After a decade of reforms, Benin’s agricultural sector has emerged as a cornerstone of economic transformation. The election of Romuald Wadagni marks the start of a new phase, with a stronger push toward industrialization, against a backdrop of global pressures on inputs and supply chains.

Under President Patrice Talon, Benin's agricultural sector has undergone deep structural change. Driven by the government's reform agenda (PAG 2016–2021 and PAG 2021–2026) and the Strategic Plan for Agricultural Sector Development (PSDSA), modernizing agriculture has been a central priority.

Investment has focused heavily on mechanization and irrigation. Irrigated land more than quadrupled, rising from 6,200 hectares in 2016 to more than 26,000 hectares in 2025, while subsidized agricultural equipment was distributed widely, according to official data.

The government also reorganized agricultural value chains around 13 priority sectors and strengthened inter-professional bodies. Dedicated institutions, including the National Agricultural Mechanization Company (SoNaMa) and the Beninese Agricultural Development Company (SoBAA), were created to support the transformation.

Regional recognition of reforms

The reforms have produced measurable gains in agricultural indicators. The sector accounts for about 26.3% of GDP, with public investment exceeding 10% of government spending, in line with African Union commitments.

At the continental level, Benin stood out in the Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development Program, ranking first in ECOWAS and fifth in Africa with a score of 7.15 in the Malabo Declaration assessment.

Output gains reflect this momentum. Rice production rose from roughly 200,000 metric tons before 2016 to more than 600,000 metric tons, reducing dependence on imports. Soybean output expanded rapidly, reaching 650,000 metric tons in 2024 compared with about 140,000 metric tons in 2015. Cotton, a long-standing pillar of the economy, remains the leading export crop. The country became Africa's top producer of seed cotton, with more than 637,000 metric tons in the 2024–2025 campaign. The cashew sector also expanded, with output estimated at 225,000 metric tons and growing local processing activity, particularly in the Glo-Djigbé Industrial Zone (GDIZ).

Beyond crops, livestock and fisheries production also increased, with estimated gains of 86% for meat, 63% for eggs and 77% for fisheries output.

A tangible but uneven economic impact

Agricultural growth has generated more than 300,000 jobs since 2016 and contributed to higher farm incomes, though gains vary by farm size. Financing tools, notably through the National Agricultural Development Fund, have improved access to inputs and equipment.

"Benin could generate up to $6 billion in value-added revenues, with a total market value estimated at between $12 billion and $16 billion for the cotton sector, supporting more than 250,000 jobs in the textile industry alone," according to government estimates.

However, these gains come with structural constraints. The World Bank has highlighted persistent challenges, including input shortages, weak irrigation systems, limited yields and heavy reliance on a narrow range of export crops such as cotton, pineapple, soybeans and cashew nuts.

Weather shocks have worsened vulnerabilities. Flooding in 2010 affected 55 of the country's 77 municipalities and destroyed nearly 40% of harvests, pushing many farming families into acute hardship.

Access to financing remains limited for many smallholders, despite the mechanisms introduced. Local processing capacity also remains insufficient, with a large share of agricultural output still exported in raw form.

"Most of the harvest was sold unprocessed, thereby limiting opportunities for additional income and jobs linked to processing and value addition for local communities," the World Bank said.

Despite overall progress, pockets of food insecurity persist. About 398,000 people in Benin faced acute food insecurity between March and May 2025, according to the latest Harmonized Framework analysis by the FAO. That figure is higher than the roughly 364,000 people who required humanitarian assistance during the same period in 2024. The increase, however, has been attributed to "methodological issues" rather than a genuine deterioration in conditions.

A new phase amid global tensions

The election of Romuald Wadagni signals continuity but also a shift toward greater agricultural industrialization. His program emphasizes mechanization, irrigation and food sovereignty, alongside expanded local processing of strategic crops such as cotton, cashew and pineapple.

To support this, the new president plans to improve access to financing, strengthen the National Agricultural Development Fund and introduce innovations such as precision agriculture, product traceability and new crop monitoring tools. The program also includes establishing a social protection system for farmers and expanding research, notably through a center dedicated to genetic improvement and animal production.

Global pressures intensify challenges

The new president will face a more constrained economic and geopolitical environment. International tensions are weighing on supply chains, particularly for fertilizers, whose prices have risen sharply.

The price of urea increased by more than 35% between February and March 2026, reflecting disruptions linked to conflicts and global logistical constraints, according to the African Development Bank (ADB). Benin's dependence on imported inputs exposes its agricultural sector to rising production costs and pressure on food prices.

At the end of Talon’s decade in power, Benin has a more modern, better-structured agricultural sector that has become a key driver of economic growth. Wadagni’s challenge will be to consolidate these gains while adapting the model to new climatic and geopolitical pressures.

In a context of market volatility and food security risks, the country’s ability to build a more resilient and inclusive agricultural model, increasingly focused on local processing, will be decisive in sustaining long-term growth.

Charlène N’dimon