In a bold push to secure its food future, the Bénin government has accelerated its drive to transform raw agricultural exports into finished goods. Over three days, Minister of Agriculture, Livestock, and Fisheries Adin Yeton Bloukounon Goubalan toured key farming regions—Paouignan, Glazoué, and Parakou—reinforcing a clear mandate: the nation must stop shipping out unprocessed crops and instead build its own industrial backbone.
Rice and cassava lead the charge toward self-sufficiency
The rice sector is seeing rapid progress. At Glazoué, the agro-industrial firm Premium unveiled plans for a third processing facility in Dangbo, boosting its annual rice processing capacity from 300,000 to 500,000 tonnes. This expansion comes as a relief to a country still reliant on imported Asian rice.
Meanwhile, in Paouignan, the focus is on cassava—the country’s “white gold.” A new local processing plant nearing completion will turn cassava into gari, tapioca, and most importantly, bread-making flour. What sets this project apart is its innovative shared-management model, combining private investment with local producer cooperatives to ensure fair profit-sharing and protect rural jobs.
Curbing smuggling to fuel local industry
The cashew industry faces a critical bottleneck: raw nut exports to neighboring countries are draining potential supply for domestic processors. Minister Goubalan has vowed stricter border controls and priority access to national stockpiles for local factories. The government views the export of raw cashews as a direct loss of employment opportunities for young Béninois.
Cotton revival backed by financial incentives
The most ambitious target involves cotton, a pillar of Bénin’s agricultural economy. After three years of declining output, the government has set a goal of 700,000 tonnes by the 2026-2027 season. To motivate farmers amid rising input costs, a premium of 10 FCFA per kilogram will be paid once the national target is met—sending a strong signal of renewed support for the sector.
The Bénin agricultural transformation is now a mix of industrial ambition, anti-smuggling vigilance, and financial incentives. While logistical and climate challenges remain, the political will to reshape the economy is unwavering.