Baseline study report Final University of Parakou, Benin

ETUDE DE REFERENCE

(Rapport provisoire)

Baseline study report

Final

University of Parakou, Benin

Dr. Ir. Mohamed Nasser BACO

Dr. Ir. Pierre AKPONIKPE

Dr. Ir. Jonas DJENONTIN

Dr. Ir. Carole SOSSA VIHOTOGBE

March 2016

INTEGRATING MICRODOSE IN THE PRODUCTION OF

TRADITIONAL VEGETABLES TO IMPROVE FOOD AND

ECONOMIC SECURITY OF WEST AFRICAN FARMERS

2

ACRONYMS

Acronyms Definition

CARD Centre for Regional Action for Rural Development

COVADES Corps Volunteers to African Development Economic and Social

ERAD Studies and Applied Research for Sustainable Development

FAFA Easiness of Support to Agricultural Commodities

GSAT Food Security Group

MFIs Micro-Finance Institution

NGO Non Governmental Organization

PACER Support Project for the Rural Economic Growth

PAFICOT Support Project for Cotton Sector Textile

PAMRAD Support Project in Rural World in Atacora and Donga

PANA Program of National Action Adaptation to Climate Change

PDAVV Agricultural Diversification Project by the Valuation of Valley

ProCGRN Conservation Project and Natural Resource Management

AHFS Bill Security by Food Agricultural Intensification

CSAE Communal area for Agricultural Development

CSAE Communal area for the Development of Agriculture

SFA Solidarity France Africa

SONAPRA National Company for Agricultural Promotion

SPSS Statistical Package for Social Sciences

UCCoPMA Communal Cooperatives Union of Producers of Vegetables

URCoPMA Regional Union of Cooperative Producers of Vegetables

IDRC Research Centre for the Development International

3

Contents

ACRONYMS ..................................................................................................................................................... 2

1. Introduction and background ...................................................................................................................... 4

2. Methodology .................................................................................................................................................. 5

2.1. Study area and range of stakeholders involved in the study .................................................................. 5

2.2. Data collected and collection tools ............................................................................................................ 5

2.3. Participatory methodology used ............................................................................................................... 6

2.4. Method and data analysis tools ................................................................................................................ 7

2.5. The limitations or constraints of the study .............................................................................................. 8

3. Results ............................................................................................................................................................ 9

3.1 Socio-cultural and demographic characteristics ...................................................................................... 9

Educational level of producers and traders of leafy vegetables ........................................................... 10

3.2. Land ownership and Acquisition and Use ............................................................................................. 12

3.3. Agricultural Inputs .................................................................................................................................. 12

3.4 Marketing and Consumption of Vegetables by farmers ....................................................................... 20

Consumption of vegetables sheet by producers ..................................................................................... 23

3.5 Post Harvest Technologies on the UIVs .................................................................................................. 24

3.6. Information on Extension Services ........................................................................................................ 26

Factors motivating the producers ........................................................................................................... 29

3.7 Past Agricultural Intervention Programs ............................................................................................... 30

Evaluation of the level of ' information producers on microdosing and methods of management and

conservation of soil and water ................................................................................................................ 32

3.8. Drivers of IVU adoption and commercialization .................................................................................. 34

4. Conclusion ................................................................................................................................................... 35

Acknowledgement ........................................................................................................................................... 36

4

1. Introduction and background

The International Development Research Centre (IDRC, Canada) is one of Benin's technical

and financial partners in the field of rural development. For decades, its interventions are more

oriented towards food security. This project "fertilizer micro-dose association and production

of indigenous vegetables to improve nutrition and economic security for farmers west Africans

(MicroVeg)" is fully funded by IDRC. It is jointly developed by two IDRC-DFTAD research

teams. The ideas stem from two previous projects namely "integrated water management and

soil fertility for sustainable agricultural production in the Sahel (INuWaM project)" and

"Production and use of indigenous vegetables to food and food security sustainable in the

southwest of Nigeria (NiCanVeg project)". The INuWaM project has developed technology

microdose fertilizer which is a technique of precision agriculture and highly desirable. The

NiCanVeg project, meanwhile, has developed simple agronomic technologies for the growing

and processing of indigenous vegetables underutilized. It is the combination of these two results

that justify the overall objective that the project set MicroVeg "Increasing food and nutrition

security and economic empowerment of the poor farmers with resources focus on women in the

sub-region of West Africa through integrations microdosing and vegetable production

underutilized". Specifically, the project aims to

Develop Technology micro dosing of fertilizers and management water technology

adding value and seed production of indigenous vegetables.

Demonstrate and deepen the technology by using two models (platform for innovation

and the broadcast approach satellite).

Accelerate the development of technologies to advance indigenous vegetables

production, improve vegetables returns; promote consumption and added value,

propelling marketing, préserver soil and ecosystems water and fertilizer to enable

savings.

To integrate the successful model in programs food security local, national and regional

through advocacy policy.

5

In Benin, the project revolves around three indigenous vegetables that are Solanum

macrocarpon (gboma), Amaranthus sp (aléfo) and Ocimum graticimum (chayo). Prior to the

effective implementation of this project, a baseline study was initiated. The objective of this

study is to describe the current practices in the production, marketing and consumption of leafy

vegetables in the project areas. It made it possible to gather information on the situation

beforeproject to allow better monitoring and evaluation.

