MALI: A PROJECT FOR THE INCLUSION OF AGRICULTURAL SECTORS

Estimated at more than 58 billion FCFA, quotInclusivequot aims to increase the financial inclusion of small producers, professional agricultural organizations and agro-SMEs-SMIs, through the development of financial services and products and the improvement access to sector financing. The initiative should lead to banking quot440,000 small producers and 360 professional agricultural organizations, 50% of which are women and young people, as well as to increase the incomes of at least 22,000 small producers and 4,500 rural youth businesses in the agricultural sectorsquot, predicts Dramane Sidibé, the Project Director. Five regions, namely Kayes, Koulikoro, Sikasso, Ségou and Mopti, are targeted. According to IFAD, financial inclusion in rural areas in Mali is only 20%. The banking rate remains one of the lowest in WAEMU, around 14% at the end of 2017 against a community average of 17%, according to the BCEAO. While the agricultural sector remains one of the main drivers of the national economy, agriculture still receives less than 1% of the loans granted by Malian banks.