| No. | Project Name | Project Description and Objectives | Donor or Partner |
|---|---|---|---|
| 01 | BPSysProD: Development of intensive agroecology within banana and plantain-based cropping systems for better management of biophysical constraints | The project is structured around 3 main components: - Component 1: Identification of biotic constraints limiting banana and plantain production according to various banana & plantain-based cropping systems; - Component 2: Development of intensive agroecological models for better productivity of banana & plantain-based cropping systems; - Component 3: Economic analysis of the banana and plantain sector in Benin. These components will be implemented through: 1) Training of human resources (1 Postdoc, 3 PhDs, and 9 Masters) and their availability for research; 2) Strengthening the capacity of university lecturers from Southern partner universities in their research approaches and practices, in terms of cooperation and visibility for their future careers; 3) Targeted interventions benefiting stakeholders for organizing the sector and disseminating agroecological pest/disease management technologies and ecologically intensive agriculture within banana and plantain-based cropping systems in Benin. | ARES |
| 02 | TAFSA Program | Mobility to train agribusiness and food systems scientists for African agriculture | African Union + European Union |
| 03 | ProCaFood | Strengthen the technical capacities of Micro, Small and Medium Agro-food Enterprises and their support structures for better competitiveness in Benin | Wallonia-Brussels International (Belgium) |
| 04 | QualiCH | Promote inclusive and sustainable growth in the fisheries sector for improved food security, poverty reduction and well-being of populations. This overall objective will contribute to achieving SDGs 1, 2, 3, 12 and 14. | ARES |
| 05 | UPRISE: Partnership for Resilient, Inclusive and Safe Food Systems for Everyone | Improve the sanitary quality of Akpan, a flagship product of Benin, by properly acting on the production chain to eliminate possible mycotoxins while ensuring the desired organoleptic characteristics of the product, at the level of artisanal processors and SMEs. | European Union |
| 06 | Peanut Quality Project | Contribute to: - Food security in Benin through the promotion of peanut processing and marketing of its nutritious and healthy derivative products; - Empowerment and income improvement of women and producers through the promotion and development of peanut value chains in Benin. | ARES |
| 07 | HRH-SEMCA | International research hub on COVID-19 modeling | German Federal Foreign Office |
| 08 | Train Agribusiness and Food System Scientists for African Agriculture (TAFSA) | Support African universities through research and professional training of qualified personnel, to contribute to improving food systems and agro-industry and to address challenges related to food insecurity, malnutrition, poverty, and unemployment. | European Union |
| 09 | Development of safe, stable and packed foods from African Locust bean, a high nutrient seed from Parkia biglobosa from West African region | Development of safe, stable and packed foods from African Locust bean, a high nutrient seed from Parkia biglobosa from West African region | Regional Universities Forum for Capacity Building in Agriculture (RUFORUM) |
| 10 | AGRO-ECO | Description: Amplification of agroecological transition for profitable and sustainable cereal and vegetable production systems in the Atacora region of Benin and Houet region of Burkina Faso (AGRO-ECO). General Objective: Contribute to the development, by family farms in Houet (Burkina Faso) and Atacora (Benin), of increased, healthy and environmentally friendly production, resilient to climate change, able to ensure better food and nutrition security and to provide income covering their essential needs through an agroecological transition. | ARES (Academy of Research and Higher Education) |
| 11 | PATH: Strengthening the capacities of young African scientists in precision agriculture through interregional academic mobility for a climate-smart agri-food system | The project aims to strengthen the capacities of young African scientists and entrepreneurs in precision agriculture to establish adaptable and climate-resilient agri-food systems. More precisely, the project aims to: train 32 African master's and 12 doctoral researchers in precision agriculture applied to crops to improve the continent’s capacities; strengthen the capacities of 10 young African interns and 10 staff members in precision agriculture and entrepreneurship; improve study and research programs in precision agriculture applied to crops and ICT4Ag in participating African higher education institutions to better address current agricultural and climate change challenges; develop a network of higher education institutions in Africa involved in research and training on precision agriculture applied to crops. | European Union |
| 12 | ORPHAN: Mobility of highly qualified scientists and entrepreneurs on orphan crops in higher education for accelerated climate change solutions in Africa | ORPHAN aims to address current and future challenges related to climate change and agri-food systems by focusing on promising orphan plant species of Africa. More precisely, the project aims to: - train 12 high-level PhD holders, 32 master’s holders, 10 university staff members and 10 interns with skills in plant breeding, food technology and nutrition to tackle current and future challenges related to climate change and agri-food systems, focusing on promising orphan plant species in Africa; - harmonize training and research programs on improving the value chain of orphan crops for food and nutritional security in Africa; - strengthen national, regional and international collaboration and programmatic agenda promoting research and training on orphan crops for agricultural innovations in Africa through interregional mobility. | European Union |