2. Methodology

2.1. Study area and range of stakeholders involved in the study

The study was carried out in five areas namely Benin Parakou/N'Dali, Tchaourou, Boukoumbé,

Djougou/Ouaké and Bohicon/Djidja. These areas represent areas of intervention of MicroVeg

project for which the study was conducted. The choice of the surveyed villages was based on

the importance of the production of vegetables in general and leafy vegetables in particular. A

total of 239 actors randomly selected but favoring gender (all categories), were investigated in

this study (Table 1).

Table 1: Sample size by gender

stakeholders Man Woman Total

Producers 79 52 131

Traders 0 50 50

Consumers 18 40 58

Total 97 142 239

2.2. Data collected and collection tools

The data collected are based on the type of actors and are summarized in table.2

6

Table 2: Data collected and collection tools

Target Data collected Collection Tools

Leafy vegetables

producers

- Socio-cultural and demographic characteristics

- land acquisition method

- Use of inputs

- Marketing and consumption of leafy vegetables

- Use of post-harvest technologies

- Information on extension services

- Intervention of previous farm programs

- Prosperity and food security indicators

Questionnaire conceived

under CSPro software

Traders of leafy

vegetables


- Types and quantities of vegetables marketed

- Sources of Supply

-Gender involvement in marketing

- Sociological barriers related to the marketing of leafy

vegetables

- Forms of desired vegetables after processing



Leafy vegetables

consumers


- Types and quantities of vegetables consumed

- Sources and supply prices,

- Sociological barriers related to leafy vegetable

consumption

- Forms of desired vegetables after processing



2.3. Participatory methodology used

To get an overview of the production of leafy vegetables, at least three focus groups were

conducted in each district (Table 3) with the aid of an interview guide. The collected data were

supplemented by participant observation in the field.

Table 3: Point of focus group

7

Districts Farmer

organization

Extension

officers

Gender Total

Parakou / N’Dali 2 2 2 6

Bohicon / Djidja 1 1 1 3

Ouaké / Djougou 1 1 1 3

Tchaourou 1 1 1 3

Boukoumbé 1 1 1 3

Total 6 6 6 18

2.4. Method and data analysis tools

The method used is descriptive and multivariate analysis. The content analysis was used to

transcribe the respondents' statements and identify the key points. Contingency tables were used

to highlight the relationships between variables. The Chi-2 test was used to test the

interdependence on the one hand, between the factors motivating the producers and their home

departments, and secondly, between socio-demographic characteristics (gender, age and

instruction) and interaction of producers with extension agents.

The Student's t test - was used to compare the average quantities of leafy vegetables marketed

by season and prices.

We performed Principal Component Analysis (PCA). Twenty four (24) producer groups were

obtained by crossing gender, age and area of intervention.

For gender, H denotes man and F refers to the woman. Compared to age, 1 = less than 30 years

and refers to young, 2 = between 30 and 55 years to designate adults, 3 = 55 and over to describe

old. The departments were considered intervention areas. Then we distinguishes 4 areas namely

Borgou, Atacora, Donga and Zou. Thus obtained 2 x 3 x 4 = 24 producer groups. For example,

F1BO means a young producer and resident woman in Borgou.

A matrix containing the data on the relative frequency of the variable purchase seed, access to

land and credit, association membership and the use of microdose fertilization and features 24

groups was analysed with the Principal Component Analysis (PCA). The relative frequency is

8

the proportion of responding in the group that gave a positive response to a term given to the

various issues. The different analyzes were performed on SPSS Version 16 software.

2.5. The limitations or constraints of the study

The difficulties encountered in this study can be summarized in two main points:

- The absence of traditional leafy vegetables traders in town

At the village level, farmers identify with traditional leafy vegetables traders, which made the

choice difficult traders. Traders involved in this study are the common scale.

- The absence of specialized processors of traditional leafy vegetables (TLVs)

TLVs are being processed before marketing. Thus, in this context, the study did not take into

account the processing link.

9

3. Results

3.1 Socio-cultural and demographic characteristics

Age, gender, marital status

The leafy vegetable producers are on average older than leafy vegetables traders/marketers.

Indeed, traders’ age varies between 19 and 65 for an average of 38.2 ± 9.9 years, while that of

producers varies between 22 and 80 for an average of 42.4 ± 12.2 years (Table 4).

Table 4: Socio-demographics characteristics of actors

Gender (%) Age (years) Marital status (%)

Men Women Average Standard

deviation

never

married

Married living

together

Other

Producer (N =

131)

60 40 42.4 12.2 4.6 80.9 14.5

Marketers (N =

50)

0 100 38.2 9.9 2 90 8

Production and marketing of leaf vegetables is practiced by married individuals living together.

Similarly, shown in the table that the marketing of leafy vegetables is an exclusively woman

activity and 40% of women are producing leafy vegetables.

Moreover, a cross between the age producers groups (young, adult and old) and gender shows

that young men are more interested (72.4%) in the production of leafy vegetables than young

women ( figure 1).

