Fighting desertification and land degradation in Mali: this is the objective of the €9 million loan contract that Cassa Depositi e Prestiti signed with the Ministry of Economy and Finance of the Republic of Mali, as part of the activities of the Revolving Fund for Development Cooperation.
Through the operation, CDP intends to promote job creation in the agroforestry sector through the regeneration of 3,000 hectares of land in the Kayes Region.
Starting from the conducting of topographical and geophysical studies for the restoration of the land, the initiative will allow commencement of the necessary infrastructural works, identification and training of young local people to involve them in the project and then create cooperatives for the production and marketing of agroforestry products.
In a second phase, reports will be produced on the potential of the project in terms of sustainability, energy efficiency and scalability in other areas of the country in order to extend its positive effects.
With the new initiative, CDP confirms its commitment to international cooperation, contributing to the achievement of Sustainable Development Goals 1 - Overcoming poverty - 2 - Fighting hunger, 8 - Decent work and economic growth and 13 - Fighting climate change - from the UN Agenda 2030.