Libéralisation et dévaluation du franc CFA : la relance de la filière "riz irrigué" à l'Office du Niger au Mali

The irrigated rice subsector in the Office of Niger zone in Mali (ON), one of the largest irrigated schemes in West Africa, was controlled by the state in the 1970s. In the 1980s, the ON underwent significant reforms, including privatisation of many functions and price liberalisation. In the 1980s these reforms did not have much impact on productivity with yields remaining below 2.5T/ha. However, in the 1990s efforts to restore the irrigation infrastructure, coupled with macroeconomic reforms such as market liberalisation, tax reforms and the 1994 devaluation of the CFA Franc stimulated productivity gains with average yields reaching 4 to 5 T/ha and aggregate production of paddy rising to 300000 T in 1998/99. This paper analyses the changes in the structure, conduct and performance of the rice subsector in the irrigated system of the ON following policy reforms. Policy reforms in the rice subsector in Mali contributed to the enhanced performance of the system and to increased farm incomes. However, theses changes are recent and should not hide the remaining constraints: problems with access to and reimbursement of credit, and high input prices in particular. Some options for the future have been identified : productivity gains with better fertiliser practices, improvements in input market and credit schemes, analysis of national and regional market opportunities for rice and diversification crops grown during the dry season, and increased farmer participation in paying for the costs of irrigation infrastructure. / La dévaluation du Franc CFA du 12 janvier 1994 est intervenue au Mali dans un contexte de libéralisation des filières céréalières et de la restructuration de la filière riz irrigué de la zone de l'Office du Niger. Cette zone représente l'un des périmètres irrigués les plus importants en Afrique de l'Ouest. Ces changements de politique ont contribué à la relance de la filière riz irrigué. L'évolution des systèmes d'approvisionnement en intrants, l'intensification de la production, le choix de variétés adaptées et l'évolution des modes de transformation et de commercialisation ont permis des gains de productivité et de compétitivité du riz local face au riz importé. Pour les producteurs, ces évolutions se sont traduites par une progression des revenus et du niveau de vie.