The CAAS campus is located two and a half kilometers west of Siby, on the edge of the village of Kalassa, directly on National Road 5. It houses the school and cultural part of the campus as well as the small administration. The site covers just over one hectare. Construction work began in October 2018 and the campus was inaugurated by the Malian Prime Minister in February 2021.
Aerial view of the campus site
Outdoor facilities
What distinguishes the campus from similar institutions in Mali at first glance is that it is embedded in a garden. This is deliberately based on the Parc National in Bamako and starts right outside the gate. All the existing trees on the site have been preserved and, although they are almost fully grown, they have developed amazingly in six years with irrigation.
A total of around 2,000 square meters of garden have been added to the site in enclosed areas and seepage beds for the rainwater from the roofs. Only African species were planted, especially those from the Sahel. This not only creates an atmosphere that is pleasing to the eye, but also a much more pleasant microclimate. For the (nowadays obligatory) wedding photos, the photographers from Mandé used to travel all the way to Bamako with the wedding parties. Today, they use the campus or the entrance to the Complexe Agricole des CAAS as a backdrop.
Two gardeners look after the green areas year in, year out and keep them in a constantly presentable condition, which is absolutely respected by all guests – including the numerous school children during the large tutoring courses in the school vacations. Nobody carelessly throws plastic bags or paper on the floor here.
Culture hangar
In the center of the facility is an elevated, well-shaded hangar that is open on all sides. It is equipped with a loudspeaker system and projection screen and functions as a multimedia cultural center. Like most of the other blowers on the campus, it is surrounded by openwork shadow panels. These are engraved with symbolic figures from Bogolan culture.
In addition to a meeting place for the trainees, which also serves as a gymnastics area, the hangar seats up to 400 guests for agricultural training courses, teachers’ conferences, community meetings, music events, school competitions, tutoring courses and much more. It is the only such venue far and wide and is therefore very popular.
The hangar in front of Mount Kamadjan Kulu
Classrooms
In addition to the open hangar, the campus has a 60-seat classroom and a 30-seat seminar room equipped with loudspeakers plus a covered outdoor extension area. The small library with teaching materials and the laboratory are also housed in the same building.
Boarding
A total of up to 76 trainees can be accommodated in shared rooms and bunk beds in two boarding houses. They are equipped with showers, toilets and basins for washing clothes. Bed linen and towels are changed every week,
Two six-month training courses are held each year: April to September (rainy season) and October to March (dry season). The beds are occupied 320 days a year. During the course, the trainees usually have three long weekends off for visits at home.
Accommodations on campus
Canteen
Four cooks prepare three meals a day for the trainees. No wood, charcoal or gas is used for cooking. The food is cooked on large professional electric hotplates, usually for around 100 people at lunchtime.
As everywhere in Mali, the main meal consists of a large portion of rice, maize or millet with a sauce made from the green leaves of sweet potato, manioc, a jute plant or amaranth, otherwise okra, tomatoes, onions, African eggplants and pumpkin or peanut paste with a small (by European standards) side dish of meat (on average 4 kg for 100 people). Riz au gras” with all of the above ingredients is particularly popular, usually on Fridays or on festive occasions.
Staple foods such as rice, maize, millet and sugar are bought and stored twice a year, usually at the beginning of the new course. Vegetables, potatoes and sweet potatoes come fresh from the school garden. Slaughter is carried out as required and the meat is frozen, usually one beef every three to four weeks.
In addition to the 24 indoor dining areas, there are outdoor dining areas for everyone. As is customary in Mali, most people eat together by hand from a bowl – five at a time, rarely more.
On larger occasions, the cooks call in additional help from the surrounding area. At the inauguration of the campus (2021) and the farm (2024), they fed 600 guests.
The canteen on the campus grounds
Janitor’s office
The janitor’s office is located next to the kitchen. Towels and bed linen are washed, ironed and repaired here. All facilities are also maintained, repaired or set from here, in particular, of course, the electrical and sanitary facilities as well as the doors and windows on the inside, the solar systems, rain gutters and water drains on the outside. Given the deliberately open design and the fact that life is largely outdoors, all surfaces have to be cleared of leaves, dust and sand every day. This is done by women from the village who work part-time in the mornings.
Other buildings
Two air-conditioned houses are available on the campus for special or international guests. They each have a bedroom and a study with a desk, shower and toilet.
The guest houses on campus
> Read more about the technical equipment on campus here
