Implemented from 2015 in Benin, the Project to Support Food Production and Strengthen Resilience in the Departments of Alibori, Borgou and Collines (PAPVIRE-ABC) has significantly improved farm yields.

The project, funded to the tune of US$24 million by the Global Agriculture and Food Security Programme (GAFSP) through the  African Development Bank (AfDB), set itself the goal of improving food and nutrition security and reducing poverty among Beninese populations.

In particular, it has increased agricultural productivity on more than 24,000 hectares in the country, according to the Report on the State of Implementation and Results (ERA) published on November 2 by the AfDB.

The implementation of high-performance seed varieties, the coupled training of leading producers and supervisors and close monitoring-support-advice have thus stimulated yields in maize and rice fields. Indeed, the average productivity of maize increased from 1.5 tons per hectare in 2016 to 2.6 tons, an increase of 73%.

Rice reached 4.2 tonnes per hectare, compared to 3.3 tonnes in 2016. As for the volume of marketed food production, it reached almost 83,000 tons in 2020, while it was less than 5,000 tons in 2016.

Positive impact on annual income per food farm

These performances have a positive impact on annual income per food farm, the Bank's report highlights.

This is $345 and could reach $458, by the time the project is completed in 2021. In 2016, that income was $238.

"The levels of productivity and production recorded as well as the marketing system of producers and the organizational set-up of territorial agricultural development agencies have improved incomes," the report explains.

The development of infrastructure will allow actors to create more added value.

In order to ensure the follow-up of the project and its sustainability, 222 young entrepreneurs have been trained in the incubation centres, and the aim is ultimately to increase this number to 400. In addition, 90 technicians attended various workshops and training in monitoring and evaluation, while 18,260 farmers were trained in resilient technologies.

In addition, 150 producer organizations and women's economic interest groups benefited from post-harvest equipment. This equipment consists of a rice kit (two thresher-winnowing machines, a huskler, a husked rice grader and two seamers) and a corn kit (two ginners, two calibrators and a mill).

"The effective start of rehabilitation works on water reservoirs, downstream developments and labour-intensive investments, coupled with a scaling up of the results obtained at the level of demonstration units and field schools for farmers, will consolidate the gains made and act significantly on food security and poverty reduction in the project's area of intervention," concludes the AfDB report.

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The article Bénin: An AfDB-funded  project allows a significant increase in farmers' yields and farmers' incomes appeared first on THE FIRST PRIVATE NEWS AGENCY IN TOGO.