The liberalization of foreign trade has positively impacted the production of cereals in Mali. The increase in the production of cereals is due to both price increases and the effectiveness of the marketing system. The liberalization made Mali a cereal exporter in contrast with its former status ten years ago, that of a cereals importer Mali supplies its neighboring countries such as Mauritania, Niger, Burkina Faso, Senegal and Cote d’Ivoire with coarse grains. However, subsidies, rapid urbanization, and changes in the food habits of the urban population threaten Mali’s capacity to remain an exporter. To remain an exporter, Mali should, in the long term, process coarse grains into products conforming to the expectations and food habits of the urban population. Food security remains a major challenge in Mali in spite of the country’s food self sufficiency.