UNDP-UNEP Poverty-Environment Initiative

 Please download the PEI Country fact sheet on Mali (PDF)



Basic Facts about Mali

• The current Phase II focuses on capacity building for a better inclusion of poverty-environment linkages in the national development planning processes, particularly in Mali’s Poverty Reduction Strategy Paper (PRSP).
• PEI Mali started in April 2005. It was restructured and scaled up for 2007–2008 as a joint initiative between the Government of Mali, UNDP Mali and PEI Africa.
• Encouraging results from an independent evaluation led to a reformulation of Phase II in June 2010.
• The execution of the programme is led by the Ministry of Environment and Sanitation (MES) through its National Directorate for Conservation of Nature and the PRSP Unit of the Ministry of Economy and Finance (MEF).
• Donors include Norway and UNDP Mali. The funds are distributed through UNDP Mali.
• The total budget is as follows: 2005-2006: USD 200,000 (UNEP Norway); 2007-2008: USD 875,480 (UNEP Norway: USD 625,480, UNDP Mali: USD 150,000 and Government of Mali: USD 100,000); 2009: USD 212,000 (balance 2008 UNEP Norway funds: USD 137,000; UNDP Mali: USD 75,000); 2010-2012: USD 1,140, 000 (PEI Africa: USD 640,000 USD; UNDP Mali: USD 300,000; Government of Mali: USD 200,000 (cash) and USD 200,000 (in-kind) ).

 The context of poverty-environment mainstreaming in Mali

• In the 1^st CSLP (National Strategy for Growth and Poverty Reduction), developed in 2002,environment was barely mentioned.
• PEI had a significant input into the drafting of CSLP 2 in 2006. The CSLP recognizes environment and sustainable management of natural resources as one of the priority areas of intervention for the country.However, the document states that the mainstreaming of the environmental issues into sectoral policies and development planning processes remains a challenge at all levels (national, regional and local).
• The development of CSLP 3 started December 2010. Tangible results from studies commissioned by PEI, combined with the exchange visit to Benin and the PEI champions training in Dakar, brought National Authorities to decide to carry out a greening (i.e., environmental mainstreaming) process of the forthcoming PRSP(CSLP 3).

Main activities

Activities developed around three major outputs set up for 2010 as follows:

• Knowledge relating to poverty-environment links in Mali is updated and disseminated.
• Tools and mechanisms used for poverty-environment mainstreaming into policy documents and other planning instruments at national and district levels are improved.
• National capacities for poverty-environment mainstreaming into policy documents and other planning instruments at national and district levels are strengthened.

Knowledge relating to poverty-environment links in Mali is updated and disseminated:

• Pilot IEA of the Mopti region completed in January 2009. The report clearly highlighted some of the root causes of environment and natural degradation in Mali. As a result, a training of trainers session to increase national capacities for ecosystem assessment was organized jointly with UNEP-WCMC.
• Economic assessment finalized in January 2009 highlighted the economic costs of environmental degradation and the economic benefits of investing in sustainable natural resources use and environmental management. This study has raised strong national interest; five summaries of the key findings of the study have been completed and disseminated as advocacy tools to increase the awareness of national stakeholders and strengthen partnerships with in-country donors.

Tools and mechanisms used for poverty-environment mainstreaming into policy documents and other planning instruments at national and district levels in Mali are improved:

• PEI support to the organization of Malian National Assizes in July 2009 .The assize aimed at updating and improving existing strategies, and formulating new strategies, including in relation to Strategic Environmental Assessment(SEA) . 
• Completion of a data base management system. The system is arranged in 12 main environmental themes and a web page allows easy access to data users and data providers.
• Organization of an advocacy workshop for the forthcoming PRSP greening process December 2009. The workshop focused on TORs and a roadmap for the PRSP greening process. These were adopted by the Government in 2010. 
• Launch in December 2010 of Strategic Environment Assessment studies for the sectors of Health, agriculture, animal farming and fisheries. These studies followed those previously completed by PEI and other donors, and will help fill the gap in technical data needed to successfully conduct the PRSP greening process.  

National capacities for poverty-environment mainstreaming into policy documents and other planning instruments at national and district levels are strengthened:

• Identification in 2008 of priority intervention sites where poverty-environment linkages are the most critical in Mali.  
• Identification of poverty-environment indicators for the national poverty monitoring system (Observatoire du DéveloppementHumain Durable), plus a training workshop on poverty-environment indicators for government technical staff in July 2009. The results of this study will be used to feed in the planned review of CSLP indicators in 2011.  
• Exchange visit to Cotonou in March 2009 to learn from Benin’s experience with greening its PRSP.
• Completion of the study of SCP patterns in 2010, jointly with UNEP’s DTIE.
• Capacity development of the Ministry of Economy and Finance to promote green accounting.The session demonstrated how to integrate natural andphysical capital in the calculation of nationalwelfare and how to strengthen economic analysis in Mali.
• Capacity development for environmental fiscal reform.  

What has been achieved to date? 

• PEI took a leading role in the design of the overall greening process for the forthcoming PRSP, which was adopted by the Government.
• Finalization of a data base management system remains a key achievement, which will enhance environmental monitoring at country level. The list of indicators identified will be regularly updated, owing to the flexibility of the system.
• Better involvement (in PEI activities) of MEF actors, who came to understand that PEI objectives are in line with their core mandate of promoting pro-poor economic growth at the national level.
• Close working relationship between UNDP Environment and Poverty units is now a daily reality, enabling UNDP to mainstream poverty-environment links in their work programme and strategies.
• PEI Mali independent evaluation highlighted the project’s main barriers and made recommendations to re-invigorate PEI Mali by energizing its management bodies and engaging with key ministries and in-country donors.

Lessons learned

• The use of economic analysis and its dissemination through strategic events such as advocacy workshops and regional meetings is key to helping national authorities recognize the importance of environmental issues and their links to poverty.
• Close collaboration with UNEP (WCMC, DTIE, etc.) enhances PEI results and boosts on-going efforts.
• Importance of building up a strong Project Management Unit at country level to ensure a stronger impact on the national and local planning processes and on national decision makers.
• Importance of promoting PEI vision (strengthen communication) and enhancing government ownership through exchange visits and coaching of national poverty-environment champions that can influence decision makers.
• The use of appropriate international experts and institutions to support PEI activities provides invaluable opportunities to increase decision makers’ awareness and to strengthen local expertise.

Way forward

• Mali is embarking on the greening of their PRSP III (Poverty Reduction Strategy Paper) with the goal of promoting concrete policy interventions based on proven experiences. In order to facilitate both poverty reduction and environmental regeneration, PEI will continue to provide very substantive support to national authorities to achieve this major goal. 
• Additional training sessions, particularly those concerning strategic topics such as Environmental Fiscal Reform, green accounting, and sustainable consumption and production. 
• Elaboration and dissemination of briefing notes and fact sheets highlighting key messages and results from PEI studies as advocacy tools targeting various stakeholders.
• Development of a communication strategy to enhance PEI Mali activities.