Benin'de İklim ve Ekosistem Çeşitliliği Gıda Güvenliğini Etkiliyor

Benin Context Report

Benin Context Report Executive Summary Source: FEWS NET Executive Summary Benin is a small, coastal country in West Africa. It extends from the humid Gulf of Guinea in the south to the drier Sahelian zone in the north (Figure 1) and is home to diverse ecological zones and livelihood systems. Southern Benin benefits from two rainy seasons, strong market integration, and relatively diversified livelihoods, while central and northern areas rely on unimodal rainfall and mixed cropping and agropastoral systems. Countrywide, livelihoods are dominated by smallholder rainfed agriculture, complemented by livestock rearing, fishing, trade, and informal employment. Rural households primarily access food through own crop production, particularly maize, cassava, yams, sorghum, millet, and rice, supplemented by market purchases during the lean seasons, while livestock and fishing contribute to diets in northern and coastal areas, respectively. Urban households are almost entirely dependent on market purchases for food and earn income mainly from informal trade, services, transport, and wage labor. For both rural and urban households, food purchases constitute the largest share of expenditures, followed by agricultural inputs in rural areas and housing, and transportation, health, education, and other basic services in urban centers. While acute food insecurity remains relatively limited in much of the country, it is a growing concern in northern areas due to increasing conflict and insecurity in recent years. Since 2019, the expansion of violent extremist activity from neighboring Burkina Faso and Niger has increasingly affected northern border areas, particularly Alibori and Atacora departments. Growing insecurity is disrupting livelihoods, restricting mobility, limiting access to agricultural land and markets, and driving forced, often repeated displacements. Rising food, fuel, and agricultural input prices, especially in conflict-affected areas, are also eroding purchasing power for poor households. Additional hazards include recurrent flooding in southern and riverine areas and erratic rainfall and dry spells in the north. Structural vulnerabilities, including persistently high poverty in rural and northern areas, further limit households’ ability to cope with and recover from successive shocks. Atacora and Alibori departments are areas of highest concern, due to the impacts of conflict that are increasing populations’ risk of acute food insecurity. Political Geography Benin is a small coastal country in West Africa. It borders Togo to the west, Nigeria to the east, Burkina Faso and Niger to the north, and the Atlantic Ocean to the south. The country is just over 400 miles from north to south, linking the coastal Gulf of Guinea to the Sahelian zone, which gives Benin strategic importance for regional trade and mobility. The country is divided into 12 departments, which serve as the primary subnational units for governance and administration, and are further subdivided into 77 communes. Benin operates under a presidential republic system established after the 1990 democratic transition, which ended a Marxist-Leninist regime and introduced a multiparty constitutional democracy. Since that transition, political power has alternated through several administrations, including those of Nicéphore Soglo, Mathieu Kérékou, Boni Yayi, and Patrice Talon (since 2016). While the country has long been considered one of the more stable democracies in West Africa, the government introduced stricter rules for candidates and higher registration costs in 2018. As a result, the electoral commission disqualified all opposition parties from the 2019 parliamentary election for not meeting the new criteria. The restrictions continued into the 2021 presidential elections, which were marked by limited political participation, low turnout, major protests, and violence against demonstrators. However, the 2023 legislative elections allowed opposition parties to return to parliament, signaling some evolution in the political landscape. Regionally, Benin plays an active diplomatic and economic role despite its relatively small economic size. The country participates in several regional organizations, including the West African Economic and Monetary Union (UEMOA) and the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS). The Port of Cotonou serves as a major transit hub for regional trade, particularly for landlocked neighbors such as Niger and Burkina Faso. However, the Niger-Benin border has been closed since July 2023, following the military coup in Niger. Benin’s strategic position makes cross-border trade and regional transport corridors important drivers of the national economy and food supply chains. Like several other countries in the central Sahel, Benin has become increasingly affected by conflict, which is the main driver of acute food insecurity in the country. Insecurity drives forced population displacements, interrupts agricultural activities, and restricts market functioning in border areas. Natural Geography Source: Analyse Globale de la Vulnérabilité et de la Sécurité Alimentaire (AGVSA) Benin’s terrain consists primarily of low plateaus and gently undulating plains rising gradually from the coastal zone in the south toward the northern interior, with localized highlands in the Atacora Mountain range. River valleys associated with the Niger, Ouémé, Couffo, and Mono rivers create fertile floodplains that support stream bank agriculture and fisheries. Benin has eight agroecological zones that influence distinct production systems and vulnerability profiles (Figure 2). The southern part of the country consists of a narrow coastal plain bordering the Atlantic Ocean, characterized by low elevations of sandy soils, lagoons, and wetlands. Inland from the coast, the terrain transitions into fertile plateaus and valleys that support intensive agriculture. The Ouémé River, Benin’s largest river system, flows southward through central areas into the coastal lagoon system, creating important floodplains that support crop production but are also prone to destructive seasonal flooding events. Elevation increases along the Gulf of Guinea to approximately 400-600 meters across much of central and northern Benin in the Niger River basin. Central Benin forms a transitional belt between the humid south and the drier north. This area is characterized by gently undulating plateaus and savannah landscapes. Soils are generally suitable for rainfed agriculture but remain vulnerable to degradation under population pressure and continuous cultivation. Benin’s territory also includes significant natural resources and ecosystems, including 46 classified forests, seven