10

Figure 1: Age category of producers by gender

It appears from the analysis of this figure, that the proportion of men who produce leafy

vegetable decreases with age while that of women increases with age.

Educational level of producers and traders of leafy vegetables

Producers and traders of leafy vegetables received no standard education in majority (76% of

traders and 65% of producers). Only 18% of traders and 32% of producers think they can read

and write (2).

0102030405060708090

100

Less than 30years

Between 30and 55 years

More than 55years

72.461.9 60.3

27.638.1 39.7

(%)

Age category

Woman

Man

11

Figure 2: Level of education of stakeholders

An analysis of the data by region / city surveyed revealed that the leafy vegetables producers

of the district of Boukoumbé ranks first in terms of illiteracy (93.3% cannot read nor write). In

rank, the district followed the district of Tchaourou (72%), of Parakou / N'Dali (65.4%),

Bohicon / Djidja (54.2%) and Djougou / Ouaké (46.2%).

This could negatively affect the adoption of technologies / innovations in leafy vegetables in

areas where the rate of illiteracy is high. Any intervention in these areas should therefore take

account of this crucial fact.

Cooperative life of leafy vegetable producers and advisory service received

The production of leafy vegetables is proving a cooperative activity. Indeed, 73% of producers

feel they belong to an association / cooperative of vegetable production. Of these, more than

half are male (53%). The proportion of men is explained by the prohibitions of the husbands

that would force women producers not to participate in community life. The role of associations

/ cooperatives basically is limited to the welfare assistance of members and facilitation of access

to information related to inputs and credit.

0 20 40 60 80

Unschooled

Primary

Secondery 1

Secondery 2

Post-secondery

64.9

10.7

14.5

7.6

2.3

76

18

6

0

0

(%)

Edu

cati

on

Traders

Produccers

12

For those who do not belong to any association of producers of vegetables, they gave mostly

other reasons (57%) plus the fact that they are not informed of their existence (31.4%), of the

negative previous experience (5.7%) and because of the opposition of members and lack of

money to incorporate (2.9%).

3.2. Land ownership and Acquisition and Use

According to the interviewers, arable land would not constitute a major constraint neither for

women nor for men. Indeed, almost all (93%) of them responded that women have easy access

to arable land as well as men. Thus, women producer acquires arable land mainly by leasing

(63%) and gift (53%). Only 31% of women acquire land by inheritance (Figure 4). For those

who argued that producer wife does not have easy access to land, the reasons given are other

reasons (73%) and not the capital deficiency (18%) and the prohibition of husbands (9%).

Figure 4: Acquisition of arable land by gender

The metayage was found to be exclusive to men. Purchase of land (83%), inheritance (69%)

and other methods (68%) followed.

3.3. Agricultural Inputs

0 20 40 60 80 100

Heritage

Don

Purchase

Location

Product Sharing

Other

69

47

83

37

100

68

31

53

17

63

0

32

(%)

Acq

uis

itio

n o

f la

nd

Man

Woman

13

Access to credit

Despite the high proportion of producers belonging to an organization and the role of these

associations, very few vegetable growers (14%) say they received credit or money in the

account of the production of vegetables. It is important to note that, according to respondents,

the lack of sources of credit is not the main reason (15% of respondents) that justify access to

credit in the account of vegetable production (Figure 5).

Figure 5: Reasons for not access to credit for the production of vegetable

In addition, respondents considered that access to credit in the account of leafy vegetables

production is not a constraint for women. Thus, 87% of them say that women have easy access

to credit for leafy vegetables production.

Seed source by vegetable grown

Growing vegetables leaves in the prospected areas is still a traditional activity. For the three

vegetables namely Solanum (gboma), African basil (chayo) and Amaranth (alefo) seed sources

used are mostly savings from the previous season and other sources (sampling young wild

seedlings and transplants to the field on another plot) (Figure 5). The majority of respondents

15

34

7

8

35 Proportion (%)

No credit source

Not looking for credit

No security

Interest rate high

Personal/Other

14

(85%) say they have not bought seed for the last season and are satisfied with their seed stock

(75%). They gave priority to availability (58% of respondents) and free (25% of respondents)

when choosing seed source.

Figure 6: Leafy vegetables seed source

For producers who buy seeds (15%), purchase sources reported are market and from other

producers. Moreover, data analysis by survey area shown that in the district of Boukoumbé no

purchase seed is recorded (Figure 6) and all producers (100%) in this area told that they are

satisfied with their seed stock. The absence of purchase of seeds could be explained either by

ignorance of the existence of improved leafy vegetable seed, or the lack of point of sale of leafy

vegetables of improved seeds in the area.

0 20 40 60 80

Savings from previous season

Free seed from a neighbor

Buying from a seed company

Buying by carder

Buying from another porducteur

Buying from market

Buying at an agricultural fair

others sources

(%)

seed

so

urc

es

( %

)

Amaranthus

Occimum

Solanum

15

Figure 6: Purchase of seeds by zone

On average, point of purchase seeds for leafy vegetables Solanum (gboma), African basil

(chayo) and Amaranth (alefo) are respectively located at a distance of 27.5 km, 35.4 km and

35.4 km away from producers houses. The average distance of leafy vegetable point of sale per

area is presented in table 5.

