On October 1, Malian Minister of Livestock and Fisheries, Youba Ba, convened a meeting in Bamako to discuss the country's livestock sector. He emphasized the need for collective action to stabilize and secure Mali's livestock. This call to action was made during the opening session of the National Steering Committee for the National Strategy for Stabilization and Securing of Malian Livestock (SNSSBM). The strategy aims to address various challenges facing the sector.
According to Minister Youba Ba, the session aimed to define the orientations of a national coordination mechanism for livestock stabilization and security actions. He highlighted several threats to the livestock sector, including insecurity on major transhumance routes, climate change, land pressure, urbanization, and the scarcity of pastoral spaces. Additionally, recurring conflicts between herders and farmers over access to water and land, as well as transboundary diseases, pose significant challenges.
The SNSSBM was developed following instructions from the President of the Transition, Head of State, General of the Army Assimi Goïta, after the 14th session of the Supreme Agricultural Council. The strategy was approved by decree n°2025-0435/PT-RM on July 3, 2025. Its institutional framework for steering, coordination, and monitoring was established by decree n°2026-0260/PT-RM on May 5, 2026. The strategy includes a National Steering Committee, a Technical Coordination Committee, and regional and local bodies.
The SNSSBM aims to stabilize and secure transhumant livestock in Mali on designated spaces and improve production by 2034. Its overall objective is to increase the contribution of the livestock sub-sector to the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and employment. A five-year plan (2025-2029) has been allocated 8 billion FCFA, with 600 million FCFA earmarked for 2025 and 2026, and 7.4 billion FCFA for the period 2027-2029.
As part of the strategy's implementation, two perimeters were completed in 2025, including one in Balanfina, in the Yanfolila circle, Bougouni region. Two additional perimeters are planned for 2026 in Sikasso and Koutiala. Minister Youba Ba urged technical and financial partners, producers, and technical services to strengthen their involvement in implementing the strategy.
Youba Ba also requested the National Steering Committee to identify means of mobilizing necessary funding and formulating orientations for the effective implementation of the action plan. For 2027, an allocation of 1 billion FCFA has been planned following arbitrations made on the financing inscribed in the action plan. The minister's call to action emphasizes the importance of collective effort in securing Mali's livestock.
The implementation of the SNSSBM requires active participation from various stakeholders. The strategy's success will depend on the effective mobilization of resources and the collaboration of all parties involved. The livestock sector plays a crucial role in Mali's economy, and its stabilization and security are essential for the country's development.
Key points
- Mali's Minister of Livestock and Fisheries, Youba Ba, urges stakeholders to secure the country's livestock amid threats from insecurity, climate change, and land pressure.
- The National Strategy for Stabilization and Securing of Malian Livestock aims to increase the sector's contribution to the GDP and employment by 2034.
- A five-year plan (2025-2029) has been allocated 8 billion FCFA to support the implementation of the strategy.
