Evaluation des Performances Techniques et Financieres de l’Observatoire du Marche Agricole (OMA) de 2001 à 2002

The Agricultural Market Watch, or Obsevatoire du Marché Agricole (OMA), is a decentralized information service in charge of collecting, analyzing and diffusing data on agricultural markets in order to inform and enlighten decision-makers, producers, traders and the public. OMA produced 1,342 communiqués vs. 1,642 planned. The rate of realization was significant and reached 85%. 1334 communiqués were broadcast in local languages through 18 local radio stations. The broadcasting rate of communiqués was 99%. Besides these communiqués, OMA’s record in meeting its targeted production of written reports was as follows: weekly reports, 93%; monthly reports, 100%; and situation reports (2), 100%. The overall rate for production and broadcast for all planned reports was 90%. The evaluation showed that OMA is not well equipped with adequate human and material resources. In spite of that, OMA has a satisfactory rate of production and diffusion of information, weekly and monthly reports. OMA faces financial challenges. The resources it generates itself cover only 12% of the total budget, with the remaining funds coming from the state. These self-generated resources come largely from consultancies (representing 95% of total own-generated resources). In light of the findings, it is recommended to equip adequately local market information offices, train local radio correspondents on market information issues, and conduct studies to identify specific information needs of various economic actors, pay survey takers adequately, and reestablish the contract with the national television network for dissemination of market reports on TV

Evaluation des Performances Techniques et Financieres de l’Observatoire du Marche Agricole (OMA) de 2001 à 2002

Projet d’Appui au Système d’Information Décentralisé des Marchés Agricoles (PASIDMA)food security, food policy, Mali, Marketing, Q18,

Note sur la problématique d’approvisionnement des céréales au Mali

Food security has been a major component of the development policies in Mali since the independence in 1960. The Malian government has adopted several cereal supply strategies since 1960. First, the government tried interventionist policies from 1960 to 1980. The government set prices and provided inputs and credits to producers. The goal was to supply urban areas with cheap cereal and, at the same time, encourage producers to produce more. The Mali Agricultural Products Office (OPAM) had the official monopoly on the cereal business, as it collected cereal from producers, who were grouped into cooperatives, and distributed it throughout the country. However, this strategy turned out to be a failure, as production decreased and OPAM’s deficits grew. Producers were penalized, as prices were not high enough to cover their production costs. Hence, Mali went from being a major exporter to an importer of cereals. The government next decided to proceed with liberalizing the market, which developed into an effective strategy of cereal supply. There is now a more competitive cereal market, both in the national and regional markets. The role of the OPAM is limited to the management of the national food security stock and of food aid. The intervention of NGOs for emergency relief now focuses on buying and distributing food or organizing food-for-work programs. Now, prices are no longer stable, but depend on the supply and demand relationship in the market. In real terms, prices are lower now compared to the period prior to the liberalization (reflecting decreases in the cost of marketing). Nevertheless, recent price increases prevent some consumers from meeting their full needs, since their purchasing power is so low. Currently, access to food still remains a challenge. There are several problems: the competition in the redistribution markets between national and regional demands bids up prices for local consumers, the low buying power of consumers with low income, the bad quality of roads which makes distribution difficult to isolated areas, and the fluctuation of the supply due to weather instability. As a consequence, the government frequently has to deal with food crisis. This year’s deficit [2005] was due to a rainfall shortage and locust invasion. For the years ahead, several strategies need to be considered These include a pulling together of the different supply structures; creation of consumers’ cooperatives so as to reduce the burden of prices fluctuation; creation of cereal banks in the deficit zones, assistance to producers in managing their surpluses in years of good production; construction of roads to ease distribution; finally, boosting of irrigation and introducing techniques of water harvesting

Note sur la problématique d’approvisionnement des céréales au Mali

Présidence de la République Commissariat à la Sécurité Alimentaire (CSA); USAID; APCAM/MSU/USAID Projet de Mobilisation des Initiatives en matière de Sécurité Alimentaire au Mali (PROMISAM); APCAM/MSU/USAID Projet de Mobilisation des Initiatives en matière de Sécurité Alimentaire au Mali (PROMISAM); APCAM/MSU/USAID Projet de Mobilisation des Initiatives en matière de Sécurité Alimentaire au Mali (PROMISAM)food security, food policy, Mali, Crop Production/Industries, Q18,

Commercialisation des Céréales et Sécurité Alimentaire au Mali

cereal markets, mali, food security, Agricultural and Food Policy, Community/Rural/Urban Development, Food Security and Poverty, q13,