1.2 Contact details of resource persons and institutions involved in the assessment and documentation of the Approach

Name of the institution(s) which facilitated the documentation/ evaluation of the Approach (if relevant)

Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) - Germany

Name of the institution(s) which facilitated the documentation/ evaluation of the Approach (if relevant)

Intgrated Initiative for Economic Growth in Mali (IICEM) - Mali

1.3 Conditions regarding the use of data documented through WOCAT

When were the data compiled (in the field)?

01/07/2012

The compiler and key resource person(s) accept the conditions regarding the use of data documented through WOCAT:

Yes

2.1 Short description of the Approach

Ensure agricultural producers have access to credit to cover their immediate post-harvest needs

2.2 Detailed description of the Approach

Detailed description of the Approach:

Aims / objectives: The objectives of a warrantage approach are: to ensure agricultural producers have access to credit to cover their immediate post-harvest needs; to enable agricultural producers to profit from rising produce prices during lean periods; to provide access to inputs through a structured system of bulk purchasing.

Methods: Storage facilities are built using local materials to reduce investment costs. The storage conditions must adhere to quality standards for post-harvest produce. The agricultural credit means farmers can meet their own needs without having to sell their produce at a loss. During lean periods, produce prices increase (the price of rice grows by up to 200%, for example) and farmers can take advantage of these higher prices.

Stages of implementation: The support structure (IICEM) contacts the bank (National Agricultural Development Bank – BNDA) to discuss ways in which loans can be granted and repaid. Farmers are grouped into producer organisations (POs) which are tasked with building hygienic and secure storage facilities. The POs use local building materials to minimise the investment costs (mud-brick storehouses). PO members store all or part of their output in the storehouses, which is labelled with their own names. The POs are trained in how to bulk purchase inputs, so that reasonable prices can be negotiated with suppliers. Operation: In November/December, just after the harvest, the POs club together to store their different kinds of produce in a hygienic and secure storage facility. PO farmers store all or part of their harvest in the storehouse, which is then labelled with their name. The banker checks the quantity and quality of the stock. The average value of the harvests is calculated according to average market prices. The storage facility is locked up using two padlocked chains – the PO has the key to one and the bank has the key to the other. The bank then awards a loan corresponding to the price of the harvest held in storage. The producer organisation distributes the funds according to the quantity of produce stored by each member. Using the loan, producers can meet their primary needs or undertake an income-generating activity such as livestock rearing, market gardening, processing or trading. In April, the POs can forecast their available funds and negotiate good prices for inputs with suppliers. Due to greater demand, more favourable prices can be negotiated for the produce in storage. The produce is sold during the period when produce prices are high. Straight after selling the stock, the producers repay the loan plus 10% interest.

Role of stakeholders: The following institutions and groups are involved: farming organisations, banks and IICEM.

2.5 Country/ region/ locations where the Approach has been applied

2.6 Dates of initiation and termination of the Approach

2.7 Type of Approach

• project/ programme based

2.8 Main aims/ objectives of the Approach

The Approach focused mainly on SLM with other activities

The objectives of a warrantage approach are: to ensure agricultural producers have access to credit to cover their immediate post-harvest needs; to enable agricultural producers to profit from rising produce prices during lean periods; to provide access to inputs through a structured system of bulk purchasing.

The SLM Approach addressed the following problems: lacking access to credit, lack of storage facilities

2.9 Conditions enabling or hindering implementation of the Technology/ Technologies applied under the Approach

3.1 Stakeholders involved in the Approach and their roles

3.2 Involvement of local land users/ local communities in the different phases of the Approach

	Involvement of local land users/ local communities	Specify who was involved and describe activities
initiation/ motivation	passive
planning	passive
implementation	interactive
monitoring/ evaluation	passive
Research	passive

3.4 Decision-making on the selection of SLM Technology/ Technologies

Specify who decided on the selection of the Technology/ Technologies to be implemented:

• mainly SLM specialists, following consultation with land users

Explain:

Decisions on the method of implementing the SLM Technology were made by mainly by SLM specialists with consultation of land users

4.1 Capacity building/ training

Was training provided to land users/ other stakeholders?

Yes

Specify who was trained:

• land users

Form of training:

• public meetings
• courses

Subjects covered:

Farmers are grouped into producer organisations (POs) which are tasked with building hygienic and secure storage facilities. The POs are trained in how to bulk purchase inputs, so that reasonable prices can be negotiated with suppliers.

4.2 Advisory service

Do land users have access to an advisory service?

Yes

Describe/ comments:

Advisory service is quite adequate to ensure the continuation of land conservation activities

4.3 Institution strengthening (organizational development)

Have institutions been established or strengthened through the Approach?

• yes, moderately

Specify the level(s) at which institutions have been strengthened or established:

• local

Specify type of support:

• financial
• capacity building/ training

4.4 Monitoring and evaluation

Is monitoring and evaluation part of the Approach?

Yes

Comments:

technical aspects were ad hoc monitored by project staff through observations

economic / production aspects were regular monitored by project staff through measurements

management of Approach aspects were regular monitored by project staff through observations
There were no changes in the Approach as a result of monitoring and evaluation

There were no changes in the Technology as a result of monitoring and evaluation

4.5 Research

Was research part of the Approach?

Yes

Specify topics:

• economics / marketing

5.1 Annual budget for the SLM component of the Approach

If precise annual budget is not known, indicate range:

• 2,000-10,000

Comments (e.g. main sources of funding/ major donors):

Approach costs were met by the following donors: international: 100.0%

5.4 Credit

Was credit provided under the Approach for SLM activities?

Yes

Specify conditions (interest rate, payback, etc.):

Interest rate charged: 10.0%; repayment conditions: Straight after selling the stock, the producers repay the loan plus 10% interest..

6.1 Impacts of the Approach

6.2 Main motivation of land users to implement SLM

6.3 Sustainability of Approach activities

Can the land users sustain what has been implemented through the Approach (without external support)?

• uncertain

6.4 Strengths/ advantages of the Approach

Strengths/ advantages/ opportunities in the compiler’s or other key resource person’s view
Farmers can: provide their own loan guarantee; benefit from produce price rises; acquire inputs without affecting meagre household budgets; enhance the value of input use; bulk purchase inputs in a way that is solvent and predictable. (How to sustain/ enhance this strength: Monitoring stocks held in remote villages is expensive. For this reason, there are moves to place stock in the care of a local specialist outfit.)
access to inputs through a structured system of bulk purchasing
Using the loan, producers can meet their primary needs or undertake an income-generating activity such as livestock rearing, market gardening, processing or trading.

7.1 Methods/ sources of information

7.2 References to available publications

Title, author, year, ISBN:

Manual of Good Practices in Small Scale Irrigation in the Sahel. Experiences from Mali. Published by GIZ in 2014.FAO (n.d.): Le warrantage: une technique intéressante de crédit. [Warrantage – an attractive approach to credit], GCP/ NER/041/BELThe promotion of agricultural input use by Producer Organisations, Naimey, Niger

Available from where? Costs?

http://star-www.giz.de/starweb/giz/pub/servlet.starweb

Title, author, year, ISBN:

FAO (n.d.): Le warrantage: une technique intéressante de crédit. [Warrantage – an attractive approach to credit], GCP/ NER/041/BEL

Title, author, year, ISBN:

The promotion of agricultural input use by Producer Organisations, Naimey, Niger