| 13 | GENES II: Mobility of plant genomics researchers to accelerate climate-smart adaptation options and food security in Africa II | The GENES II project aims to strengthen the capacities of scientists in genomics and digital technologies, particularly artificial intelligence and machine learning, to accelerate crop improvement for climate change adaptation and mitigation. More precisely, the project aims to: train 12 high-level PhD holders, 32 master's holders, 10 university staff members and 10 interns with skills in genomic and digital technologies, particularly AI and machine learning, to accelerate crop improvement for climate adaptation and mitigation; strengthen beneficiaries' entrepreneurial skills in agribusiness and business management to improve graduate employability; harmonize university curricula and research programs to enhance research collaboration among African higher education institutions. | European Union |
| 14 | e-Anacarde: Digitalization of the cashew sector in Benin | Contribute to the integrated development of innovative research tools for the improvement and intensification of cashew valorization in Benin. Specific objectives: strengthen coordination of actors and their integration into local and global value chains through a digital platform; produce high-yielding polyclonal seeds and plants based on genetic and phenotypic structure according to Benin’s agroecological zones; assess the socio-economic impact of interventions; strengthen the capacities of cashew sector actors, research teams and administration in Benin to improve cashew sector performance; and enhance the knowledge level of ARES researchers and Belgian cooperation actors on development issues in Benin. | ARES (Belgian Government) |
| 15 | TAVI: Taiwan-Africa Initiative for Vegetables | Improve the gene banks of the National Plant Genetic Resources Center of Eswatini (NPGRC) and the regional office of the World Vegetable Center for East and Southern Africa in Tanzania; preserve the genetic resources of traditional African vegetables by collecting at least 4,800 local varieties and wild relatives of 25 species in Eswatini, Tanzania, Madagascar, and Benin, which are biodiversity "hotspots" for vegetables in Africa; improve the nutritional content of school meals in Eswatini within the National School Feeding Program (NSFP). Project objective at GBioS UAC: Within the TAVI project, the GBioS unit will conserve 1,200 accessions of 25 traditional African vegetable species and their wild relatives. More specifically, the project will: collect 1,200 accessions of traditional African vegetable species and their wild relatives; regenerate and share collected accessions with the World Vegetable Center gene bank in Arusha; train master's students on documentation of traditional vegetables and strengthen GBioS gene bank staff capacities on gene bank operations. | Taiwan Council of Agriculture (COA) and the Taiwan Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) |
| 16 | BIOVALOR: Strengthening skills approach and entrepreneurial culture in agronomic higher education: levers for professional integration and bioeconomy development in Benin | Implement the skills-based approach in the Bachelor's, Master's, and Doctorate training programs of the Faculty of Agronomic Sciences (FSA) of the University of Abomey-Calavi (UAC) by revisiting courses applying the principles of the skills approach, which successively associates (i) definition of professions related to professional actors, (ii) necessary skills, (iii) adaptation of educational pathways to reduce the gap between required and available skills, and (iv) evaluation of acquired knowledge; Promote entrepreneurial culture and spirit of innovation; Promote bilateral mobility of students and teacher-researchers through closer cooperation between FSA-UAC training programs and those of its partners via academic mobility agreements; Create an entrepreneurial village (VE) bringing together several laboratories and equipped with a technology transfer platform and resources from the FSA farm, which will contribute to (i) practical training of students, (ii) capacity building of professionals, (iii) maturation of innovative projects, (iv) creation of start-ups and (v) ultimately fostering the development of research and development action models. | French Development Agency (AFD) |
| 17 | BMZ-CGT: Choose Grow Thrive: Using citizen science to expand West Africa’s food basket with African vegetables to fight malnutrition | Strengthen African vegetable seed systems and expand the adoption of varieties so that farmers and urban consumers benefit from increased production and consumption of African vegetables, which are nutritious but currently underutilized. Specific objectives: Encourage seed companies to include African vegetables in their product portfolios to diversify vegetable production and consumption in Benin and Mali; Develop seed production of varieties preferred by farmers, traders, and consumers; Promote variety adoption by linking farmer networks to seed companies; And stimulate a food environment favorable to the consumption of African vegetables. | German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) GIZ |