Topic: Community-based protection of groundwater

Client: Société des Eaux Minérales du Mali (SEMM), Grands Moulins du Mali (GMM)

Synopsis: 

Mali faces a shortage of drinking water and needs to safeguard its resources. The country’s main source of bottled drinking water is a groundwater aquifer below the village of Diago, about 30 km outside the capital Bamako. Action is needed to address the tension between the interests of protection, management and exploitation of the water source. Water bottling company SEMM seeks to protect the water source from contaminants by introducing Managed Aquifer Recharge by introducing sustainable landscaping (water management and agroforestry) and creating economic opportunities for people living in the area. Through Payment for Environmental Services (PES), 143 ha of land above the Diago aquifer will be converted into climate-smart agroforestry, enabling 60 smallholder farmers to improve their living conditions through cash crops. The project will also implement a hydrogeological monitoring system and wastewater recycling.

Our role: 

DIBcoop developed the Public Private Partnership, wrote and submitted the proposal, and is part of the project consortium. Apart from project coordination and MEL, we are contributing technical assistance on setting up a PES scheme for landscape management of soil and water, reforestation, climate-smart agriculture practices, and value chain incorporation of farmer cooperatives.

Amount raised:  EU € 1.4 million

Fund type: Grant

Fund Organisation: DEG develoPPP programme