Table 5: sources of supply Position leaf vegetable seed

Distance in km

min Max Average Standard

deviation

Parakou / N'dali gboma N = 5 10 60 43 23.9

chayo N = 2 10 60 35 35.4

Alefo N = 8 10 60 44.6 21.6

Tchaourou gboma N = 19 1 38 26.7 9.6

chayo N = 11 15 37 27.7 8.9

Alefo N = 20 15 100 31.5 17.8

Bohicon / Djidja gboma N = 2 5 140 72.5 95.5

chayo N = 1 155 155 155 -

Alefo N = 1 155 155 155 -

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

Djougou /Ouaké

Tchaourou Boukoumbé Bohicon /Djidja

Parakou /N'dali

Ensemble

15

24

0

8

27

15(%)

Zone

16

Djougou / Ouaké gboma N = 5 1 5 2 1.7

chayo N = 1 1 1 1 -

Alefo N = 6 1 14 4.5 4.9

Boukoumbé No purchase seed recorded

Together gboma N = 32 1 140 27.5 26.8

chayo N = 15 1 155 35.4 36

Alefo N = 15 1 155 35.4 36

This table shows that very few leafy vegetables producers buy African basil (chayo) seeds." a.

Fertilizers

The use of mineral fertilizers (NPK and urea) is an increasingly practice adopted by leafy

vegetables producers. Indeed almost half of respondents (48%) used mineral fertilizers for the

cultivation of leafy vegetables. This practice was most recorded in Djougou / Ouaké area where

73% of respondents positively answered to the question on the use of mineral fertilizers. This

could be explained by the fact that this zone (Ouaké) is at the Benin-Togo border, which would

promote the import of mineral fertilizers. The importance of the practice in other areas is in the

order of 58%, 50%, 40% respectively for Parakou / N'dali, Bohicon / Djidja Tchaourou. The

district of Boukoumbé occupies the last position in the use of mineral fertilizers. This explains

once again the low intensity of cultivation of leafy vegetables in the area.

In order to identify the types of actors that use mineral fertilizers for the cultivation of vegetable

leaves, a contingency table was made between age categories (young: less than 30 years old,

adults: age between 30 and 55 years old then adult: more than 55 years old) and use of fertilizers

(table 6).

Table 6: Use of mineral fertilizers by age

District Young (%) Adult (%) Old (%)

Parakou / N'dali 47 47 7

Tchaourou 20 50 thirty

Djougou / Ouaké 11 84 5

17

Bohicon / Djidja 0 92 8

Bokoumb é 29 71 0

Together 21 70 9

The table reveals that, whatever the survey area, the use of fertilizers would essentially be a

practiced by adults (age between 30 and 55 years).

Moreover, an assessment of those who use mineral fertilizers based on annual income classes

(low income: less than 250 CFA francs, average income: between 250 and 500 CFA francs and

high income >500 CFA) is presented in table 7, the annual income in thousand CFA francs.

Table 7: Use of mineral fertilizers by income class

District Low (%)

(<250 000 F CFA)

Medium (%)

(250 000 - 500 000

Fr CFA)

High (%)

(<250 000 F

CFA))

Parakou / N'Dali 20 33 48

Tchaourou 20 30 50

Djougou / Ouaké 26 11 63

Bohicon / Djidja 8 50 42

Bokoumbé 71 29 0

Together 25 29 46

According to this table, producers with higher levels of income use more mineral fertilizers

than the other groups of producers except in Bohicon / Djidja and Boukoumbé districts. In the

district of Boukoumbé , there is a high use of mineral fertilizer producers with a low level of

income (71%). Assuming that income is exclusively from the production of vegetables, the little

capacity of fertilizer use techniques could explain the low income level of this category of

actors.

Source of fertilizer supply

18

The fertilizer supply source by farmers is the Ministry of Agriculture represented by the

CARDER (39%). Other sources cited are mainly neighboring countries where fertilizers are

imported and market (Figure 7). Note also the existence of free fertilizer offered by some NGOs

(3%).

Figure 7: Source of mineral fertilizers (NPK and Urea)

Herbicide, insecticide, fungicide and compost

Very few producers (19%) of leafy vegetables use herbicides (Figure 8). The use of fungicides

is almost non-existent (3%). But compared to insecticides, its use is more and more felt (39%).

This would result in the pressure becoming stronger from pests.

Instead insecticides, others actors prefer to use bio-insecticides. Bio-insecticide is obtained by

dissolving 10 soaps “Palmida” in 100 liters of water in which was triturated leaves and seeds

of Neem. The solution obtained is filtered and applied to the leafy vegetables using a watering

can. This method is used by some producers of Parakou.

1

6

3

4

5

39

12

8

22

0 10 20 30 40 50

Free to a neighbor

Free from a government program

Free from NGO

Buying from a company

Buying from NGO

Buying from the Ministry of…

Buying from the market

Buying from a retailer / merchant

Others

(%)

Sou

rce

of

fert

ilize

r

19

Figure 8: Use of other inputs

Inversely, the compost is used by the majority of producers (78%) who mentioned that the

compost is better fertilizer in leafy vegetable production and it is almost free because they

produce it locally (80% of producers).

