Mali: Nutrition Profile

Speeches Shim

A little girl stands beside her family's harvested rice.
  • Mali

    Flag of Mali

  • Population

    18 Million

  • Pop. Under 5

    3.33 Million

  • % Stunting

    38% Of Children Under 5

  • % Underweight

    26% Of Children Under 5

Photo credit: Ryan Vroegindewey/USAID

Malnutrition in childhood and pregnancy has many adverse consequences for child survival and long-term well-being. It also has far-reaching consequences for human capital, economic productivity, and national development overall. The consequences of malnutrition should be a significant concern for policymakers in Mali, which has had a rate of chronic malnutrition (stunting or low height-for-age) among children under 5 years of 38 percent since 2006, while 13 percent suffer from acute malnutrition (wasting or low weight-for-height).

USAID Programs: Accelerating Progress in Nutrition

As of January 2018, the following USAID programs with a focus on nutrition were active in Mali. The U.S. Government selected Mali as one of 12 Feed the Future target countries for focused investment under the new U.S. Government Global Food Security Strategy. Due to the country’s security situation, Mali’s Feed the Future Initiative focuses on 113 communes in Sikasso, Mopti, and Tombouctou, and two communes in Segou. The strategy includes strategic investments in strengthening targeted value chains, addressing high levels of malnutrition and low dietary diversity, improving the enabling environment for agricultural trade and investment, and building capacity among farmers, the private sector, civil society, and public institutions to help reduce poverty and stunting in children under 5.

  • High Impact Health Services in Kayes, Koulikoro, and Sikasso regions and Gao and Bamako districts
  • Health Sector Social and Behavior Change Communication in Kayes, Koulikoro, Sikasso, and Mopti regions and Gao and Bamako districts
  • Mali Sub-National Governance Program
  • Feed the Future Mali Horticulture Scaling Project
  • Nutrition and Hygiene in Mopti, Koulikoro, and Segou regions
  • Nutrition and Hygiene in Sikasso region
  • Feed the Future Cereal Value Chain (CVC) Project
  • Food for Peace

 

For more information, read the Mali country profile [PDF, 243KB].