Innovation platform and governance of local rice value chains in Benin: Between game of power and internal democracy?

In Benin, rice plays a major role in the food security of the poorest rural and urban populations. However, the rice value chains have failed to achieve their potential because of some systemic constraints. In recent years, innovation platforms (IPs) have received increasing focus as mechanisms for strengthening the interaction between the stakeholders in the rice value chains. Nevertheless, the issues of information asymmetry and power between stakeholders with often divergent interests suppress the expected effects of the implementation of IP approach. This article used thematic content analysis to assess the influence of IPs on the governance of the parboiled rice value chain. The findings reveal that local rice value chains are characterized by unequal access to resources and asymmetry of power, which generates inequalities within groups. Although their influence is less discernible, IPs have contributed to greater visibility for some emerging stakeholders and rebalanced stakeholders in terms of influence in value chains. Moreover, the perverse effects of financial and human resources management limit the impact of improvement actions in various value chains. Therefore, the development model of value chains may be oriented toward the “business idea approach” instead of the “project approach”

Marchés et logiques d’acteurs dans le système semencier de l’anacarde au Bénin

La filière anacarde contribue substantiellement à la croissance économique et à la sécurité alimentaire et nutritionnelle au Bénin. En dépit des efforts de la recherche agricole, cette filière est confrontée à plusieurs contraintes dont l’utilisation des semences non performantes. L’objectif de la recherche était d’investiguer sur l’état des lieux de la gouvernance du système semencier de l’anacarde au Bénin avec un accent sur les perceptions, les discours et les pratiques des producteurs de semence face aux mesures normatives et aux actions des acteurs institutionnels. Les discours et les pratiques recueillis auprès d’un échantillon de 107 semenciers, producteurs de plants d’anacardiers ont été examinés au moyen de l’analyse thématique de contenu. Les résultats montrent qu’indépendamment des acteurs institutionnels, les producteurs de semence d’anacarde disposaient de marge de manœuvre pour accéder aux ressources de production et pour la vente des plants produits. Le courtage entre leurs paires et les institutions ainsi que le portage des “non-reconnus” sont des stratégies que ces semenciers, véritables acteurs rationnels, développent face au dispositif normatif en place. Ces logiques sont donc à considerer non seulement dans les actions de développement de la filière anacarde mais aussi pour la visibilité des efforts consentits par l’ensemble des acteurs

Participatory appraisal of institutional and political constraints and opportunities for innovation to address parasitic weeds in rice

Parasitic weeds in smallholder rice production systems, of which Striga asiatica, Striga hermonthica and hamphicarpa fistulosa are the main representatives, form an increasing problem for food and income security in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). The objective of this paper is to identify institutional and political constraints and opportunities for innovation to address parasitic weed problems in rice. Constraints and opportunities for innovation were studied across three nested systems: the parasitic weed control system, the crop protection system, and the agricultural system. Multi-stakeholder workshops, interviews and surveys were held to gather data on key constraints faced by different stakeholder groups across three parasitic weed infested study sites in both Tanzania and Benin. The results demonstrate that in both countries, the majority of institutional and political constraints relate to the functioning of the broader crop protection and agricultural systems and not specifically to parasitic weeds. Although differences were observed between the two countries and the different stakeholder groups, the majority of constraints perceived by the stakeholders were caused by a lack of capabilities and resources and a limited access to credit. Awareness raising of parasitic weed problems among farmers, extension and crop protection officers at the local level, combined with improved input and service supply and enhanced agricultural education and training curricula at the national level, were identified as important elements for improvement. More structural collaboration between key stakeholder groups is expected to contribute to a better recognition of agricultural problems, like that of parasitic weeds in rice, and a more timely identification of feasible solutions