1. MAIN FINDINGS OF NEEDS ASSESSMENT EXERCISE
More Effective and Sustainable Investments in Water for Poverty Reduction
MAIN FINDINGS OF NEEDS ASSESSMENT EXERCISE
Preapared by FAO’s Land and Water Division in collaboration with IWMI
MALI
1. Introduction
The first phase of the GCP/INT/167/IWM project aimed to conduct a needs assessment analysis that allowed the identification of needs, relevance, potential and opportunities for improving the impact and effectiveness of agricultural water management interventions in terms of:
research technical assistance training policy support
The methodology followed was structured in five main steps: (1) stakeholders’ analysis; (2) inception workshop; (3) interviews and field visits; (4) discussion with country team on the preliminary results; and (5) a validation workshop. All these steps culminated in the preparation of the needs assessment report. This brief presents the main findings of such report.
2. Methodology
Stakeholders consulted July 2015
Stakeholders from the following organizations/projects with interest and influence in AWM were interviewed:
Danaya association (women producing vegetables in Baroueli-Est and Bla-Koko)
Individual farmers
CVECA/Niono
FANTA JIGI-FASO (NGO)
ARPASO Cooperative (300 ha of rice)
OPIB/Baguineda (3000 ha irrigation scheme)
Cooperative of vegetable producers
Ministry of rural development, MDR (different departments)
PFN – Sahel Initiative Irrigation Project
European Union
Labo SEP- IER (fisheries)
ADRS
DNH (Monitoring and evaluation)
FAO
OICM (consultant’s association)
IFAD (project officer)
2. Inception workshop July 2015
It gathered 19 stakeholders from the organizations listed in point #1. The following activities were completed:
i) Project was presented | ii) List of stakeholders was finalized | iii) Information to make the interviews and data collection more precise | iv) Main challenges in AWM were identified | (v) Main priorities and challenges on AWM interventions were identified
3. Interviews and field visits August – 15 September 2015
Overview of the 21 people interviewed:
Field visits:
One IFAD supported project in two regions:
1. PAPAM project (Baruelu and Bla regions). Vegetable production.
Other two projects:
2. PCDA project (Segou region). WB)
3. Vegetable producing scheme (Samanko /Bamako).
4. Validation workshop October 2015
It gathered 12 stakeholders from some of the organizations listed in point #1.

2. Views from stakeholders at national level
MAIN FINDINGS OF NEEDS ASSESSMENT EXERCISE
MALI
3. Identified relevant AWM interventions in the country
The criteria used to define most relevant technologies was their contribution to poverty reduction. The following graph is based on the consultations/interviews held within this project.
According to the graph, the three most relevant technologies are:
Pumping technologies
Shallow and deep wells
Water harvesting
In the sites visited, pumping technologies included: solar pumping and manual pumps.
Very important for the development of vegetable gardens.
The assessment report cites as examples micro dams and water tanks.
4. Identified stakeholders priorities on AWM
Views from stakeholders at national level
Views from farmers
Access to technologies, services and information (including value chain)
Social and equity problems in AWM projects and programmes (including gender aspects)
Environmental problems and climate change issues
Financing of AWM investments at different levels
Institutional aspects such as political organizations and regulations
Access to finance through affordable credits
Improving production systems (technologies, practices, soil management, etc.)
Water availability for irrigation
Operation and Maintenance of infrastructure
More Effective and Sustainable Investments in Water for Poverty Reduction

3. MAIN FINDINGS OF NEEDS ASSESSMENT EXERCISE MALI
5. Identified areas with potential to contribute to better AWM management
Information presented under this section is taken from discussions held in stakeholders workshop and the results of the questionnaires.
1. Capacity Development
Strengthen institutional capacities of decentralized organizations
Strengthen capacities of farmers (in terms of organization, equipment and technology packages)
Strengthen capacities to acquire and manage emerging technologies such as solar pumping
Strengthen marketing channels and capacities of actors along the value chain
Provide training on the Operation and Maintenance of infrastructure and equipment
Provide training to associations on (financial) accounting
Support access to information on crop production
Training of extension services in crop production
Support the local production of technologies by providing training on their manufacturing
Subsidize the purchase of AWM technologies
2. Institutions and governance
Provide financial support to the primary sector
Decentralization of institutions at regional level to get closer to farmers
Establish « synergy committees » among projects (they would collect information, monitor activities, disseminate technologies, assess products, etc.)
Support the elaboration and application of appropriate regulations and normative documents
Support the set up of a technical and financial audit systems for organizations in charge of AWM (associations, Cooperatives)
Support the update of the land tenure law
Strengthen the political dialogue in order to promote access to technologies
3. Technologies: Use of pumps 
Improve access to AWM technologies
Set up a financing mechanism to make emerging technologies more affordable
Promote initiatives to involve the private sector
4. Project / Programme Design
Promote and provide training on participatory approaches
Support the establishment of an approach and appropriate tools to ensure sustainability of activities
Support at the project identification phase to ensure a good match between the technology and the project area
Support the elaboration of planning guidelines and tools (National Irrigation Master Plan, National Irrigation Map, etc.)
5. Research
Promote adaptive research to improve on-farm water management/irrigation scheduling as well as on-farm economic management
Support research on the development of AWM technologies  
More Effective and Sustainable Investments in Water for Poverty Reduction