Having graduated with a bachelor’s degree in agro-economics, from the Rural Polytechnic Institute and Applied Research (IPR/IFRA) in Mali’s Katibougou region, Cheick Djibril Diallo ventured into market-oriented gardening. He used his family’s land in the Samé village of Mali’s Kayes region to grow an agribusiness enterprise, that has helped him fight unemployment. He successfully cultivates cucumbers, okra, lettuce, eggplant and pepper, driven by the training in agricultural entrepreneurship, business planning and post-harvest management, organized by SAA in partnership with the Agricultural College of Samé (CAA Same) and the Kayes Regional Directorate of Agriculturie in March 2022. 

Recognizing his dedication and commitment to farming, Diallo was named a model farmer, and rewarded with gardening equipment, including a motor pump for irrigation, and a wheelbarrow.  The market-oriented agriculture training has helped him boost his vegetable production, which now earns him about 300,000 francs CFA (USD517) as profit per quarter. In addition, he continues to create more job opportunities in his community.

Retrieved from SAA E-Newsletter, issued in Nov 2022 "Impacting Skills in Agriculture"