The Family Farms Of The Office Du Niger, A Big Irrigated Scheme In Mali: Evolutions And Perspectives

The strong agricultural growth recorded on the big-scale irrigated scheme of the Office du Niger in Mali should be put to the credit of family farms which made significant changes to their practices so as to intensify and diversify their productions. Whereas the total irrigated surface evolved slightly, the number of farming units increased quickly, thus resulting in a strong reduction of the per capita acreages. The availability of irrigated lands has then become a major constraint, causing an increasing gap between the farms and fostering a very active informal land market. The situation is characterized today by a strong proportion of small-scale farms with low production capacities. The extension of the entire irrigated area appears as a priority in order to sustain further agricultural growth and to ensure the viability of the family farms and their reproduction.