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afrol News, 29 May - A feasibility study of the large Phedie and Sabalibougou irrigation development project in Mali is now to be conducted. If implemented, the a 5,000 ha irrigation project could increase Mali's rice production by an annual 30,000 tonnes. The African Development Fund (ADF) yesterday signed an agreement for a grant of almost US$ 1 million with Mali's Minister of Economy and Finance, Mr. Bacari Kone. The grant will be used to finance the feasibility study of the Phedie and Sabalibougou irrigation development project. Sabalibougou and Phedie are located in the south-western part of Mali, in the impoverished outskirts of the capital, Bamako. Sabalibougou, at the Niger riverbed, somewhat functions as a Bamako shanty town and local food production is low. Rice is mostly grown on irrigated soils in connection to the Niger River and its tributaries. It is one of the key cereals consumed locally in the country. - This study is in line with the poverty control strategy of the government of Mali poverty that encourages rural self-enhancement and reliance, according to a statement released today by ADF. The feasibility study during a first phase would involve "a diagnosis of the present situation of the schemes, the updating of information needed for preparing development scenarios as well as the production of summary sketches necessary for the design of the proposed development infrastructures." The second phase was to "entail various additional studies indispensable for the design, in all its components, of the future development project of the two schemes." The project resulting from the study is set to contribute to poverty reduction and the improvement of the people's living standards by strengthening food security, according to the conditions for the grant. Preliminary studies have shown that the development of the Phedie and Sabalibougou schemes in the long run could generate an additional production of 30,000 tonnes of rice and more than 6,000 tonnes of market garden products. Moreover, the active participation of the communities concerned within the framework of this study were ensure "the emergence of a viable project run by the beneficiaries themselves," the Bank assures. Finally, the planned infrastructure would allow for wider coverage of the country's food needs through the intensified cropping of the land. Sources: Based on ADF
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