Solar Power and Co-operatives are Transforming Mali’s Smallholder Farmers

Mali has enough fertile land to feed an entire continent, yet smallholder farmers struggle to feed their own families year-round. A €1.7m grant from the Postcode Lottery is helping to change that.

Mali has more than 2.2 million hectares of fertile farmland. Enough, in theory, to feed not only its own population but also those of neighbouring countries. In practice, fewer than one-fifth of those hectares are farmed. Most smallholder farmers can produce only during the rainy season, leaving them dependent on rainfall or foreign aid for months at a time.

The effects of climate change have worsened. Rising temperatures, degraded soils and increasingly erratic rainfall are driving down yields. Without refrigeration or storage, vegetables often rot before they reach the market. Farmers can lose as much as 60 per cent of their harvest. Because they are forced to sell everything at once, prices are low, and incomes remain precarious.

With 44 per cent of the population living in extreme poverty and 80 per cent dependent on agriculture, the risk of a serious food crisis is real. Yet there are reasons for optimism: demand for fresh vegetables in Mali’s cities is growing, the sun shines almost all year, and motivated farmers are ready to act. What has been missing is the means to do so.

An Investment in Local Solutions

Cordaid, working alongside its Malian partner AMASSA Afrique Verte, has secured €1.7 million from the Postcode Lottery for a three-year project. The funding will support more than 20,000 farmers across 500 co-operatives in the regions of Kita, Sikasso, Ségou and Koulikoro, areas chosen for both their agricultural significance and their relative stability.

The project’s approach spans the entire supply chain. Solar-powered irrigation systems will allow farmers to grow vegetables throughout the dry season, while solar-powered refrigeration units will extend the shelf life of harvests by months. Rather than being compelled to sell at rock-bottom prices immediately after harvest, farmers will be able to wait for better market conditions, a seemingly small shift with significant consequences for household income.

Co-operatives will receive training in governance, financial management and collective bargaining, and will be connected to reliable buyers and suppliers. Farmers will be able to negotiate jointly, improve the quality of their produce and secure fixed contracts, rather than remaining at the mercy of intermediaries who set the price.

Access to capital is addressed through a microfinance model: farmers contribute 15 per cent of an investment, borrow 75 per cent from a microfinance institution, and receive a 25 per cent subsidy from Cordaid. Those who repay their loans can reinvest, turning financing from a risk into a foothold.

‘What makes this contribution so special is that it strengthens local capacity.’

Women and Young People at the Centre

Women make up around 80 per cent of vegetable producers in Mali, yet they rarely have access to land, training or credit. Young people, meanwhile, find so few opportunities in rural areas that many leave for cities or, in some cases, fall into criminal networks. The project gives both groups a central role within co-operatives, offering the prospect of stable employment and income in their own communities.

Cordaid’s country office in Bamako coordinates implementation, but the organisation is clear that lasting change depends on local ownership. Co-operatives are not simply supported; they are equipped to lead, make decisions and grow independently, including after the project ends.

The Highest Charity Yield on Record

The grant is an additional contribution to Cordaid on top of the Postcode Lottery’s regular annual donation of €4,050,000. It comes in a record year: the lottery’s 3 million participants generated €378 million for good causes in 2025, the highest figure in its history.

‘What makes this contribution so special is that it strengthens local capacity,’ said Cordaid director Heleen van den Berg. ‘With this support, farmers and co-operatives in Mali can take their own solutions further. We are deeply grateful to the Postcode Lottery and its participants.’

By the end of the project, Cordaid expects to have improved food security for more than 140,000 people, reduced crop losses by 40 to 50 per cent and increased farmers’ revenues by 20 to 30 per cent.

This project is supported by