La participation des producteurs au conseil agricole : Determinants et leçons apprises dans le departement de l’Atlantique au Benin

Au Bénin, le conseil agricole constitue un volet important de la politique agricole et participe à l’apprentissage des exploitants agricoles. La présente étude analyse les déterminants et les leçons apprises de la participation des producteurs au conseil agricole dans le département de l’Atlantique au Bénin. A cet effet, des données qualitatives et quantitatives ont été collectées à l’aide de guides d’entretien et de questionnaire auprès d’un échantillon aléatoire de 180 producteurs. L’analyse économétrique a montré que la participation au conseil agricole est déterminée par des facteurs intrinsèques aux producteurs, notamment l’appartenance à un groupement de producteurs ; l’accès aux institutions de microfinance ; la perception sur l’obtention des avantages en adhérant au conseil ; et le niveau d’instruction des exploitants agricoles. L’analyse qualitative, qui a servi de fil conducteur à l’analyse quantitative, met en exergue deux facteurs clés limitant l’accès des producteurs. Il s’agit de l’orientation du conseil agricole vers les exploitations agricoles les plus modernisées et la spécialisation et individualisation du conseil agricole. Cette étude apporte des orientations sur lesréflexions relatives à l’adéquation et l’adaptation du conseil agricole aux réalités socio-économiques de l’Afrique Subsaharienne. Ces orientations sont importantes pour une amélioration de la stratégie de mise en œuvre du conseil agricole dans un environnement de politique agricole en pleine mutation. Mots-clés : Vulgarisation agricole, Conseil agricole, Exploitants agricoles, Déterminants, Bénin.   English title: Farmers’ participation to agricultural advisory: drivers and lessons learnt in Atlantic department in Benin Agricultural advisory is an important part of learning and agricultural policies in Benin. This study analyses the determinants and lessons learned from the participation of farmers to agricultural advisory in the ‘Atlantique’ department of Benin. Qualitative and quantitative data were collected using semi-structured and structure interviews with a random sample of 180 farmers. The econometricanalysis highlights intrinsic factors affecting positively farmers’ participation, namely being membership of farmers’ organisations; access to microfinance institutions; perceiving a benefit in participating to; and the level of education. The qualitative analysis on perception highlights two key limiting farmers’ participation: the orientation of the agricultural advisory towards the most modernized farms; and the individualization and too specialization of the agricultural advisory. This study provides new ideas for improving the strategy for implementing agricultural advisory in a changing agricultural policy environment. These reflections will also contribute to enrich the debate on the adequacy and adaptation of agricultural advisory to the socio-economic realities of Sub-Saharan Africa. Keywords: Agricultural extension; Agricultural advisory; farmers; Determinants; Beni

Videos that speak for themselves: when non-extensionists show agricultural videos to large audiences

In 2008, an NGO showed videos about rice to farmers in 19 villages in Benin. A study in 2013 showed that farmers remembered the videos, even after five years had passed. In most of the villages at least some farmers experimented with rice farming or with new technology after the video screenings, which attracted large audiences of community members, including youth and women. Some of the villagers also visited extension agencies to get rice seed, and occasionally to seek more information. Farmers can benefit from agricultural learning videos shown by organisations with little previous agricultural experience. Videos do not necessarily need to be facilitated by an expert who knows the subject. Sometimes the video can speak for itself

Consumer valuation of improved rice parboiling technologies in Benin

In Benin, traditional parboiling is still widely practiced among rice processors, resulting in inferior grain quality. A new parboiler was introduced to improve the milling yield and intrinsic quality of local rice. We conducted Vickrey second price auctions to elicit rural Beninese consumers' willingness to pay for rice obtained through the new parboiler and two locally innovated parboilers. The individual auctions were followed by a group discussion during which consensus was reached on socially acceptable prices. Relative to traditionally parboiled rice, consumers were willing to pay price premiums of 9–13% for rice obtained through a local parboiler using a container of which the bottom is a perforated metal, 27% for rice obtained through a local parboiler using wooden sticks at the bottom of the pot, and 25–34% for rice parboiled through the improved parboiler. Bids were influenced by the presentation order of the products according to perceived quality. Bids were also higher when participants had been informed on the benefits of improved parboiling techniques, which is a crucial insight for developing marketing and communication strategies for this improved quality product. Group bids were not significantly different from individual bids which suggests that the latter are within the range of socially acceptable prices defined through group consensus

Effect of improved parboiling methods on the physical and cooked grain characteristics of rice varieties in Benin

The efficiency of traditional, intermediate and improved parboilers was compared through theireffects on certain physical and cooking quality traits. Two varieties (NERICA 4 and Gambiaka) commonlycultivated and consumed in Benin were used. Results showed that the traditional parboiler had the highestlevel of heat-damaged grains (90%) with the improved equipment having the least (17%). The improved andintermediate parboiling technology produced grains of comparable hardness (4 kg and 6 kg, respectively, forGambiaka and NERICA 4) while the traditional method resulted in a sample with the least hardness for bothGambiaka (4 kg) and NERICA 4 (3 kg). The improved method and the intermediate technology using woodensticks at the bottom of the vessel had higher water uptake (2.97 ml/grain) and grain swelling ratios (5.41) ascompared to the traditional and intermediate methods using a container with a perforated bottom

Effect of improved parboiling methods on the physical and cooked grain characteristics of rice varieties in Benin

The efficiency of traditional, intermediate and improved parboilers was compared through their effects on certain physical and cooking quality traits. Two varieties (NERICA 4 and Gambiaka) commonly cultivated and consumed in Benin were used. Results showed that the traditional parboiler had the highest level of heat-damaged grains (90%) with the improved equipment having the least (17%). The improved and intermediate parboiling technology produced grains of comparable hardness (4 kg and 6 kg, respectively, for Gambiaka and NERICA 4) while the traditional method resulted in a sample with the least hardness for both Gambiaka (4 kg) and NERICA 4 (3 kg). The improved method and the intermediate technology using wooden sticks at the bottom of the vessel had higher water uptake (2.97 ml/grain) and grain swelling ratios (5.41) as compared to the traditional and intermediate methods using a container with a perforated bottom