Moreover, it appears from Table 8 that more than half of producers using the compost do not

use mineral fertilizers. This would justify the relatively small proportion of the leafy vegetables

producers who use mineral fertilizers (48%).

Table 8: Relationship between use of mineral fertilizers and compost in the production

of leafy vegetables

Use of compost Total

Yes No

Use of mineral

fertilizers

Yes Absolute frequency 48 15 63

Relative frequency (%) 47 52 48

No Absolute frequency 54 14 68


Total Absolute frequency 102 29 131


19

39

3

78

Proportion (%)

Use of herbicide

Use of insecticide

Use of fongicide

Use of Compost

20

3.4 Marketing and Consumption of Vegetables by farmers

Organization of marketing by producers

The majority of producers (80%) reported to sell leafy vegetables themselves and in lesser

extent their husband or wife (depending on the case). Children and other household members

are weakly involved in leafy vegetables marketing. Similarly, 54% of producers sold the leafy

vegetables in the field. According to them, the sale is made by board or bag / lot but very rarely

by bundle. For those whose products are sold out of the field, the point of sale has averaged

about 7 km and 8 km respectively in dry and rainy seasons. In the latter case, the sale is usually

by bundle.

The average number of leafy vegetables bundles sold by producers in a week varies depending

on the area and season (Table 9). In areas of Parakou / N'dali, Boukoumbé and Djougou / Ouaké,

the average number sold during the dry season bundles is higher than in the rainy season. This

suggests that the producers of leafy vegetables in these areas produce more leafy vegetables in

the dry season than rainy season. One could deduce that water stress does not arise in these

areas contrary to Bohicon/ Djidja and Tchaourou districts. Similarly, producers forsook leafy

vegetable production in favor of cash crops during the rainy season.

Table 9: Average number of vegetables boots sold per week

Average number of boots sold per week

Zoned Season gboma chayo Alefo

Parakou / N'dali rainy (1) 30 (-) (2) 8 (3.55) 1. 25 (-)

dry (18) 163 (250.55) (4) 16 (11.09) (24) 192 (314.72)

Bokoumb é rainy (16) 37 (25.47) 0 (20) 38 (42.65)

dry (23) 61 (53.45) 0 (24) 58 (57.87)

Djougou / Ouaké rainy (14) 73 (51.13) (3) 30 (23.89) (12) 127 (179.44)

dry (22) 93 (51.69) (4) 30 (30.90) (17) 137 (268.69)

Tchaourou rainy (11) 4206 (13530.42) (3) 32 (27.85) (11) 1006 (2984.11)

dry (22) 1223 (5311.84) (3) 123 (113.72) (4) 45 (38.27)

21

Bohicon / Djidja rainy (16) 1463 (3007.40) (13) 547 (1089.37) (10) 546 (1226.60)

dry (10) 405 (633.61) (11) 430 (550.90) (10) 433 (636.33)

Together rainy 1230 (6080.86) 348 (883.00) 345 (1445.59)

dry 163 (325.01) 240 (429.67) 393 (2563.94)

Left parenthesis (effective), right parenthesis (standard - type)

It is also noted that the largest quantities of bundles sold are recorded in areas of Bohicon/

Djidja and Tchaourou. These figures are explained by the presence of agricultural entrepreneurs

who have specialized in the production of leafy vegetables (Figure 9).

Culture d’amarante (alefo) à Kika,

commune de Tchaourou

Amaranth (alefo) farm in Kika, Tchaourou,

August 2015

Amaranth planting in Kika, Tchaourou, August

2015

22

Figure 9: Photographs showing the level of intensity of cultivation of vegetables in Bohicon

and Tchaourou / Djidja.

Moreover, whatever the area of cropping of African basil is very underdeveloped. This is felt

through the small amount sold per season per week and a low involvement of producers in its

culture. For others, this vegetable is a perennial plant, investing in culture is a loss, according

to them. In addition no producer made African basil crop (chayo) in the district of Boukoumbé.

This could be due to the fact that this leafy vegetable appear slightly in Otamari people dietary

habits.

Producer selling price per bunch and per season

The sale price of a bundles of leafy vegetables varies from one season to another and from one

producer to another, except for the district of Boukoumbé. Overall, the average selling price

reported to the producer is respectively 35, 37 and 31 CFA francs for gboma, chayo and alefo

in rainy season and 37,42 and 34 CFA francs in dry season.

Table 10: Average price of a bunch of leaf vegetable

Average selling price of a boot

Zoned Season gboma chayo Alefo

Transport of vegetable to Djidja market,

August 2015

Vegetable seller in Yara, Natitingou, August

2015

23

Parakou / N'dali rainy 31 (12.5) 18 (11.55) 35 (13.69)

dry 45 (69.15) 30 (11.18) 29 (9.17)

Bokoumb é rainy 25 (0) 0 25 (0)

dry 25 (0) 0 25 (0)

Djougou / Ouaké rainy 25 (6.07) 24 (2.58) 24 (1.79)

dry 29 (9.72) 28 (8.54) 28 (8.38)

Tchaourou rainy 50 (21.65) 50 (-) 28 (7.91)

dry 50 (7.91) 50 (-) 44 (10.72)

Bohicon / Djidja rainy 60 (35.86) 66 (37.50) 70 (36.77)

dry 85 (32.78) 82 (31.80) 73 (32.51)

Together rainy 35 (20.01) 37 (24.57) 31 (16.02)

dry 37 (19.15) 42 (27.77) 34 (15.74)

Of all the areas surveyed, the vegetables seem to be more expensive in the dry season than rainy

season except Parakou / N'Dali where alefo (amaranth) proves less in the dry season. This fact

seems quite normal in the sense that the season is favorable to the production of vegetable.

