française de Développement (French Development Agency)
AfDB / African Development Bank
AGETIER / Agence d’Éxécution des Travaux d’Infrastructures et d’Équipements Ruraux
(Executing Agency for Rural Equipment and Civil Works)
APCAM / Assemblée Permanente des Chambres d’Agriculture du Mali
(Permanent Assembly of Mali Agricultural Chambers)
APL / Adaptable Program Loan
ARD / Agriculture and Rural Development
CAADP / Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development Program
CAS / Country Assistance Strategy
CENA / Capacity Enhancement Needs Assessment
CNRA / Comité National de la Recherche Agricole (National Agricultural Research Committee)
CNOP / Coordination Nationale des Organisations Paysannes
(National Coordination of Producer Organizations)
COSOP / (IFAD) Country Strategic Opportunities Program
CPS / Cellule de Planification et de Statistiques (Statistics and Planning Unit)
CQBS / Consultants’ Qualifications-Based Selection
CRA / Chambre Régionale d’Agriculture (Regional Chamber of Agriculture)
CROCSAD / Comité Régional d’Orientation, de Coordination et de Suivi des Actions de Développement (Regional Steering Committee for the Coordination and Monitoring of Development Operations)
CSA / Commissariat à la Sécurité Alimentaire (Food Security Commissariat)
CSIF / Comprehensive Strategic Investment Program
DAF / Direction Administrative et Financière (Financial and Administrative Division)
DNACPN / Direction Nationale de l’Assainissement et du Contrôle des Pollutions et Nuisances
(Sanitation, Pollution and Nuisance Control Division)
DNRFFH / Direction Nationale des Ressources Forestières, Fauniques et Halieutiques
(Halieutic, Faunistic and Forestry Resources Division)
DRGR / Direction Régionale du Génie Rural (Regional Division for Rural Civil Works)
EA / Environment Assessment
ECOWAP / ECOWAS Agricultural Policy
ECOWAS / Economic Community of West African States
ESMF / Environment and Social Management Framework
EU / EC / European Union / European Commission
FAO / Food and Agriculture Organization
FNDA / Fonds National de Développement Agricole (Agricultural Development National Fund)
FSC / Food Security Commissariat
FODESA / Fonds de Développement en Zone Sahélienne (Sahel Areas Development Fund)
FY / Fiscal Year
GDP / Gross Domestic Product
GEB / Global Environment Benefits
GEF / Global Environment Fund
GEO / Global Environment Objective
GIE / Groupement d’Intérêt Économique (Economic Interest Group/Co-op)
GoM / Government of Mali
GPN / General Procurement Notice
GPRSF / Growth and Poverty Reduction Strategy Framework
(Cadre Stratégique pour la Croissance et la Réduction de la Pauvreté)
GTZ / Deutsche Gesellschaft für Technische Zusammenarbeit (German Technical Cooperation)
ha / Hectare
IC / Individual Consultants
ICB / International Competitive Bidding
IDA / International Development Association
IER / Institut d’Économie Rurale (Institute for Rural Economics)
IFAD / International Fund for Agricultural Development
IRR / Internal Rate of Return
ISC / Inter-ministerial Steering Committee – PNISA
KfW / Kreditanstalt fur Wiederaufbau (German Development Bank)
LOA / Loi d’Orientation Agricole (Agricultural Framework Law)
LCS / Least Cost Selection
LSIPT / Livestock Sector Investment and Policy Toolkit
MCC / Millennium Challenge Corporation
MinAgri / Ministry of Agriculture
MES / Ministry of Environment and Sanitation
MFI / Micro-Finance Institution
MLF / Ministry of Livestock and Fisheries
M&E / Monitoring and Evaluation
