Mali will be provided a loan of 15 million Units of Account (US$ 22.65 million) approved by the Board of Directors of the African Development Fund (ADF), the concessional window of the African Development Bank (AfDB) Group on Wednesday in Tunis, to finance an agro-silvo-pastoral project in the South-Kayes area of the country.

The loan will support the Development of Animal Production project in the South-Kayes area (PADEPA–KS) that seeks to increase animal production and the incomes of agro-stock breeders in a sustainable manner, in the remote and disadvantaged South-Kayes, ensuring food security and poverty reduction in the area.

The project, which will be implemented over a six-year period, concerns the agro-pastoral area of South-Kayes (Kenieba, Bafoulabe and the Kita) circles.
It involves the development of animal production (cattle, sheep/goats, and poultry), enhanced advisory support and improved traditional livestock systems. The project will also ensure better management of agro-silvo-pastoral space, with particular emphasis on transhumance routes, through the development of infrastructure and the putting in place of consultative mechanisms.

The key target outputs of the project are:
- Building the capacities of 49 priority communities and 126 producers’ organizations
- Setting up a network of 8 private veterinary agents and 160 village assistants
- Vaccination coverage and local advisory support for 35,000 stockbreeders
- Promotion of cattle and sheep fattening activities among 800 beneficiaries and genetic improvement in 200 farms
- Support to productive investments in 120 women’s associations and groupings
- Concerted development of 400 km of transhumance routes
- Implementation of Land use Plans and Communal Environmental Action Plan in 12 communes
- Provision of community livestock development infrastructure (28 vaccination yards, 7 cattle markets, 19 slaughter areas and 28 pastoral watering points)
- Construction and rehabilitation of 130 km of rural earth roads
- Rehabilitation and construction of offices for animal husbandry and fisheries services as well as  the construction and equipment of the regional veterinary laboratory
- Preliminary design of a new slaughter house.

The total cost of the project is estimated at CFAF 14.2 billion, equivalent to UA 18.92 million. The ADF loan will cover 79.3% of the cost. The Government and beneficiaries will provide the remaining CFAF 2.5 billion (UA 3.9 million) representing 20.7% of the total project cost.

The Bank Group’s operation in Mali commenced in 1970. To date, its cumulative commitments in the country stand at US$ 922.65 million (CFA.F 503.6 billion) in 92 operations.