Maliki Sankaré: Transforming Mali’s Agricultural Landscape with TEF Support
In celebration of Mali’s Independence Day, the Tony Elumelu Foundation proudly spotlights Maliki Hamadoun Sankaré, a young Malian entrepreneur and founder of Socco-Agro-Business, a company specialising in the production and commercialisation of rice and vegetables. Established in 2020, Socco-Agro-Business spans 24 hectares of agricultural land, driving change in Mali’s agricultural sector by creating jobs and empowering local communities.
24 hectares of agricultural land owned by Maliki Sankaré, 2021 Tony Elumelu Foundation Beneficiary from Mali
Driven by a desire to uplift his community, Maliki saw the potential of Mali’s agricultural sector, where over 80% of the population relies on agriculture. His mission is clear: “We want to create several jobs in the agricultural sector by 2030, especially for the youth in rural areas, to reduce rural exodus.” Maliki states. His efforts have already provided full-time employment to 3 people and numerous daily labourers. He has also trained over 150 individuals, including youth and women in rural cooperatives. Maliki now generates an average annual revenue of 1,500,000 – 2,000,000 FCFA.
With a vision for digital agriculture, Maliki is committed to integrating technology into farming to monitor water and fertilizer use, a critical component of his long-term projects. He was one of the 2021 recipients of $2,500 seed funding from the Tony Elumelu Foundation, which allowed him to expand his rice production business. Maliki was one of the 1,860 Malian beneficiaries of the Tony Elumelu Foundation (TEF) partnership with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) which was designed and implemented with a deep understanding of the regional context and the needs of young entrepreneurs within a fragile environment
Reflecting on the support from the Tony Elumelu Foundation, Maliki credits not only the financial assistance but also the entrepreneurial training that strengthened his business skills. Maliki’s work has caught international attention. His business collaborates with countries such as Mali, Senegal, Guinea, and Burkina Faso, and partners with global organisations like the World Food Programme (WFP). His achievements were recently highlighted in Le Mali Émergent, where he shared his ambition to create sustainable employment and contribute to food security across Africa. His participation in initiatives like the UNDP Sense Maker Workshop further underscores his dedication to driving economic empowerment in his country.Maliki’s story is one of resilience, innovation, and dedication to agricultural transformation. He firmly believes that “Africa’s land holds immense wealth and opportunity” and encourages governments to invest in agriculture to ensure food self-sufficiency across the continent.
Join us in celebrating Maliki Sankaré, a visionary leader building a brighter future for Mali through agriculture!
About the Tony Elumelu Foundation
The Tony Elumelu Foundation is the leading philanthropy empowering a new generation of African entrepreneurs, driving poverty eradication, catalysing job creation across all 54 African countries, and ensuring inclusive economic empowerment. prosperity. In 2015, Elumelu and his family committed US$ 100 million to launch a legacy entrepreneurship programme, to empower young African entrepreneurs.
Since the launch of the Programme, the Foundation has given access to training to over 1.5 million young Africans on its digital hub, TEFConnect, and disbursed USD$100 million in direct funding to 20,000+ young African women and men, who have collectively generated over USD$2.5 billion in revenue and created over 400,000 direct and indirect jobs across Africa.
The Foundation’s mission is rooted in Africapitalism, which positions the private sector, and most importantly entrepreneurs, as the catalyst for the social and economic development of the African continent.”