MTEF / Mid-Term Expenditure Framework
NAPA / National Action Plan for Adaptation
NARS / National Agricultural Research System
NCB / National Competitive Bidding
NEPAD / New Partnership for African Development
NPV / Net Present value
O&M / Operations and Maintenance
OIE / Office International des Epizooties (World Animal Health Organization)
OMA / Observatoire des Marchés Agricoles (Agricultural Market Observatory)
ON / Office du Niger
PACR / Programme d’Appui aux Communautés Rurales (Rural Community Development Project)
PASAM / Programme d’Appui au Secteur Agricole au Mali (Agricultural Sector Support Program in Mali)
PASAOP / Programme d’Appui aux Services Agricoles et aux Organisations Paysannes
(Agricultural Services and Producer Organizations Program)
PASSIP / Programme d’Appui au Sous-Secteur de l’Irrigation de Proximité
(Small-Scale Irrigation Promotion Program)
PCDA / Projet Compétitivité et Diversification Agricole
(Agricultural Competitiveness and Diversification Project)
PDI-BS / Programme de Développement de l’Irrigation dans le Bassin du Bani et à Sélingué (Irrigation Development Program for the Bani and Sélingué Basins)
PDO / Project Development Objective
PDZL / Programme de Développement des Zones Lacustre (Lacustre Areas Development Program)
PER / Public Expenditure Review
PIDRN / Programme Intégré de Développement Rural du Nord
(Northern Integrated Rural Development Program)
PIM / Project Implementation Manual
PIU / Project Implementation Unit
PIV / Périmètre Irrigué Villageois (Village Irrigation Perimeter)
PMP / Pest Management Plan
PNIR / Programme National d’Infrastructures Rurales (National Rural Infrastructure Project)
PNISA / Programme National d’Investissement Sectoriel Agricole
(National Agricultural Sector Investment Program)
PO / Producer Organization
PPP / Public-Private Partnership
PRSC / Poverty Reduction Support Credit
PTF-EAR / Groupe des Partenaires Techniques et Financiers – Économie Agricole et Rurale
(Financial and Technical Partners for Agricultural and Rural Economy)
PVS / Performance of Veterinary Services
QBS / Quality-Based Selection (QBS)
QCBS / Quality- and Cost-Based Selection
RCRE / Regional Committees for Research and Extension
ReSAKSS / Regional Strategic Analysis and Knowledge Support System
RAP / Resettlement Action Plan
REI / Request of Expression of Interest
RPF / Resettlement Policy Framework
SAM / Social Accounting Matrix
SBD / Standard Bidding Documents
SIL / Specific Investment Loan
SIP / Strategic Investment program (GEF)
SLWM / Sustainable Land and Water Management
SNFAR / Stratégie Nationale de Formation Agricole et Rurale
(National Strategy for Rural and Agricultural Training)
SoSuMar / Société Sucrière de Markala (Markala Sugar Production Company)
SRI / System of Rice Intensification
SS-DONA / State Secretariat for the Development of the Office du Niger Area
STP/CIGQE / Secrétariat Technique Permanent du Cadre Interministériel de Gestion des Questions Environnementales (Permanent Technical Secretary of the Inter-Ministerial Framework for Environmental Issues)
SUKALA / Complexe Sucrier du Kala Supérieur (Sugar factory of the Upper Kala)
SWAp / Sector Wide Approach
TECC / Technical Execution Coordination Committee
UNCCD / United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification
UNDB / United Nations Development Business
UNDP / United Nations Development Program
WAEMU / West African Economic and Monetary Union
WAAPP / West Africa Agricultural Productivity Project

