Mali

Mali has a host of development challenges, with 49 percent of the population living below the extreme poverty line and more than 29 percent of the population malnourished. Thirty-nine percent of the overall population has access to basic sanitation services, resulting in a high incidence of childhood diarrheal illness and malnutrition. Mali has 78 percent basic water coverage, but continued progress is under threat as the country’s growing population is putting increased pressure on water resources and climate change makes rainfall less predictable.

USAID is addressing sanitation and hygiene challenges through community-led total sanitation initiatives that emphasize social and behavior change communication, promote proper water treatment and storage, and improve access to clean water and sanitation infrastructure. USAID efforts to promote food security include the extension of soil and water conservation practices in agriculture, such as the development of rural small-scale irrigation infrastructure to provide a supplemental water supply during periods of insufficient rainfall. USAID also finances water management projects as part of its global climate change adaptation efforts.

USAID continues to support humanitarian assistance in Mali by providing safe drinking water and sanitation infrastructure, while supporting programs that build resilience among food-insecure populations and ensure regular access to safe drinking water.