The project PASSIP (Programme d'Appui au Sous-Secteur de l'Irrigation de Proximité) aims to enhance agricultural productivity as well as food and nutrition security in Mali by integrating innovative agroecological methods. The project focuses on improving small-scale irrigation systems, critical for a country that relies heavily on rain-fed agriculture and is vulnerable to climate change. By optimizing Mali's natural water resources, the project seeks to increase the resilience of rural communities, where agriculture is the primary livelihood. The project started in 2008 and is currently in its fifth phase, which will end at the end of 2026.
The current phase has five outputs:
1) Output 1 is the adoption and implementation of the second Small-Scale Irrigation Promotion Programme (Programme d'Appui au Sous-Secteur de l'Irrigation de Proximité, PNIP 2.0). This updated version builds on lessons from PNIP 1.0 and integrates agroecological principles, gender-sensitive approaches, and nutrition. The aim is to improve water management and agricultural sustainability while promoting equity. PNIP 2.0 also includes mechanisms for national funding to support small-scale irrigation systems over the long term.
2) Output 2 supports the National Directorate of Agriculture (DNA) in implementing the National Agricultural Advisory Plan (Politique nationale de conseil Agricole, PNCA) and its National Agricultural Advisory System (Système national de conseil Agricole, SNCA). This framework brings together public and private sector actors to provide better agricultural advice to farmers. By strengthening advisory services, the project helps farmers adopt sustainable practices, improving productivity and resilience.
3) Output 3 promotes the sustainable use of irrigation systems by incorporating agroecological methods and addressing gender and nutrition concerns. Inclusive development plans are created in collaboration with farmers, local organizations, and authorities at selected sites. These plans ensure that the needs of vulnerable groups, such as women and youth, are considered.
4) Output 4 focuses on the development of a national agroecological transition strategy. This strategy will guide Mali's shift toward sustainable agricultural practices.
5) Output 5 strengthens capacities for income-generating environmental services in watersheds, particularly to protect small-scale irrigation infrastructure. By improving water and soil management practices, the project creates economic opportunities while enhancing environmental resilience. The activities focus on training individuals in sustainable environmental practices.
Vulnerable groups, including women and youth, are given priority to ensure equitable benefits from the project's activities. In addition, given Mali's security challenges and the displacement of people, the project pays attention to IDPs, including them as an additional target group.
In summary, PASSIP not only enhances agricultural productivity through better water management but also promotes sustainable and inclusive agricultural development. By focusing on agroecological practices, gender equity, and community involvement, the project strengthens the resilience of Mali's agricultural sector while addressing the needs of vulnerable populations. Through its integrated approach, the project contributes to environmental sustainability and social wellbeing, creating a pathway for sustainable rural development in Mali.

For many decades, the Republic of Mali has been mobilizing to address the challenges of food and nutrition insecurity, the effects of climate change, and the fight against poverty in the country. It is within this framework that the Agricultural Orientation Law (LOA) of 2006 was adopted, defining the major directions of Malian agriculture and setting out the foundations for the development of a modern agriculture.
This law, particularly in its Articles 114, 115, and 116, provides the framework for the agricul-tural advisory system envisioned for Mali: a system accessible to all farming households in the country, aimed at strengthening their productivity and performance, and implemented and co-managed by all actors in the agricultural and rural sector in a spirit of efficiency and collec-tive effectiveness.
The PASSIP V (Program to Strengthen the National Agricultural Advisory and Training Sys-tem in Mali), which is part of the joint German development cooperation program "Innovative, Agroecological and Productive Agriculture in Mali", supported the Ministry of Rural Develop-ment (MDR) and later the Ministry of Agriculture in developing this National Agricultural Advi-sory Policy (PNCA) and the National Agricultural Advisory System (SNCA), which serves as its main implementation tool.
The SNCA is designed as a joint mechanism for coordination and support, built on existing advisory structures, collective governance, and structured representation of all actors (e.g. farmers, state/public bodies, private sector, research/education, and local authorities).
Operationalization of the SNCA will require phased implementation: a preparatory phase (awareness-raising, stakeholder engagement, finalizing rules and commitments), a start-up phase (establishing the National Agricultural Advisory Association - ANCA - and its technical agency APROCA), and a consolidation phase (territorial expansion and sustainability). The first two years are crucial for creating ownership, finalizing sensitive issues (governance, financing, regional committees), and setting up functioning bodies. Success will be measured by the effective establishment of ANCA and APROCA, recognized and supported by stake-holders.
The process is complex, requiring strong technical preparation, stakeholder mobilization across all regions, trust-building, and adaptation to diverse territorial and security contexts. A national steering committee (COPIL) with representatives from all relevant actors is being set up under the Ministry of Agriculture to guide this process.
The service contract described here aims to provide technical assistance for the Ministry of Agriculture, the COPIL and GIZ/PASSIP. Its overall goal is to accompany the establishment and implementation of the SNCA as an operational tool serving farmers, rural territories and the nation. Specifically, the contractor will:
- Support the Ministry and GIZ in strategic planning and implementation (assistance to contracting authority, AMOA).
- Facilitate and accompany the steering comm in its work, including preparing and ani-mating sessions, developing terms of reference, and supporting working groups.
- Conduct stakeholder sensitization campaigns nationally and in the regions.
- Support finalization of official documents for ANCA and APROCA, including statutes, rules of procedure, financing mechanisms and recognition of ANCA as a public utility.
- Assist in launching ANCA, preparing its governance, budget, and program of work; support creation of APROCA, defining its mandate, organizational structure, staffing profiles, and initial budget.
- Contribute to financial sustainability measures, including the establishment of a fiduci-ary mechanism.
- Support the design of regional committees.
The work will be closely coordinated with the Ministry of Agriculture, the COPIL, GIZ/PASSIP and national stakeholders, while keeping other partners informed. The participatory co-construction approach, already used in elaborating PNCA/SNCA, remains central: ensuring shared ownership, collective governance, and a functional system that strengthens agricultural advisory services across Mali.

The missions will take place in different regions of Mali.

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