Moreover, it seems that producers are given much more gardening in the dry season because of

their business in cash and food crops in the rainy season.

Consumption of vegetables sheet by producers

The production of leafy vegetables is proving a relatively market-oriented activity. Overall,

91% of producers felt they self-consume less than 10% of their production (Figure 13). This

fact is common to all areas except Djougou / Ouaké where 31% of producers think that they

consume at least 10% of their production. Any among all surveyed farms, none exceeds

consumes over 30% of its production of leafy vegetables.

24

Figure 10: Proportion of leaf vegetables consumed on

3.5 Post Harvest Technologies on the UIVs

Postharvest technologies are still very little known by vegetable growers. Indeed, 83% of

producers think they have never heard of post-harvest technologies for leafy vegetables. For

those who have heard of post-harvest technologies, drying / ventilation technique remains the

most famous (Figure 11).

89100

69

100 9791

0 0

23

0 3 80 0

80 0 10 0 0 0 0 0

0

20

40

60

80

100

120

(%)

Zone

Less than 10%

10 -20 %

20 - 30 %

30 % et plus

83

2 1

2

8

2

1

7 3(%)

Any technology

Drying machine

Fridge

Improved storage hardware

Control of crop pests

Bleaching

Machine pressure

Drying / Ventilation

Other

25

Figure 11: Farmers who have heard of post-harvest technology

17% believe they have heard of these technologies, 42%, 26%, 11% and 5% respectively

believe they used the drying / aeration, the control of the enemies of culture, bleaching and

improved storage hardware last season. Some producers (21% of 17%) used other postharvest

technologies during last season .

As information sources, 27% of those who have heard of post-harvest technologies and other

NGOs cite as sources of information (Figure 12). Other common sources are essentially groups

of producers (23%), producers of producers (18%) and extension agents and radio (4%).

Figure 12: Source of Information on leaves vegetable post-harvest technologies

Furthermore, 46% of the interviewers believe that post-harvest technologies are not easily

accessible to women (Figure 16). Drying / ventilation technology seems the more accessible

for women (7% of producers).

4

23

27

18

4

0

0

0

27

0 10 20 30

Extension officers

Extension officers

NGO

Other producers

Radio

Television

printing press

Demonstration site

Other

(%)

Source of information

26

Figure 13: difficult to access for post-harvest technologies by women

3.6. Information on Extension Services

Interaction extension agents-producers

The interaction between producers and extension agents has been important in the income of

leafy vegetable production. Indeed, 63% of producers interacted with an extension agent on

average three times last season. The proportion of producers have interacted at least once with

an extension agent per area is 96%, 92%, 81%; 42% and 23% respectively for Parakou / N'dali,

Tchaourou; Djougou / Ouaké, Bohicon / Djidja and Boukoumbé. Table 11 shows the proportion

of producers have interacted at least once with an extension agent by gender, education and age.

Table 11: extension of producer-agent Interaction

Interaction

Yes No Total

Read and write Yes 74 26 100

No 58 42 100

Khi-2 test of Pearson; X ² = 0.520; df = 1; p = 0.471

Gender Man 66 34 100

0 20 40 60

Any technology

Drying machine

Fridge

Improved storage hardware

Control of crop pests

Bleaching

Machine pressure

Drying / Ventilation

Other

(%)

27

Woman 60 40 100

Khi-2 test of Pearson; X ² = 3,373; df = 1; p = 0.066

Age Young 59 41 100

Adult 61 39 100

Old 83 17

Khi-2 test of Pearson; X ² = 3,627; df = 2; p = 0.163

This table show that over half of the uneducated and women interact with extension agents.

Similarly, there is also an interaction between extension workers and young people, adults and

even older (over 50% each). The test of Khi-2 Pearson made between the interaction extension

agent producer and the variables gender, age and class instruction gives a probability of greater

significance than 5%. One could therefore conclude that the interaction between producers and

extension agents is not dependent on gender, education and age.

Types of information provided to producers

Information sources relating to the production of leafy vegetables are diverse. According to the

producers, information on the preparation of the land mainly from extension agents while the

extension bulletins and the written press provide other different information than listed (Table

12). Regarding information on the methods of cultivation, growers believe they come mainly

from radio and television. Farmers' organizations are more interested in cooperative activities.

