From southern Mali, in the regions of Bamako and Sikasso, Baba Sarmoye CISSE sets out on his journey to Nyéléni with a suitcase full of lessons and collective practices. He represents RAESS/RENAPESS, a network committed to promoting the Social and Solidarity Economy (SSE) as a tool for transformation in the face of the challenges his territory faces.
In his region, insecurity, armed conflict, and internal displacement have reshaped daily life: farming families have had to abandon their land, schools, and villages. Agricultural production has declined, along with access to transportation and markets. Yet communities have continued to organize. The protagonists of this story include the Association of Entrepreneurial Student Clubs (ACEE), which promotes agricultural production and manages school canteens; women who process local products, organized through CAFESS and the Centre for Hope in Banguneda; and small-scale producers mobilizing against climate change.
SSE in Mali has proven to be a concrete response to the food crisis. Through short supply chains between producers and consumers, local fairs, agricultural cooperatives, and support policies such as MEREF-SFD, it has been possible to sustain production, create jobs, and promote healthy and sovereign food systems.
But the road has not been easy. Internal displacement, conflicts between Peulh and Dogon communities, and the gradual abandonment of agriculture have threatened food sovereignty. In response, Baba and his collective are committed to ongoing training, community support, and the creation of inclusive public policies.
At Nyéléni, Baba will not only share his story. He will carry with him the voices of those in Mali who continue to cultivate hope amid adversity.
Discover more Seeds of Solidarity on the Road to Nyéléni.
