Mali Charts a New Agricultural Path: First National Organic Forum Yields Ambitious Roadmap

Analysis: A landmark summit in Bamako signals a strategic pivot towards agroecology as a response to climate pressures and food sovereignty goals.

BAMAKO – In a significant move for West African agriculture, Mali has concluded its inaugural National Forum on Organic Agriculture (Fnabio), producing a concrete set of over twenty recommendations aimed at reshaping the nation’s farming future. The forum, held at the Modibo Keita Memorial, represents a coalescing of government, civil society, and farmer organizations around agroecology as a core strategy.

Beyond Discussion: A Concrete Action Plan Emerges

While regional conferences on sustainable farming are not uncommon, the Mali forum distinguished itself by transitioning from dialogue to a formalized action plan. The recommendations, treated as forum resolutions, provide a rare glimpse into the operational priorities identified by stakeholders on the ground.

The primary focus, as detailed in the forum’s outcomes, is on the governance and mobilization of financial resources. Participants issued a direct call for “greater transparency, traceability, and accountability” in managing funds dedicated to organic agriculture. This underscores a critical challenge in development financing: ensuring that allocated resources effectively reach the intended beneficiaries—smallholder farmers.

Agroecology as a National Security Imperative

The forum’s framing went beyond environmental benefits, positioning organic and agroecological practices as pillars of national food sovereignty. In his opening address, AMSD President Hamidou Diawara framed the issue in stark terms, citing “irregular rainfall, accelerated soil degradation, heavy dependence on chemical inputs, and increasing pressure on natural resources.”

This language reframes the agricultural debate. It is no longer merely a choice of farming technique but a strategic response to interconnected crises of climate vulnerability, economic dependency on imported inputs, and long-term soil health. The recommendation to make this a “strategic priority” suggests a push for policy integration at the highest levels of government.

Building the Ecosystem: Infrastructure for an Organic Transition

The recommendations reveal an understanding that a successful transition requires more than farmer will; it needs supportive infrastructure. Key proposals include:

• Formalizing Producer Networks: The call to create a national network of organic producers and a national federation of cooperatives aims to strengthen collective bargaining power, improve market access, and facilitate knowledge sharing.
• Anchoring in Academia: Explicitly linking the movement to “institutes, universities, and training centers” seeks to legitimize agroecology within national research agendas and ensure a pipeline of trained professionals.
• Access to Credit: Advocating for easier access to agricultural credit tailored for organic transition addresses a major practical barrier for farmers who cannot rely on quick-fix chemical solutions.

The Regional Context: Mali’s Move in a Growing Trend

Mali’s forum places it within a broader Sahelian and African movement re-evaluating industrial agricultural models. Neighboring Burkina Faso and Senegal have seen similar grassroots and institutional pushes for agroecology, driven by the same pressures of climate change and economic resilience. Mali’s effort is notable for its high-level partnership between the Ministry of Agriculture and national peasant organizations (CNOP), suggesting a potentially more cohesive national strategy.

The true test will be in the implementation. The forum’s resolutions now place the ball in the court of policymakers, development partners, and financial institutions to translate these recommendations into funded programs, revised policies, and tangible support for Mali’s farmers.

Primary Source: This report is based on the original article “Organic Agriculture: Recommendations for the Future” published by Bamada.net, which covered the conclusions of Mali’s first National Forum on Organic Agriculture. View the original source here.