28

Table 12: Type of information by source

Source of information

Information on extension

agent (N =

95)

R Extension

Bulletin (N =

57)

R Radio (N =

95)

R TV (N = 56) R press (N =

50)

R Producer

organization (N =

90)

R

The availability

seed

* 31 4 7 5 34 3 5 5 4 4 32 5

Sources of credict 8 8 5 6 9 8 9 4 2 5 11 8

Other inputs 48 2 9 4 35 2 4 6 4 4 33 4

post-harvest technology

6 9 4 7 9 8 2 7 0 6 14 7

The preparation of the earth

37 3 25 3 29 4 23 2 8 3 28 6

Cultivation methods 51 1 35 2 43 1 25 1 14 2 47 2

marketing 15 7 7 5 16 6 5 5 2 5 42 3

The activities of

cooperative

23 5 5 6 14 7 0 8 0 6 62 1

The weather forecast

2 10 0 8 2 9 20 3 0 6 0 10

other information 20 6 56 1 25 5 5 5 74 1 8 9

* Relative frequency; R = rank

29

Factors motivating the producers

The test Chi-2 Pearson achieved is significant for all variables at 5% (Table 13). This means

that the factors encouraging farmers in leafy vegetable cultivation depend of departments.

Table 13: Factors motivating vegetable producers

Departments Total

Borgou Atakora Donga Zou

Family heritage Motivated 33 0 42 25 26

Not motivated 67 100 58 75 74

Khi-2 test; X ² = 15.590; df = 3; p = 0.001

The value that the community

attached to vegetables

Motivated 39 3 58 4 28


Khi-2 test; X ² = 30.205; df = 3; p = 0.000

Government policy supporting

the culture of vegetable leaf



Khi-2 test; X ² = 24.788; df = 3; p = 0.000

Previous reports received by

producers



Khi-2 test; X ² = 23.663; df = 3; p = 0.000

The table reveals that the producers of the departments of Atacora and Zou are the least

motivated both by the family inheritance, the value attached to leafy vegetables by the

community, government policy supporting leafy vegetable cultivation and previous support

received by producers. Indeed, the family legacy in the present context is reflected in the

possession of family land usable in the production of leafy vegetables. In these areas of the

country, domestic arable land would therefore be a major constraint in the production of leafy

vegetables.

The departments of Borgou and Donga would attach more value to leafy vegetables. This would

explain the fact that the government manage its policies in these departments to promote leafy

vegetable production through donations. The availability of exploitable family land in the leafy

30

vegetable production (family heritage motivating producers) in these departments also explain

this privilege found in those departments.

3.7 Past Agricultural Intervention Programs

The interventions of various structures listed are not specifically oriented towards to leafy

vegetables production particularly but to vegetables production in general. The structures

involved or have been involved in the vegetable production in the areas surveyed are listed in

Table 14.

Table 14: Structures involved or have been involved in the production of vegetables

Areas structures Supports and interventions

Zou (Bohicon /

Djidja)

SONAPRA Training on the use of pesticides, mineral fertilizers

and compost

UN-ABITAT Funding for training the r embodiment compost

microfinance

ALIDE

- Training on r embodiment budget, revenue

management methods

- Allocation of funds

CSAE Followed producers

Djougou /

Ouaké

FAFA financial and trade agreement

MFIs Agreement credits

CARD Support institutional and organizational

AHFS Support equipment

URCoPMA Support - advice

ADF Am enagement Site Bohomdor (Ouaké)

PAFICOT Support - advice

PANA1 Support - advice

PACER Support - advice

ERAD NGOs Support - advice

COVADES NGOs Support - advice

31

ProCGRN Support - advice

PAFUR Support - advice

Boukoumbé CEJEDRAO Don of gardening equipment

SFA Don of gardening equipment through FeDeB

UFEDEB - Training on making compost, pr separation of

boards and transplanting

- Training on the management of financial

resources

BTC Support - advice

CEJEDRAO Support - advice

BUBDOS Support - advice

Islands of Peace Support - advice

PROTOS Am irrigation énagements

PADAR Support - advice

PACER Support - advice

Tchaourou FNPEJ Agreement credits

SIASON

microfinance

Agreement credits

PASDER support technical

CSAE - Production Technology

- Development Technique of lowlands

PSAA Support - advice

Parakou / N'Dali AFID NGOs Support - advice

PA3D Technical support and donations of equipements

PASDER Technical support and donations of equipements

4D NGOs Support and advice

APIC NGOs Support - advice

GSAT NGOs Support - advice

BUPDOS NGOs Support - advice

32

PDAVV Technical support and equipement, drilling

realization

Evaluation of the level of ' information producers on microdosing and methods of

management and conservation of soil and water

The PCA made on the relative frequencies of indicators of intensification and microdosing in

leafy vegetables production showed that 79% of information is supported by the first two axes

(components Z1 and Z2). The correlations between indicators of the intensification and

microdosing in leafy vegetables production and these two axes are presented in Table 15.

Table 15: Correlation matrix between information indicators on microdosing and the

first two components

Information indicators on microdosing Axis 1

(Z 1)

2 axis

(Z 2)

Have heard or use methods conservation of soil and water or other

forms of soil fertility management for the production of leafy vegetables

0.962 0.062

Have heard or used microdose fertilization 0.951 0.074

Seed purchase last season 0,040 0.839

Fertilizer use for the production of leafy vegetables 0.502 0.774

Access to credit for the production of leafy vegetables -0.032 0.753

The first axis (Z 1) includes variables '' Having heard of or use methods of soil conservation

and water or other forms of soil fertility management for the production of leafy vegetables ''

and '' Having heard of or use or fertilization microdose ''. The second axis (Z 2)has three

variables namely ''Leafy vegetable seed purchase during last season'' '' 'Use of mineral

fertilizers for leafy vegetables production '' and '' Access to credit for leafy vegetable

production''.

