IICD supported project: Jekafo Gelekan: Rural Information System for Farmers in the Sikasso Region

Countries: Mali [ML]
Sectors: livelihoods

Summary

The Regional Committee for Coordination of Rural People (CRCR) in Sikasso has initiated the project Jèkafo Guèlèkan, meaning “let’s speak together under the palaver tree”. The projects focuses on linking the Local Committees for Coordination of Farmers’ Organisations (CLCOPs) to local sections of farmers’ organisations of CRCR in the Sikasso area. The aim is to set up a communication system for agricultural producers affiliated to CRCR - which comprises 215 local organisations (of which 115 are women’s organisations) - and other stakeholders in the development of the Sikasso region. By using ICT, rural dwellers – both producers and processors – can learn about opportunities for improving their economic situation and to help them take advantage of such opportunities.

Update

Updated: 2008-03-17

In March 2008, the members of CRCR, 3AG/FABEMA and COPROKAZAN as well as certain radios of Sikasso, started working on translating the IICD-questionnaire in Bamanakan. Without a language barrier, the projects should be able to improve the measurement of the impact on their targeted populations.

The project was launched on 16 May 2007. The launch ceremony was attended by the regional authorities, the leaders of the regional farmers' organisations, development partners interested in rural affairs and a large crowd.

Introduction

Rural people often have no access to information and communication tools that enable them to get answers on questions concerning laws and regulations, projects and programmes, technological innovation, the experiences of producers in the various producing areas of the region, trends in cotton production, etc. CRCR is working through it local committees to resolve these problems, as well as problems of producers’ participation in the formulation and implementation of rural development policy at the regional and national levels.

Objectives

The overall objective is to put farmers in contact with one another and facilitate the participation of CRCR members in the agricultural policy debate.

Specific objectives are:

• To improve the information system linking producers,

• To give producers real-time access to information,
• To strengthen cooperation and trust among producers,
• To facilitate the flow of information between the CRCR and local coordinating committees of farmers' organisations, and among the these organisations themselves,
• To establish annual sessions for discussion and debate among producers,
• To facilitate cooperation between support structures and producers,
• To enable men and women producers to provide and receive information that is useful to their activities.

Development Impacts

The project users are the heads of local farmers' coordinating bodies and the CRCR, as well as a few individual producers. This capacity building effort should bring benefits for farmers: more solidarity and cooperation among farmers, more participation in policymaking, and better information, with the end goal of improving their economic situation.

Budget

€103,000 (CFA 67,435,000).

Project Owner :

Regional Committee for Coordination of Rural People (Comité Régional de Concertation des Ruraux – CRCR).

Project Partners :

The partners involved in implementation are the Ministry of Agriculture, the IICD, the Sikasso regional Association of Farmers' Organisations ( Association des organisations paysannes professionnelles – AOPP), the national AOPP, the national coordinating body for farmers' organisations ( Coordination nationale des organisations paysannes – CNOP), the Regional Assembly, the Sikasso Regional Chamber of Agriculture, local technical departments and local radio stations.

Project Contact : IICD