The Board of Directors of the African Development Bank Group (http://AfDB.org) meeting in Abidjan today approved a €102.12 million loan to Benin to implement the first phase of the Agriculture Transformation Programme in the country’s savannah region.

The programme aims to sustainably increase national poultry meat production in line with required standards by integrating maize, soybean and poultry value chains. Success will strengthen food sovereignty and security in Benin, create jobs and promote inclusive economic development.

Through this project, the African Development Bank Group is promoting the use of appropriate agricultural technologies with private sector involvement to improve productivity in the savannah zone, drawing inspiration from transformation of the Cerrado in Brazil, which has become a ‘food basket’ for that country.

Robert Masumbuko, Country Manager for the African Development Bank Group in Benin said the programme would be implemented in several phases to support gradual growth of the poultry sector, particularly broiler production, which has high input requirements.

The project, which will run between 2026 and 2030, will see the cultivation of 120,000 hectares of maize and 80,000 hectares of soya, leading to annual production of around 41,000 tonnes of poultry. Beneficiaries will be provided with broiler chicken farming kits, certified seeds, fertilisers and plant protection products. Smallholder farmers will also receive portable equipment to improve sowing and crop management. The project aims to promote good agricultural practice, structured water management, resilience and adaptation to climate change, as well as pest control.

The programme will establish a multi-stakeholder platform for agricultural and environmental research on maize and soybean-based cropping systems. It will also promote climate-resilient and nutrient-rich seeds. Storage capacity will be strengthened through the construction of 1000-tonne barns (60 units), 500-tonne barns (90 units) and drying areas (150 units, each of 200 square metres).

Implementation of the Programme in Benin’s savannah region will directly benefit some 50,000 people, with a further 500,000 benefiting indirectly, of which 30% of each target groups will be women.