The projection of subgroups surveyed in the plane defined by the two axes shows great

variability in the indications microdosing and increased production of leafy vegetables (Figure

14).

33

Figure 14: ACP showing the relationship between indicators of intensification of

production of leafy vegetables and socio-demographic characteristics of producers

Young and adults people of Atacora and Donga departments (men as women) are in the positive

axis zone 1 (Z 1). Thus, young and adults people of these departments have heard of or used at

least once microdose and fertilization management and conservation of soil and water. This

seems reasonable in this context where these two areas accounted areas of intervention

INuWaM project. Indeed, in these areas, on-farm experiments were conducted on microdosing

and management and conservation of soil and water for the cultivation of corn. This suggests

that young and adults people of these areas, more active than the old, are informed of these

technologies (14.5% of producers) and about one in three of these would have tried the leafy

vegetables production. The old people would prefer to use old technologies than trying a new

little mastered.

34

Among those who seem to have information on the micro-dosing, only adults of Donga

department buy mineral fertilizers and leafy vegetables seed.

On the other hand, in the departments of Borgou and Zou, producers (except old for men and

young for women) buy mineral fertilizers and seed.

3.8. Drivers of IVU adoption and commercialization

Vegetable forms desired by shopping after transformation

The surveyed traders would transform leafy vegetables before commercialization. The desired

form by more than 80% of the interviewers and the three vegetables is the dried form (Table

15). They believe that this form of transformation would be cheaper. According to them, the

practice of this transformation would limit the enormous losses when demand is low. Mixing a

vegetable to another is also another form of processing desired by the traders (over 60%).

Table 15: Vegetable forms desired by traders after transformation

gboma chayo Aléfo

vegetable form P R P R P R

Dried 86 1 81 1 87 1

Mixture to other

vegetable

62 2 71 2 64 2

frozen 45 3 62 3 42 3

bleached 17 4 14 4 16 4

P = relative frequency; R = rank

Regarding toblanching, this form of transformation is weakly desired by traders (less than 20%)

who reported that the vegetable obtained after blanching - quick passage of the leafy vegetable

in boiling water - will be very difficult to maintain when not totally sold on the same day.

The bundling remains the value added practiced by traders of leaf vegetables (98%). Only 31%

of respondents sort out them before bundling.

Vegetable forms desired by consumers after transformation

35

Contrary to traders who would sell leafy vegetables at dried form, consumers would like a mix

of leafy vegetables (Table 16). Whatever the leafy vegetable, froze and blanched forms are

weakly desired by consumers (3 rd and 4 th place respectively).

Table 16: Vegetable forms desired by consumers

Gboma Chayo Alefo

Vegetable form P R P R P R

Dried 65 2 71 2 61 2

Mixture to other

vegetable

78 1 80 1 69 1

Frozen 33 3 38 3 31 3

Bleached 15 4 9 4 16 4

P = relative frequency; R = rank

4. Conclusion

This study analyzed the system of production, marketing and consumption of leaf vegetables in

Borgou, Atacora, Donga and Zou departments. The production of leafy vegetables in these areas

is not an activity to a specific gender contrary to marketing that is practiced exclusively by

women. Young men are more interested in the production of leafy vegetables than young

women. They are uneducated majority with a predominance of the phenomenon Bokoumbé.

Producers of leafy vegetables in combination with the cash crop seems to have an annual

income better than the exclusive vegetable producers. Vegetables are sold on the field and

marketing is provided by the manufacturer itself. At the producer level, leafy vegetables are

more expensive in the dry season than rainy season.

Access to credit is a key impediment to producers. The seeds used provided from savings of

previous season. Mineral fertilizers are used by adults and producers with relatively high annual

income. Seed sales points are very distant and producers depend on the Ministry of Agriculture

for the purchase of fertilizers. Mostly mineral fertilizers are replaced by using compost. Insect

pressure is felt more and more through the use of insecticides.

36

Post-harvesting techniques are ignored by almost all producers. The technique of drying /

ventilation remains the best known. NGOs are frequent sources of information on post-harvest

technologies. Similarly, the interaction between producers and extension agents is not

dependent on gender, education and age.

Facing a food shortage, strategies vary according to the areas and the most common is to lend

money to buy food or buy food on credit.

Leafy vegetables sold by traders mainly from the producers. Whatever the vegetable, the

quantity marketed in the dry season, where vegetables are more expensive, is higher than that

sold in the rainy season. The traders would sell leafy vegetables in the dried form. Added values

applied by traders are bundling.

Leafy vegetables consumers are supplied primarily to market from retailers. Gboma and aléfo

are most consumed. The leafy vegetables are more expensive in urban markets than rural

markets. Contrary to traders, consumers would like a mix of leafy vegetables.

Acknowledgement

We thank the International Development Research Center (IDRC) to financially support this

study. We also thank the actors in the value chain who spared no effort to provide information

during the data collection.

Documents

Baseline study report Final University of Parakou, Benin