A ceremony for the distribution of food kits to vulnerable populations in Bamako, Koutiala, and Douentza was held in Bamako, at the headquarters of OPAM (Office for Agricultural Products of Mali). The event was jointly organized by the Italian Agency for Development Cooperation (AICS) and the Malian Food Security Commission, with the participation of the Italian Ambassador to Bamako, Stefano A. Dejak.
The distribution was financed by AICS as part of a regional emergency initiative launched in October 2022, aimed at supporting populations affected by the humanitarian and economic crisis in Mali and Senegal.
The initiative, with a total budget of 2,685,500,000 CFA francs (equivalent to 4,100,000 Euros) and a duration of 31 months, has strengthened the resilience of populations most affected by the current crisis, with a particular focus on women and children. The intervention has helped improve food security, combat malnutrition, and reinforce basic health services and protection for the most vulnerable groups.
During the ceremony, the Head of the AICS Office in Dakar, Giovanni Grandi, and the Minister for Food Security, Redouwane Ag Mohamed Ali, handed over:
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450 bags of rice (50 kg each)
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125 bags of millet (100 kg each)
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9,000 packs of spaghetti
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100 bags of sugar (50 kg each)
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150 bags of powdered milk (25 kg each)
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200 cans of cooking oil (20 liters each)
These items will be distributed by the Malian Ministry of Food Security to various orphanages in Bamako and Koutiala, as well as to many vulnerable and displaced children in Douentza.
This action is part of Italy’s broader commitment in Mali, which includes interventions in the sectors of food security, rural development, environment, renewable energy, education, and local private sector development, in support of the most vulnerable groups.
