Food Assistance Fact Sheet - Mali

April 2, 2013

Food Security Situation

CIA World Factbook

• Mali is ranked 182 out of 187 countries in the 2012 UN Development Program (UNDP) Human Development Index and faces high rates of chronic malnutrition, frequently exacerbated by climatic shocks.

• Food insecurity throughout Mali is worsening due to internal violence and unrest following a coup d’état in early 2012 and ongoing and intensifying conflict in the north between national and international troops and rebel and extremist groups; such turmoil has stalled much of the northern food assistance operations. Approximately 320,000 people have fled the fighting, some of which are currently living as refugees in neighboring countries. 

• Staple cereal prices in most parts of the country are still more than 50 percent above the five-year average.  However, prices of all major staple cereal crops are generally decreasing, particularly in production markets, where prices are down by 35 percent from last month. The sharpest decreases are in corn and sorghum prices, particularly in Sikasso and Ségou. 

Food Assistance Programs

• The Office of Food for Peace (FFP) now targets approximately 396,000 food-insecure Malians nationwide.

• FFP partners with the UN World Food Program (WFP), Africare, and Catholic Relief Services on a variety of activities including direct distribution, cash transfers, food vouchers, community capacity building, agriculture, health, nutrition, and livelihood activities.

Food for Peace Contributions

Total Contributions:

Fiscal Year 2013 Contribution Breakdown:

Note: EFSP: Emergency Food Security Program; FY: Fiscal Year; MT: Metric Ton; UNDP: United Nations Development Program; WFP: World Food Program
Food Security Situation Information provided by FEWS NET and WFP from 2012 and 2013
Note: FY 12 Emergency contributions include $5.0 million in West Africa regional contribution.