Benin: 561.8 million FCFA in compensation to protect producers from climate hazards

The Minister of Agriculture, Livestock and Fisheries, Adin Yeton Blokounon Goubalan, handed over the checks to the beneficiaries on Friday, August 7, 2026, in Cotonou. This operation is part of a program initiated in 2024 by the Beninese government with the support of several partners.

The multi-risk index agricultural insurance aims to protect producers against losses related to climatic hazards. The program seeks to enhance the resilience of 100,000 producers and breeders across the twelve departments of the country, specifically targeting the rice, cotton, and livestock sectors.

Nearly 95,000 Producers Covered

For the 2025-2026 campaign, 94,905 rice and cotton producers benefited from insurance coverage. The government covered 80% of the premiums to make the mechanism accessible to farmers.

The total amount of compensation reached 561.8 million FCFA. Rice farmers received 376.8 million FCFA, while 185 million FCFA was allocated to cotton producers.

According to Alfred Kpemavo, a representative of the insurance companies, these compensations stem from a mechanism designed to limit the financial impact of yield losses and enable farmers to continue their activities.

Swiss Cooperation, which supports the program, also emphasized the importance of financial inclusion for women and youth. Ganni Badou Tamou, president of the National Federation of Village Cooperatives of Cotton Producers, praised the scheme as a means to facilitate small producers’ access to financial protection. He invited producers from other sectors to participate.

Reducing Dependence on Rainfall

For the Minister of Agriculture, insurance should not only cover losses but also help secure agricultural investments and farmers’ incomes while supporting food security.

The minister did remind that insurance is just one aspect of the sector’s transformation. He cited priorities such as water management, access to land, availability of high-quality inputs at affordable prices, and financing for farms.

These measures should help reduce the dependence of Benin’s agriculture on rainfall and improve the conditions for young farmers to settle.

A Goal of 122,000 Beneficiaries in 2026-2027

After this pilot phase, the government plans to expand the program during the 2026-2027 agricultural campaign. The Ministry of Agriculture and the National Agricultural Development Fund (FNDA) target 122,000 producers.

The deployment schedule and specific modalities for this expansion have not been detailed. The stated goal is to gradually integrate agricultural insurance among the risk management and protection instruments for farms in Benin.