Rising from Drought: Resilient Harvests Flourish in the Sahel
How the EU-APSAN-Mali Project is Transforming Agriculture and Food Security
Millions of people across Africa are projected to face increased exposure to droughts, floods, and extreme heat. According to the State of the Climate in Africa 2023 report by the World Meteorological Organization, without adequate response measures, up to 118 million people living in extreme poverty (defined as living on less than US$1.90 per day) could be increasingly affected by these climate-related events by 2030.
In the Sahel region, the impacts of climate change are already evident through prolonged droughts and increasingly erratic rainfall patterns. These shifts are contributing to reduced agricultural productivity and placing significant strain on communities—particularly women and children, who often bear a disproportionate burden in times of crisis.
In response, the Enhancing Crop Productivity and Climate Resilience for Food and Nutrition Security in Mali (EU-APSAN-Mali) project, funded by the European Union, is offering practical, locally grounded solutions. Through the promotion of climate-smart agriculture and community-led initiatives, the project is helping to build resilience and strengthen food and nutrition security in the region.
A Path to Resilience: Key Initiatives of the EU-APSAN-Mali Project
The EU-APSAN-Mali Project focuses on key interventions that strengthen resilience in the Sahel, notably through the development, delivery, and promotion of high-yielding, nutrient-dense, and drought-tolerant crop varieties suited to the region’s challenging climate. These efforts are complemented by capacity-building initiatives, including training programs that equip stakeholders with technical skills for producing nutritious local foods, ultimately aiming to enhance household nutrition and incomes.
The project supports long-term academic training for students engaged in sorghum, pearl millet, and groundnut breeding programs at the International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT) and l'Institut d'Economie Rurale (IER). By the end of 2025, all supported students are expected to have completed their studies. To date, the project has provided support to four Master’s students, four PhD candidates, and 14 Bachelor’s degree students.
Farmers are also trained in new technologies through Farmer Field Schools, which offer smallholder farmers practical, hands-on experience in sustainable agricultural practices. These initiatives are further strengthened by innovative awareness campaigns that promote climate adaptation strategies and highlight the nutritional and economic value of local food resources.
In addition, the EU-APSAN-Mali Project is supporting the empowerment of seed entrepreneurs by training seed producers—including community-based producers and cooperatives—in quality seed production and exploring sustainable strategies to promote seed sales at the community level. To date, over 800 seed producers, 37% of whom are women, have received training.
Five Years of Impact: Voices from the Field
Five years after its launch in 2019, the EU-APSAN-Mali project is showing clear, positive results—best reflected in the experiences of the farmers themselves, especially women farmers who are central to local food production.
Ms Niagale Camara from Siby village in the Koulikoro region shares how the project responded to a critical need: “We needed early-maturing varieties—and that’s exactly what the project provided.”
As a project participant, Ms Nah Diarra recalls harvesting only seven 100kg sacks of groundnuts per hectare using traditional varieties. Today, thanks to improved varieties introduced through the project, her yield has increased to ten sacks per hectare—a significant boost that has transformed not just her own harvest, but also the productivity of the entire group of women groundnut producers in her village of Wakoro.
Ms Maimouna Doumbia from N’Gabele village highlighted the impressive performance of an improved cowpea variety introduced by the project:
"I planted the old variety 20 days before ICAR (an improved cowpea variety), yet ICAR surpassed it in both growth and maturity. It is super early-maturing and highly productive," shared Ms Doumbia.
In Zeta village, several farmers also reported significant improvements in productivity and livelihoods. Mr Sékou Sidibé cultivated 0.80 hectares and harvested 14 sacks of 100 kg each. By selling his yield, he earned 200,000 CFA (approximately $330), which he used to purchase a solar panel and battery. This provided electricity for his home, enabling his children to study in the evenings, and also helped him clear small family debts.
Likewise, Mr Bourama Fomba saw tangible benefits from cultivating improved varieties on his 0.5-hectare Soubatimi farm.
"I harvested 12 sacks of 100 kg each. Selling 10 brought in 200,000 CFA (around $300), which I used to repay debts and cover my sister’s medical expenses. I kept two sacks for household consumption and plan to sell the stalks to livestock farmers to further increase my income," explained Mr Fomba.
These stories reflect the growing impact of the EU-APSAN-Mali Project in transforming agricultural livelihoods through the use of quality seed from improved crop varieties, complemented by the adoption of climate-smart agricultural practices.
Showcasing Climate-Resilient Agriculture: EU and ICRISAT Joint Exhibition in Bamako
A joint exhibition organized by the EU Delegation and ICRISAT on 13 March 2025 highlighted the critical role of climate-resilient crops in building stronger, more sustainable food systems. Held at the French Cultural Center in Bamako, the event drew visitors from across Africa and Europe. At the heart of the exhibition, the EU-ICRISAT booth featured value-added products made from millet, sorghum, groundnut, and cowpea—demonstrating the potential of local crops to drive sustainable nutrition, income, and resilience of food systems.
The exhibition also highlighted the progress of the five-year EU-APSAN-Mali project. At present, the project supports 10,000 beneficiary households directly and reaches an additional 30,000 indirectly. Through the introduction of improved, climate-resilient crop varieties—nine millet, 15 sorghum, 9 groundnut, and 6 cowpea—across four key regions (Ségou, Sikasso, Kayes, and Koulikoro), average crop yields have increased from 880 kg/ha to 1,300 kg/ha.
"The EU-APSAN-Mali project demonstrates that climate change adaptation is not only possible—it is already underway. Through the promotion of sustainable agricultural practices, active engagement with local communities, and the empowerment of women farmers, the project is contributing meaningfully to building resilience and improving livelihoods,” said Dr Himanshu Pathak, Director General, ICRISAT.
View the video report in French below:
This work aligns with SDGs 1, 2, 13 and 17.
Agathe Diama