Vegetables – East-West Seed International – Benin

About the partnership

The partnership, with lead partner East-West Seed International’s is focusing on the connection of vegetable farmers and their organizations with wholesale traders from Benin and neighbor countries. With the growing demand and quality requirements from the market, the vegetable partnership intends to support a more consistent supply. The partnership specifically (but not exclusively) targets women, as women represent a high percentage of vegetable farmers and traders.

Achievements

Facilitate access to finance for farmers (including women)

Develop and implement a technical capacity building program for farmers, including learning plots, field visits, training sessions (quality vegetables)

Expand the seed distribution network and register varieties (EWIT)

Implement an advocacy program to reduce institutional barriers on access to pesticides and other vegetable-specific agro-inputs

Support value chain coordination and facilitate networking

Train women in entrepreneurship

Develop a marketing strategy and product to satisfy BoP consumers

Targets:

The partnership aims to strengthen and further diversify the vegetable sector, by improving access to quality seeds for 25,000 smallholder farmers (10,000 women), including 100 SMEs of which 30 female-lead and by strengthening marketing and distribution channels to consumer markets, including BoP, in Benin, Nigeria, and Togo.

Market Segments:

Fresh vegetables for open market outlets in Benin, Togo, Nigeria and Burkina Faso. Dried pepper for Beninese supermarkets and retail shops.

Project partners

Vegetable POs, Ferm O Feed, Agro Bio Phyto, Di Grow (agro-inputs/ production)

ALIDé and FECECAM (finance)

ILE IFE (processor)

extension