Rédaction Africa Links 24 with Moussa Diarra
Published on 2024-03-27 14:36:10
The Malian population is predominantly rural and young, with nearly 77% of Malians living in rural areas.
Sikasso, March 27 (AMAP) The second project for professional training, integration and support for rural youth entrepreneurship (FIER II), with a cost of 59.5 billion CFA francs, targets 60,000 rural youths who will benefit from professional training or economic integration in a lucrative niche, was launched on Friday in Sikasso (South) by the Minister of Territorial Administration and Decentralization, Government Spokesperson, Colonel Abdoulaye Maïga.
FIER II is an initiative of the Malian state that benefits from technical and financial support from the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD). With a cost of 59.5 billion CFA francs, this project targets rural youth, both men and women, aged 15 to 40. In the end, 60,000 rural youth will benefit from professional training or economic integration in a lucrative niche. The project will cover the Regions of Koulikoro, Sikasso, Kayes, and Ségou. 12 circles will be selected in areas of concentration. It will then be extended to production basins in the Regions of Mopti, Gao, Timbuktu, and Kidal. The project will then be extended to all regions of Mali.
“By casting the net wide, the Transition authorities are reaffirming their commitment to concrete actions aimed at improving the living conditions of our people,” said Colonel Abdoulaye Maïga, who represented the head of state.
The ambition in this regard is, according to him, to consolidate the achievements of the first generation of the FIER project; executed from 2014 to 2022 and which “brought hope by providing solutions adapted to the well-being of young people and communities.” It is important, therefore, to intensify field actions by focusing on productivity.
To achieve this, “a sustainable financial guarantee fund and a refinancing fund for decentralized financial systems are being established,” assured the Minister of National Entrepreneurship, Employment, and Vocational Training, Ms. Bagayoko Aminata Traoré.
She added that 12,000 Income Generating Activities (IGAs) and 5,000 individual rural micro-enterprises are promoted and financed. In addition, according to her, the creation of 40,000 direct jobs and the installation of aggregative economic infrastructures. She invited rural youth to make the most of it.
The representative of IFAD, Oumarou Mazou, described this launch as “the beginning of an exciting journey towards acquiring skills and personal development, professional transformation among rural youth in agricultural professions.”
The agricultural sector is an important pillar of Mali’s development. As the main provider of jobs with nearly 80% of the active population, it contributes over 36% to the Gross Domestic Product (GDP).
The Transition authorities intend to continue promoting entrepreneurship in rural areas while facilitating the economic integration of young people into agricultural value chains and non-agricultural professions.
The Malian population is predominantly rural and young, with nearly 77% of Malians living in rural areas. An invaluable potential that must be exploited by addressing the challenges related to agricultural equipment and access to financing that these young people face. Especially in terms of qualifications to enable this youth to play its part in a highly competitive and open world.
The launch ceremony was attended by representatives of the National Transitional Council (CNT), local and regional authorities of Sikasso, Bougouni, Koutiala, Segou, Koulikoro, and Kayes, as well as national federations of women’s and rural youth organizations.
FD / MD (AMAP)
Read the original article(French) on AMAP
