Maize is the most important cereal crop globally in terms of quantity and area, ahead of wheat and rice. In Benin, maize is one of the staple foods of various ethnic and socio-cultural groups. Several producers are involved in producing this cereal, which represents a real business opportunity for them.
Despite the potential of the maize crop, several factors hinder the optimization of its production. These include the problem of soil fertility, poor cultivation techniques, the effects of climate change, and the lack of good seed and suitable varieties.
To address the lack of suitable varieties, which disrupts maize production in Benin, the youth compact of the Technologies pour la Transformation Agricole en Afrique (TAAT), also known as ENABLE TAAT, is collaborating with national institutions and development partners. Such partners include the Institut Nationale des Recherches Agronomiques du Bénin (INRAB), the Direction de la Production Végétale (DPV), the Direction Départementale de l’Agriculture, de l’Elevage et de la Pêche (DDAEP) and the Agences Territoriales de Développement Agricole (ATDA). The target of this partnership is to develop the capacity of groups of young people in several localities in Benin on seed production.
Many of the beneficiary youth received training on maize seed production standards and techniques in Benin. Beyond that, ENABLE TAAT registered them with the DPV—the national plant-product control body of the Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock and Fisheries (MAEP). The compact trains the youth and connects them with the right institutions to produce better quality seeds that boost maize production in their communities.
According to the statistics of a survey carried out on this engagement, 45 youth will be able to supply the Beninese seed market with 90,000 kg of maize seed, allowing the planting of 4,500 ha considering that an average of 20 kg of seed is needed for 1 ha. In addition, projecting an average yield of 4 tons per hectare, these young people trained by the ENABLE TAAT compact will enable Beninese maize producers to produce 18,000 tons of grain maize per season.
Through this network of young seed growers, ENABLE TAAT is fulfilling its mandate to assist more youth in creating jobs for themselves and other youth in Bénin.
Contributed by Dolapo Ogunsola
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