Professionalization and reinforcement of training at the University of Parakou's Faculty of Agronomy for sustainable cotton-based production systems (PReFoSyC)

Description

Benin, Africa's leading cotton producer since 2018, has set itself two objectives for this booming sector: to continue increasing its production, the country's main cash crop and an essential link in its growth, and to implement sustainable intensification of this crop by improving its integration into cropping systems and terroirs, making it the main lever for agro-ecological transition. The PReFoSyC initiative supports these two objectives and this political will. It is consistent with the Government Action Program (PAG 2021-2026), which sets as priorities the promotion of agricultural sectors through performance indicators for production, yield and sustainability. For the cotton sector, a medium-term objective of 1 million tonnes of seed cotton is targeted (for 770,000 tonnes in 2021/2022). In order to reach this target, the sector has identified constraints in terms of the "knowledge gap" in terms of research, support functions for the sector, and the sector's farmers and entrepreneurs. PReFoSyC therefore responds specifically to this need from the top down, by contributing to the training of managers in particular, who will be at the root of the multiplication of human resource capacity-building efforts, a need that is all the more opportune given that the inclusion of economic players from the north of the country is a key factor in the balance of national development.

The project also capitalizes on the fact that the cotton sector is already remarkably well-structured, enabling it to capitalize on the opportunities offered by the project: professional organizations (producers, ginners) and research departments have already been working together for several years, as demonstrated by the dynamic already in place to question training and skills requirements for the sector, which gave rise to the Bohicon workshop (January 17-20, 2022). The market survey to be carried out in December 2022 (involving all players in the cotton-based cropping systems value chain) also illustrates this dynamic at work.

Structurally speaking, this context justifies the pursuit of value and job creation via this sector, which is one of Benin's main assets in the drive towards sustainable intensification, increased income for family farms and entrepreneurial dynamics, particularly those driven by women and young people. The PReFoSyC project should thus work in synergy with the various existing advisory services (interprofession, Ministry of Agriculture, local authorities). Its contribution meets the need to support players in this sector, in a context of growth with high economic and environmental stakes, in improving technical itineraries and planting material, adapting to climate change, and ensuring the sustainability of cropping and agro-pastoral systems.

This project is consistent with AFD's current commitment to this sector, via the TAZCO project, which focuses on agro-ecological transition in the cotton zone. On the one hand, it will be able to build on the gains of this project in terms of capacity building for players in the sector. On the other hand, it will be able to capitalize on this effort and support this transition through training, with two main objectives in mind: i) Training, via initial and continuing training, to support the production of cotton and cotton-associated crops; ii) Training for the value chain in the overall consideration of territories with a view to their sustainability.

In this expected dynamic, the craft sector, entrepreneurship and trade must be seen as essential cogs, particularly in view of the very large number of young people (men and women) who will be entering the job market, but also in view of the positive socio-economic effects that these cogs can rapidly produce. The PReFoSyC project therefore aims to provide central support through training for these three sectors, which have a high potential for multiplier effects in terms of economic activity, income generation and development. In terms of the training landscape, the PReFoSyC initiative complements the broader national agricultural and rural training program in Benin, which is supported by a national program called ProFAR (Programme de soutien à la formation Agricole et Rural) in northern Benin and its extension to other agricultural high schools in the country (30 agricultural high schools concerned and to be set up). This program, whose contracting authority is the Ministry in charge of technical education, is steered by the Agence de développement de l'enseignement technique (ADET) and benefits from the contribution of the Agence Française de Développement. Expertise France and Cap Compétences Bénin, who oversee the program, will be able to coordinate easily with the PReFoSyC team, and bring coherence to the results of both initiatives.

In particular, PReFoSyC would be a tool for training trainers for PROFAR, ensuring better preparation of agricultural high school teachers and thus facilitating their employability. This dual PROFAR and PReFoSyC initiative is in line with the priority levers for development of the agricultural sector defined by the PAG 2021-2026, which makes agricultural training a priority.

To meet these ambitions, the training program is structured around three components:

1.  to train directly operational managers to support cotton production and regional development. These executives need to be able to operate and share syntheses of the respective needs of producers and other operators: ginning companies, input and production service suppliers, traders and processors. This need can be adequately met by Masters. Doctoral students will also be trained to support research or reinforce teaching.
2. to support small-scale entrepreneurial initiatives (craft, commercial) and create synergies between cotton-grower initiatives and the needs of urban markets. This calls for the creation of an incubator or incubation center of significant size.
3. to train players in the sector (farmers, middle managers and senior technicians in companies and organizations) by offering vocational training capable of helping professional practices evolve in line with the agro-ecological transition of cotton-growing areas.