How to improve the economic situation of a Beninese farming community

Benin is one of the world's poorest countries, with a very low Human Development Index (HDI) of 0.520 in 2017, ranking it 163rd out of 179 according to the UNDP. This country on the Gulf of Guinea faces significant challenges in terms of food self-sufficiency. Farmers in rural areas primarily practice subsistence farming using outdated and unproductive techniques. They often produce just enough to survive until the next harvest, but cannot supply urban centers, forcing Benin to import large quantities of food. A significant portion of the country's land remains uncultivated due to a lack of modern resources.

This is particularly true in the Ottola district of the municipality of Savalou, where all the inhabitants cultivate the land, sometimes alongside other professional activities. This district is considered one of the breadbaskets of the municipality, although some of its land remains uncultivated. This represents approximately 1,700 farms, eight-tenths of which are less than 5 hectares.

The association Solidaires Sans Frontières has been working in Benin since its creation in 1994, and in the commune of Savalou since 2009. The association helps the population with its economic development, particularly in agriculture. After providing the districts of Lahotan and Gobada with implements and machinery between 2009 and 2016, Solidaires Sans Frontières, at the suggestion of its local partner, decided in 2017 to transfer its activities to the district of Ottola to offer agricultural equipment and training to help the Beninese population increase cultivated areas and production.