Benin’s Agricultural Reforms: A New Era for Cashew and Soy Sectors

The government of Benin has embarked on a mission to reorganize key sectors, including the cashew and soy industries, to boost stakeholder happiness and competitiveness.

Background and Context

In 2022, cashew nuts and soybeans accounted for 3.68% and 1.03% of Benin’s exports, respectively. However, both sectors face structural and organizational challenges that hinder their growth and competitiveness.

The Need for Reorganization

According to Hermann Imali Djetta, president of the National Chamber of Agriculture (CNA), the current export policy, which allows a large volume of production to be exported, does not align with the government’s industrialization policy. The government aims to process all cash agricultural products locally, even if only basic processing.

Objectives and Strategies

The reorganization of the cashew and soy sectors aims to:

• Improve prices for producers
• Enhance the overall efficiency of the sectors
• Establish direct interprofessional agreements between producers and processors
• Sign framework agreements with the State for restructured interprofessional institutions

Implementation Roadmap

The National Chamber of Agriculture has developed a roadmap for the reorganization, which includes:

• Organizing constituent assemblies of new national umbrella groups of soy and cashew producer cooperatives
• Establishing new interprofessional associations for the two sectors

A New Era for Agricultural Sectors

The reorganization of the cashew and soy sectors marks a new era for Benin’s agricultural industry, promising improved competitiveness, efficiency, and happiness for stakeholders.