Measuring the impacts of natural resource management activities in Mali's Upper Niger Valley

In visiting seven villages and holding discussions with farmers using natural resource management (NRM) practices, the author of this report, which examines the impacts of NRM activities in the Office of the Upper Niger Valley (OHVN) in Mali, found positive results. This report discusses the findings from the author’s visit to the region and identifies the ingredients which contributed to the success of the use of NRM in this region. The author also poses new questions which need to be addressed and provides suggestions for accomplishing successful NRM in other areas in Mali and in other countries.During the visit to OHVN, the author found that yields of all crops were increasing for farmers adopting NRM intensification methods. The indicators of success, identified by the author, in this case study include:identification of technologies capable of increasing declining yieldspotential for increased cash income from improved cotton productioncommunity approach to implementationfocus on youthfocus on villages/farmers most likely to benefit from NRM actionsuse of demonstration effect through model farmers and model villagesincremental training (literacy, technical skills, community organisation, management)support services offered (roads, regular supervision and support to trainees, and some free equipment for implementing NRM activities).The author suggests that, in order to have successful adoption of NRM activities in other areas in Mali and in other countries, the following three measures must be in place:a profitable cash crop with reliable markets and stable pricesimproved, affordable technologies that benefit both cash and food cropstraining programs to equip young farmers with the literacy and management skills they need to function as effective commercial farmers, both independently and in associations.However, a number of real or potential problems that could hinder the desired transition to commercial farming surfaced during the author’s research. These include, but are not limited to:reliance on private sector input marketsinadequate attention to cereals market developmentlonger-term implications of the rapid expansion of livestock herds.