Mauritania: AfDB Grants $17m to Strengthen Resilience of Female Market Gardeners

Olufemi Adeyemi 

The project's direct beneficiaries will encompass approximately 22,200 households, while its indirect impact is anticipated to reach close to 90,000 individuals.

The African Development Bank (AfDB) has authorized a $17 million grant to Mauritania. The purpose of this grant is to fortify the resilience of female market gardeners, foster value addition in agricultural production, and augment the incomes of women in rural areas.

The Board of Directors of the African Development Bank (ADB) Group has approved a $17 million grant to the Islamic Republic of Mauritania for the implementation of the Project for the Promotion of Gender-Sensitive Agricultural Value Chains and Women's Entrepreneurship (PCVASGEF).

The project is funded by the Global Agriculture and Food Security Programme (GAFSP) and aims to enhance agricultural productivity and value addition to augment women's income and bolster female entrepreneurship in Mauritania. This initiative is part of the broader Programme to Support Agricultural Transformation in Mauritania, which focuses on climate change adaptation and inclusivity.

"This project is an important lever for agricultural transformation in Mauritania. It will help to empower the country’s women by supporting their work in the vegetable production and packaging industry. It will create local market garden production centres and irrigation basins that operate throughout the year, preventing production disruptions at national level," explained Malinne Blomberg, the Bank’s Country Manager for Mauritania.

The project entails the establishment of novel market gardening plots, managed exclusively by women, encompassing a total area of 1,014 hectares. These plots will be meticulously divided into 321 modular units, each ranging in size from two to four hectares. Additionally, the project will involve the enhancement of 4,500 hectares of drainage basins, thereby optimizing their functionality.

Aims to enhance agricultural productivity and promote female entrepreneurship in the region. It involves the construction and equipping of 12 multipurpose, internet-connected centers to facilitate female employment, as well as the establishment of two vegetable packaging and storage units and six local vegetable markets. The program focuses on fostering an entrepreneurial spirit among women through initiatives such as supporting innovative startups, providing mentorship for young entrepreneurs, and offering relevant training. 

Additionally, it includes capacity building for stakeholders in the market gardening value chain, support for women's organizations including 205 women's market gardening cooperatives, and the creation of 12 agricultural savings and loan associations.

The project's implementation will encompass 12 districts within the Brakna and Trarza regions, identified as particularly vulnerable areas in Mauritania, where women face especially challenging circumstances. The initiative aims to directly benefit approximately 22,200 households, indirectly impacting nearly 90,000 individuals. Its objectives include enhancing food security and bolstering household resilience, with a specific focus on women and young people. This will be achieved through the introduction of innovative and efficient irrigation systems, increased utilization of solar energy, agricultural transformation, improved market access, and the advancement of value chains.

The current portfolio of the Bank Group in Mauritania encompasses 20 distinct operations, representing a total net financial commitment of $422 million.

July 03, 2024