Feed the Future (FtF) strategy developed by the United States Government seeks to launch a new generation of rural entrepreneurs through developing sustainable agricultural and health systems, utilizing technology and knowledge, and by building institutional capacity that will spur a vibrant private sector-led approach to achieve economic and food security. In the framework of this strategy for Mali and in line with the development strategy of pearl millet and sorghum of Mali, ICRISAT has been funded by the USAID to implement a number of projects among which there are the Large Scale-Diffusion of Technologies for Sorghum and Pearl Millet Systems (ARDT_SMS) and Africa RISING projects. In the framework of the two project, the on-farm trials are being conducted with the active participation of farmers and with the objective of developing agricultural technologies attractive to farmers.

1. Feed the Future (FtF) strategy developed by the United States Government seeks
to launch a new generation of rural entrepreneurs through developing sustainable
agricultural and health systems, utilizing technology and knowledge, and by building
institutional capacity that will spur a vibrant private sector-led approach to achieve
economic and food security. In the framework of this strategy for Mali and in line
with the development strategy of pearl millet and sorghum of Mali, ICRISAT has
been funded by the USAID to implement a number of projects among which there
are the Large Scale-Diffusion of Technologies for Sorghum and Pearl Millet Systems
(ARDT_SMS) and Africa RISING projects. In the framework of the two project, the
on-farm trials are being conducted with the active participation of farmers and with
the objective of developing agricultural technologies attractive to farmers.
• baCkground
The cost and benefit analysis aims to determine the net benefits of selected
technologies promoted by ARDT_SMS and Africa RISING projects in selected Feed
the Future communities in Mali. Specially, we perform a comparative analysis of
costs and benefits of crop trials and farmer practice in order to determine the
improved technologies the most economically beneficial for the farmers. For the
ARDT_SMS project, the net benefits have been calculated for farmer practice versus
integrated Striga management strategy, and for different micro-dosing treatments.
Regarding the Africa RISING project, the net benefits for farmer practice have been
compared to those of micro-dosing treatments.
• objeCtives
We use the partial budget method to perform the cost and benefit analysis. This is
a simple and effective technique for assessing the profitability of new technology
on farm. It provides the foundation for comparing the relative profitability of
alternative treatments, and shows the effect of changes in farm operations. For
example, farmers know that fertilizer application will likely increase pearl millet
yields, and thus the gross income. The use of fertilizer also results in additional costs.
To decide whether to use fertilizer for pearl millet production or not requires a
cost-benefit analysis through partial budget method.
• methodology
The cost and benefit analysis requires the design and implementation of the field
surveys in the intervention zones of the projects. A field work has been carried out
in the project villages in Bougouni, Sikasso and Mopti districts. The data collected
were focused on the crop trials conducted over the agricultural campaign
2014-2015, and covered information about the input prices and yields of improve
technologies promoted under the two projects.
• aCtivities
ARDT_SMS project: the results of the cost and benefit analysis show that integrated
Striga management strategy applied to pearl millet and sorghum production in
intercropping with cowpea is more beneficial than farmer practice. Regarding the
micro-dosing treatments, the results show that treatment 4 (mixture of fertilizer
and seed 1/1) is more beneficial than other treatments in the selected Feed the
Future communities in Mopti and Sikasso districts.
Africa RISING project: The results from cost and benefit analysis show that the
different technological treatments applied to the maize, cowpea, soybean and
sorghum-cowpea intercropping production are economically beneficial except for
technologic treatment T3 (no compost and full dose of fertilizer) in the maize
production.
• results and main aChievements • Current partnerships and future
engagements for out sCaling
In conclusion, the improved technologies disseminated through crop trials and
farmer field schools including integrated Striga management and micro-dosing
treatments under the ARDT_SMS and Africa RISING projects are economically
beneficial to smallholder farmers in the intervention sites in Mali. However, it would
be important to develop the strategies for facilitating the adoption of these
agricultural practices by the smallholder farmers. Also, It would be important to
develop a regular collection system of data on crop trials for facilitating the
cost-benefit analyses; improve sharing information system between the partners
and between the partners and researchers; increase the frequency of field visits in
the intervention villages in order to bring the corrections to any errors in application
of technological treatments.
• ConClusions
In the framework of the ARDT_SMS and Africa RISING projects, we collaborate with
a number of partners for the implementation of crop trials and farmer field schools
as well as the field surveys for the economic analyses such as the cost and benefit
analysis and impact assessment of improved technologies disseminated. These
partners include Institut d’Economie Rurale (IER), Association Malienne d'Eveil au
Développement Durable (AMEDD), Catholic Relief Services (CRS), Aga Khan Founda-
tion (AKF), Malimark, European Cooperative for Rural Development (EUCORD),
Association des organisations professionnelles paysannes (AOPP), Mali-Météo,
Groupe de Recherche d'Action et d'Assistance Pour le Développement Communau-
taire (GRAADECOM), Association Malienne pour la Sécurité et la Souveraineté
Alimentaires (AMASSA), Centre d’Appui a l’Autopromotion pour le Développement
(CAAD), Mouvement Biologique Malien (MOBIOM).
Cost and benefit analysis of improved technologies promoted under
ARDT_SMS and Africa RISING projects in Mali
Felix Badolo1
, John Nzungize1
, Birhanu Zemadim1
1
International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics
Corresponding author email: f.badolo@cgiar.org
Cost and benefit analysis of crop trials conducted under ARDT_SMS and
Africa RISING projects
Figure 1: Net benefits of Framer Practice and Integrated Striga Management
in intervention sites – Mopti region – ARDT_SMS project
Figure 2: Net benefits of maize trials conducted in the village of
Dieba – Africa RISING project
Note: T1 (farmer practice): no compost and no fertilizer, T2: No compost and 1/2 dose of fertilizer;
T3: No compost and full dose of fertilizer; T4:6000 kg/ha of compost and no fertilizer; T5: 6000
kg/ha of compost and 1/2 dose of fertilizer; T6: 6000 kg/ha of compost and full dose of fertilizer.