Mali is one of the poorest countries in the world, ranked 168 out of 179 countries in per-capita income by the United Nations. Almost half of the population is poor. Economic activity in this land-locked country is concentrated around the areas irrigated by the Niger River and the Senegal. Farmers and fishermen are 80 % of the labor force. An unstable export economy for cotton and gold (the main export) is at the mercy of fluctuating world prices. Mali’s major problem is desertification: 60 % of the land is desert, and only 10 % is forested. The country loses around 70,000 hectares to the desert each year. Drought, lack of drinking water, erosion and decreasing pastureland are also serious concerns. Mali’s wildlife, including the addax (screwhorn antelope), cheetah and barbary sheep, is threatened by drought and loss of habitat.

What We've Done:

Trees for the Future launched a large-scale reforestation program in 2006. With partner Mali-Espoir, we’ve helped communities throughout the country plant baobab, cashew and gum acacia trees for food and constuction materials. Gliricidia, Gmelina and Leucaena species are planted for animal forage. Farmers also plant tree species that improve the soil. The town of Sanankoroba has planted trees such as Gliricidia and Flamboyant to improve its appearance and economic health. In five different regions, farmers planted over 135,000 trees as windbreaks against erosion. Thorny species and Jatropha, a succulent, are living fences between farms as well as windbreaks. We aim to replace Eucalyptus, which is a good source of income but also harms the environment.

List of Partnering organisations:

Mali-Espoir (Bamako)
APIDEC
AMCFE