Mali Invests $78m in Irrigation to Boost Agriculture and Food Sovereignty

The Malian transitional government has launched the second phase of the Programme de Développement de l’Irrigation dans les bassins du Bani et de Sélingué (PDI-BS II), backed by an investment of 47.4 billion CFA francs (approximately 78million USD).

Announced in June 2025, this project is considered central to Mali’s strategy for achieving agricultural self-sufficiency and economic resilience. With support from a 30 billion CFA franc loan from the West African Development Bank (BOAD), the program aims to develop 10,240 hectares of new irrigated land across the Bani and Sélingué regions.

Additionally, 135 kilometres of rural roads will be constructed to improve access to markets and reduce the isolation of farming communities.

The second phase builds on the success of PDI-BS I (2018–2024), which led to the development of 36,500 hectares of irrigated land. The results have been transformative: production increases of 61,085 tons of rice and 7,657 tons of vegetables, the creation of more than 3,600 permanent jobs, and strong growth in the fish farming and dairy sectors.

A key focus of PDI-BS II will be on empowering youth and women, essential players in Mali’s rural economy, through targeted training and capacity-building programs.

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