II.Situation analysis

1.1Context and global significance

1.1.1 Environmental context

1. Mali is a landlocked country in West Africa, covering 1,204,000 km2, of which 60 percent is desert. Mali shares borders with Mauritania, Algeria, Burkina Faso, Côte d'Ivoire, Guinea, Niger and Senegal. Its population of 12.4 million (UNDP Human Development Report, 2007) is predominantly rural with a growth rate of approximately 2.7percent a year, thus is expected to reach 16.8 million by 2020 (ibid.). Population densities vary between 2 inhabitants per km2 in the north and 25 inhabitants per km2 in central and southern areas.

1. The climate is characterised by alternating dry and wet seasons of variable durations. The duration of the dry season varies between five months in the south and nine month in the north. The rainy season falls in the period between May/June and September/October. Annual precipitation ranges between 1400 mm in the south and less than 100 mm in the north, withconsiderable inter-annual variations in rainfall.

1. Mali receives surface water from two major rivers, the Senegal on its western edge and the River Niger in the southern part of the country. Cross-border flows amount to some 46 billion m3 of water per year, much of which is lost by evaporation from the 36,000 km2 large inner delta of the River Niger. Mali's groundwater resources far exceed surface waters, amounting to an estimated 2270 billion m3. Annual groundwater replenishment from renewable resources is estimated to be in the order of 66 billion m3 per year.

1. Mali’s inner delta comprises around 3 million ha of plains, which flood annually. These plains support extensive wet-season rice farmers, flood-recession agriculture and dry-season irrigation. They also support a variety of fishing activities and are crucial as a dry season grazing areas for pastoralists’ livestock herds. Ecologically, the flood plains are a habitat for plants and wildlife including crocodiles, hippopotami, fish and a diverse range of migratory birds, including the African crowned crane (FAO 1997). The Inner Niger Delta was classified as a Ramsar site in 2004.

1. Mali is divided into four agro-climatic zones, based on long term average precipitation (Figure 1). The Sahara zone in the north (632,000 km2, 51% of the total area) receives an average precipitation less than 200 mm. The Sahel zone (320,000 km2, 26% of total area), receives an average precipitation of between 200 and 600 mm. The Sudanese savanna (215,000 km2, 17% of total land area), situated in the centre of Mali receives average precipitation varying between 600 and 1200 mm. The Guinea savanna situated in the south (75,000 km2, 6% of the total area) is a semi-humid zone with an average annual precipitation of over 1200 mm.

Figure 1: Agroecological Zones of Mali

1. Mali's soil resources can be divided into two major soil groups, as a result of their differing geological origins. Soils in the south are the product of the weathering of bedrock formations, leading to the formation of a lateritic sheet, which has degraded over time into broad, ironstone capped plateaus and an undulating topography (Ahn, 1969). In the north, soils are dominantly sandy, developed from sedimentary deposits of the Quaternary period (Ahn, 1969). The landscape of the north is dominated by sandy plains, comprising large stabilised ancient sand dunes and in the desert zone, also active sand dunes.

1. The cultivated area of Malitotals 3.9 million ha, of which ninety percent are managed under rainfed conditions. The southern part of the country is dominated by a cereal / root crop mixed farming system (Dixon et al., 2001). Maize, cotton, cassava, millet, sorghum and cowpea are the key crops. Under irrigated conditions rice is the dominant crop. The main cash crops are cotton, groundnuts and sugar cane. A large proportion of Mali (49 million ha) is pasture / rangeland. Livelihoods in the Sahelian zone are predominantly based on livestock, where agro-pastoral millet-sorghum farming systems dominate (Dixon et al., 2001). Livestock numbers have, in general, kept pace with population growth during most of the last decades, but are strongly dependent on annual rainfall.

1.1.2 Socio-Economic context

1. Agriculture employs over 80 percent of the labour force, thus is a key source of overall economic growth and welfare, food security and poverty reduction. Despite rapid urbanization in recent years, almost 70 percent of the population lives in rural areas and close to 80 percent rely on agriculture production for their livelihoods. Although its share in the overall economy has been declining over the past decade and a half, agriculture remains one of the key drivers and still accounts for above one third of GDP (subsistence farming 15 percent; modern farming 5 percent; livestock 10 percent; forestry 4 percent; and fisheries 1 percent). Cotton is the principal agricultural export, contributing 25 percent of total export earnings in 2005 (Figure 2), followed by livestock products (however registered data only partially captures livestock exports to neighbouring countries). The decline in the world cotton price has reduced Mali’s production, forcing farmers to sell livestock and machinery to settle outstanding debts. The sector remains highly vulnerable to environmental risks, such as droughts, floods, irregular rains and locust invasions. In 2007, the country experienced the 12th highest frequency of environmental shocks of all low-income countries. Mali’s agriculture is mostly rain-fed and production varies greatly from one climatic zone to the other. After continuous decreases during the 1960s and the 1970s, overall cereal production has increased significantly over the last two decades, at a pace consistent with the population increase. For example, between 1984 and 2004, rice production jumped from 190,000 to 850,000 metric tons (t); maize increased from 150,000 to 400,000 t; and millet rose from 715,000 to 950,000 t. With the exception of rice, yields per ha have been relatively stagnant or even declining from already low levels.

Figure 2: Cereals yields in Mali (kg/ha) (2001-2007)