Benin, June 2026
Second Working Week on the revision of the NRDS in Benin
Benin Advances Its Rice Self-Sufficiency Goals with New Strategic Roadmap
From June 15 to 21, 2026, Grand-Popo hosted the second working week of intense deliberations on Benin’s updated National Rice Development Strategy (NRDS). Building on lessons from previous phases, this high-level gathering brought together farmers, researchers, government officials, and international partners like JICA and the Islamic Development Bank project to shape the country’s rice future.
The meeting’s goal was to develop the first version of the NRDS 3 (2026-2035), featuring ambitious objectives : reaching 1 million tons of rice by 2030, which would cover half of the current national demand (18% in 2025), and achieving food self-sufficiency by 2035.
To realize this vision, several strategies have been outlined: promoting irrigated rice cultivation through the development of 50,000 hectares of irrigated schemes (20,000 hectares of large-scale irrigation schemes and 30,000 hectares of lowland irrigation schemes), modernizing processing units, and enhancing competitiveness through upgrading standards and/or constructing new infrastructure, promoting high-quality rice, and reducing costs. Water management will play a central role, with the promotion of the development of inland valleys to ensure immediate access to water for farmers, while awaiting the implementation of more ambitious projects. The plan also emphasizes empowering producers through training, mechanization, and targeted subsidies, while strengthening sector governance by improving regulation, increasing transparency, and enhancing financial autonomy.
With a budget of nearly 800 billion FCFA, the strategy relies on four key levers for mobilizing resources from the government, the private sector, and innovative climate financing mechanisms.
The revised NRDS reflects lessons learned, prioritizing rainwater harvesting and private sector involvement, with a pragmatic approach aligned with regional goals to reduce imports by 15% by 2030 and attain self-sufficiency by 2035.
Before formal adoption in December, the strategy will be shared with top officials, followed by the revision of a medium-term action plan (PNDF-Riz) and the organization of a national rice investment roundtable to secure funding for its implementation in the short term (NRIAP) and Annual Rice Sector Review Meeting.
[1] PNDF-Riz: Programme National de Développement de la Filière Riz
[2] NRIAP: Plan d’action National d’Investissement dans la fiière riz
