1. Third IAALD Africa Chapter
Conference
e-Agriculture for Improved
Livelihoods and Food
Security in Africa
Johannesburg, South Africa
21-23 May 2012
LINKING MINI, SMALL AND MEDIUM FOREST ENTREPRISES TO MARKETS AND SERVICE S
CASE OF TREE AID’S MARKET INFORMATION SYSTEM IN TOMINIAN NORTHERN RÉGION OF MALI
By
Yacouba O., Julia Paulson, Tony Hill , Barthelemie K.
Elvis Paul Nfor Tangem,
Value Chains Development Manager, TREE AID West Africa
elvis.tangem@treeaid.org.uk

2. BACKGROUND
The ability to connect translate into
ICT is maki
ng is an ex
citing exam enhanced businesses, increased
ples
we have o
f the trans
formationa income, improved livelihood and
l
benefits of
Technolog better society
ical
developme
nt. Great o
pportuniti
es
for improv
es co mmu
nication,
informatio
n-sharing a
nd learnin
g.

3. BACKGROUND CONT’D
The NTFPs Sector
• More than A billion depends SMFE Sector Sector
on it In Africa more than 400
• Generally neglected by BD and FI &
million employed & fed
State .
• Agriculture fails, climate
• Cut off from mainstream businesses
change and conflicts prevents
and isolated
activities,
• Mostly the must vulnerable men and
• NTFPs fast becoming Main
Women
source of income and
• Very profitable and emerging sector

4. BACKGROUND
……….Here when agriculture fails, rains refuse to fall, animals die, our husbands
leave and I and my children are left to die, what never fails us is the Shea tree,
Dawadawa, Balanites, Baobab , my children and I use them for food, make
money, medicine and energy , it is our survival magic……………. Mme Colette
Thiombiano pers. Com. 2010

5. TREE AID
Marrying sustainable NRM & VCD in Africa’s Dry Forest
AFRICA’s Drylands FOREST RESOURCE VCD
Climate , climate change • BDS & VC Financing
,
desert, conflicts , land • Market linkages
graps LULUC
•
NA Product development
TUR
AL • Research & Climate chan
R.M TREE FOR Food Security
ge
•
T4C
. •Promote NTFPs value
Par chains for nutrition
• tici
p ato •Sensitisation and
Su p ry N
por RM
t to P education
• olic
Lan y
d &D
reg ry f
e o res
ner t
atio
n

6. MIS Tominian
Objective:
Use the opportunities from Development in ICT with ‘Traditional’ technology and
habits to improve Forest Products Value Chains in Mali.
• Use the ICT tools to link Supply to Demand
• Reduce the isolation of the SMFE & provide timely appropriate info.
• Reduce the influence of ‘Middlemen’ and give Actors choices.
• Improve the image of the NTFPs sector in general
• Increase the market choices of SMFE
• Improve profits and thus safe guarding the resources

7. Method & Tools
• TREE AID , SAHEL & Members of Beneficiaries
communities agreed on the use of SIM.
• Various ICT tools and others analysed and selected.
• Communities and Products analysed and selected
• Selection and Trainings were of Media, ‘Enqueteurs’
and Focal persons
• Participatory development of MIS model, accepted
and tested
• Tools for data collection and analysis developped
• Appropriate trainings on the Use of MIS undertaken
• Communities sensitized through local FMS

8. APPROACH
The MIS consist of
• Information and Communication
Technology (Internet and mobile
phones)
• Traditional communication approaches
(FM radio and News papers) and
• Indigenous system (ear to mouth) and
Market Masters
• Enumerators or Data Collectors.

9. APPROACH CONT’D
• Four FMs stations, ( ORTM
Mopti, ORTM Ségou, Radio
San and Jamina Koutiala
• 12 community ‘Enqueteurs’
a weekly news paper
selected and trained.
• 22 communities in Tominian
district where to be directly
covered
• Six major Products ( Shea
nut, Shea butter lucost
bean, Tamarind, Roniere,
Honey) to be targeted

10. RESULT
TOMINIAN SIM Model
Producteur
(zone Demande
Production) (Marché PFNL)
Point Focal (supply)
Point focale Central
SAHEL ECO
Médias
(Presse audio et écrites

11. FUNCTIONING OF MIS

12. Market IMPACT
ing valu
e
 Im
mediat
e increa
se in
deman
d Product value
 Pre
vailing Socio cultu
market
prices ral  Feedback from Consumers
 Inc
rease in  Impro and responses by Producers
prices ved househ
old
 De income.
velopm  Improved product quality &
ent of M
arket
Niches  More
and div recognition Packaging.
ersifica of
tion
 I nc SMFEs
rease C  More value addition and
lientele
and
choices  More
state intere processing & packaging
st
 Sh a
rp drop  More  More innovation
in Midd attention b
lemen y BDS &
ship
FI

13. Tables showing evolution in market prices and quantities six
months to the SIM
Produits unité quantity PU Montant
6
Shea nuts kg 1 605 500
422 250
1 1 000
Shea butter kg 1 060 000
060
Néré Grains kg 302 500
550 550
1 750
Honey Litre 1 645 000
940
TOTAL business turn over 4 613 000
Source: Sahel Eco SIM Report Second qter 2010

14. Table showing same market same period and product prior to
SIM

15. CHALLENGES & RECOMMENDATION
Conclusion: The combination of
Challenges
Modern ICT and more
• Doesn't come cheap traditional forms of
• communication, recognising
Time consuming
the local realities are very
• Infrastructures
effective MIS tools. ICT is an
• Limited Network & effective tool for
Electricity coverage disenclavement , sensitisation
• Minimum literacy and education can be more
requirements effective with appropriate
infrastructure and state
• Sustainability

16. Lesson learnt and Recommandation
Lesson learnt Recommendation
d
• Modest investment and • The resources available an
appropriate use of ICT is a very duration of such projects
effective market info tool. should be made clear to
Beneficiaries
• For effectiveness , involve the
the
Beneficiary. • Make it simple , focus on
logy.
•
objective not the techno
Appropriate , simple info is very
effective empowerment tool •

17. Acknowledgement
Gratit
udes t
o,
IAALD
CTA
ITOCA
S AHE
L CO M
ALI
CIFOR

18. T
EN
IM
FIN
I IN
RC
ME THANKS
BARAKAH