In 2024, Benin’s authorities announced a coming ban on imports of frozen chicken and table eggs, saying the move aims to boost and better organize local production over the long term. The measure is part of a broader strategy to diversify agriculture and develop new growth sectors beyond cotton. Speaking at the Choiseul Africa Business Forum, Sarah Agbantou, a research officer at the Ministry of Economy and Finance, presented the “1000 Jeunes en Aviculture” program. The initiative is meant to help train a new generation of agripreneurs and strengthen the country’s food security. Ecofin Agency interviewed her to know more. 

Ecofin Agency: Sarah Agbantou, you’re a research officer at Benin’s Ministry of Economy and Finance. For several years, the country has been working to develop high-potential sectors to diversify the economy and create sustainable jobs. What does that approach involve in practice?

Sarah Agbantou: Yes, for several years, Benin has clearly been committed to developing key sectors, especially in agriculture and other high-growth areas. We’re doing groundwork across different industries. In poultry, the aim is to formalize and professionalize the value chain so we can boost local production, both for the domestic market and for neighboring countries.

So, that’s the thinking behind the “1000 Jeunes en Aviculture” program. But why did you choose the poultry sector as the focus of your youth employment strategy?

When we work to professionalize the poultry sector, we’re also developing the whole value chain behind it. That naturally creates opportunities for decent, lasting jobs. The idea from the start was to build a training and integration model that helps young people enter the sector,  and ideally become poultry entrepreneurs themselves. With more than 80% of Benin’s population under 25, our demographic pressure will only grow. So creating real, sustainable jobs, not just underemployment, has become essential as we develop these sectors.

What are the initial goals of the program, and what results do you expect to see in the medium term?

The ‘1000 Jeunes en Aviculture’ program is designed for young people aged 18 to 30 across the country who want to become poultry entrepreneurs. They can apply, and those selected receive starter kits, including equipment, inputs, and access to a dedicated farm site built on public land. We provide both classroom training on broiler production and hands-on training within poultry SMEs or centers of excellence.

After that, they get one year of support from aggregators, veterinarians, and poultry technicians. The goal is for them to become full-fledged poultry entrepreneurs able to produce at least 1,000 broiler chickens every 45 days and sell them on the market. We also help with marketing by securing contracts with buyers who need regular supplies, as well as with aggregators who purchase their output.

What role does the Ministry of Finance play in implementing and overseeing this program, especially in terms of financing and economic viability?

At the Ministry of Economy and Finance, we worked closely with the Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock and Fisheries, as well as with poultry associations like the IAB and UNAP. We also partnered with the National Employment Agency (ANPE) and the SME support agency (ADPME). The goal, during the initial design phase, was to work together on how to structure the program.

Today, the program is run by the ADPME and the ANPE, with funding mainly from the World Bank and additional support from the French Development Agency (AFD) for the pilot phase. So it’s truly a joint effort between the public sector, industry associations, and private actors. Our role at the Ministry was to help design and structure the project and to secure the financing needed to launch it.

Beyond financing, did you need public-private partnerships to strengthen the value chain and secure steady markets for the young producers you’re training?

Absolutely. Partnerships were key, and we had a lot of discussions on this. One of the first questions was whether these young entrepreneurs should handle the sales themselves or whether we should support them. Given that they’re just starting out, we decided they should focus entirely on production.

To make that possible, we’re working with national and regional aggregators who buy their output and also support them with inputs and logistics. That’s the first partnership model. The second involves securing contracts so that their production has guaranteed buyers. In short, the young producers don’t handle sales on their own, the project works with partners and existing associations to make sure their chickens reach the market.

Do you have any early data on the impact so far, whether economic, social or regional?

We’re still at the very start of the program. The funding has now been secured, and we’re in the launch and mobilization phase. For the pilot, we opened applications in the Atlantic and Ouémé regions, and the response has been huge.  We received more than 900 applications from those two areas alone.

As I mentioned earlier, a nationwide call for applications will be opened soon. So young people should keep an eye on the pages of ANPE, ADPME, and especially the Youth Inclusion Project (ProDIJ) for updates. It’s a great opportunity for them.

How do you see this approach evolving? Is it a one-off measure, or part of a long-term strategy to industrialize agriculture?

It’s definitely part of a long-term strategy. The World Bank has committed $41.3 million to this project, which is part of AZOLI, a flagship component of the ProDIJ program. We’re clearly thinking long term, in line with the broader restructuring of these sectors. And if this model works, we plan to replicate it in other value chains. Our goal is to help build national champions in agricultural entrepreneurship, giving them the support and working capital they need to grow.

In terms of impact, the target is for each young producer to raise about 1,000 broiler chickens every 45 days. With 1,000 youth, that’s around one million chicken, which could cover roughly 10 to 20% of national demand based on our estimates. These young producers could become major players, especially as we organize them into cooperatives.

Interview, in French by Moutiou Adjibi Nourou,

English adaptation: Mouka Mezonlin