reforestation areas, two national parks, and three hunting zones. Large protected areas, such as Pendjari National Park and W National Park, are located in the northern part of the country and form part of the transboundary W-Arly-Pendjari conservation complex, one of the largest protected ecosystems in West Africa. These areas contribute to environmental conservation and tourism. However, given protected-area restrictions and wildlife encroachment, agricultural households around park boundaries face land-use restrictions and other challenges, such as wildlife crop damage, which reduce agricultural productivity in these areas. There are two major climates in Benin: equatorial and tropical. The equatorial climate covers the south with a bimodal (two season) rainfall pattern. These southern areas have high humidity and high temperatures. In Cotonou, located on the coast, temperatures vary, ranging from 23 to 32 degrees Celsius, and rainfall averages 1,245 millimeters (mm). Vegetation in the south is characterized by forest islands, wooded and shrubby savannas, aquatic grasslands, and a few mangroves. The tropical climate covers the center and north with a unimodal (single season) rainfall pattern. Annual rainfall levels in the center and north are moderate, typically between 800 and 1,200 mm, although interannual variability tends to increase moving north. Temperatures are also generally higher in the north, particularly during the pre-rainy season months (March-May) when maximum temperatures can exceed 40 degrees Celsius. The vegetation in the center and north is characterized by wooded savanna and woodlands. Source: Food and Agriculture Organization Seasonal agroclimatology patterns in Benin follow a predictable annual cycle driven primarily by rainfall patterns, agricultural production, and seasonal labor demand. These seasonal dynamics shape household access to both food and income throughout the year. In the bimodal south, the first long main rainy season is crucial for agriculture and stretches from April to July (Figure 3). The second shorter season is from September to October, although it is also important for the second cropping cycle. The main food crops grown in the south during these periods are maize (the main staple crop, with majority produced in the south), along with cassava and yams. Cotton is a widely grown cash crop but is less important than in central and northern areas. Other cash crops include oil palm, pineapple, and cashew nuts. The dry seasons run from mid-July to mid-September and November to March; during these periods vegetable production under small scale irrigation occurs. The arrival of rains marks the start of land preparation and planting. The main cereal harvest period occurs between July and September while the second harvest is from November to December. The peak harvesting period for fruits follows the rainy season. However, the lean season typically occurs between April to July when reserves from the previous harvest are depleted and households become more dependent on market purchases. During this period, food prices often increase while household purchasing power is seasonally low. Agricultural wage labor opportunities during land preparation and planting periods help poor households bridge this gap. In the country’s unimodal center and north, the rainy season generally begins in April and extends through October, and the dry period is from November to March. As in the south, maize is the main staple alongside other secondary staples including yams, rice, sorghum, and millet. Land preparation and planting follow the onset of rainfall, and harvesting of main cereals occurs from October to December. The main cash crop, cotton, is harvested from November through January, which also coincides with the marketing season, generating important income for rural households. The lean season typically lasts from July through August. Food availability is generally highest during the harvest period, and staple prices tend to decline afterwards. Agricultural labor demand increases during the planting and harvesting periods, providing important income-earning opportunities for poorer households. During the early dry season, households rely on food stocks from the recent harvest and income from crop sales. Livestock sales and petty trade also typically increase as households convert agricultural earnings into cash. Livestock body conditions and market values tend to improve during the rainy season due to better pasture and water availability. Fishing activities are seasonal and often peak when water levels are high in rivers, lakes, and lagoons, particularly during and immediately after the rainy season. As the dry season progresses, household food stocks gradually decline, before dropping to their lowest levels during the lean season. Urban livelihoods also exhibit seasonal fluctuations. Informal sector employment, petty trade, and transport services often increase during the harvest period and periods of strong agricultural market activity. However, urban households remain highly dependent on markets throughout the year and are sensitive to seasonal price increases. Demographics Benin has an estimated population of 14.6 million people in 2026; the extreme south is most densely populated (Figure 4). The country’s population is growing rapidly, with an estimated annual growth rate of approximately 3.2 percent and a total fertility rate of 4.4 children per woman as of 2025. The country’s population is predominantly young, with 42 percent under the age of 14, while only 4.4 percent are aged 60 and above. Life expectancy at birth is estimated at 61 years, reflecting ongoing improvements in health outcomes but also persistent development challenges. Ethnically, Fon are the largest group at 38 percent of the population, followed by Adja at 15 percent, Yoruba at 12 percent, Bariba at 9 percent, and Fulani at 8 percent, followed by other ethnic minorities. Benin’s population is religiously diverse, with 48 percent of the population identifying as Christian and 27 percent as Muslim, followed by other indigenous religions. These demographic patterns are reflected in Benin’s geographic distribution: Fon, Adja, Yoruba, and other ethnic groups are predominantly located in the south, while Bariba and Fulani are the principal ethnic groups in the north. Source: Benin Institute of Statistics Benin is undergoing gradual urbanization. Approximately 44 percent of the population lives in urban areas, while the majority still reside in rural areas. Education levels in the country remain limited, particularly among older populations. Literacy rates among people aged 15 years and above are estimated at 40-45 percent, though literacy improves among younger cohorts, reaching about 64.5 percent among those aged 15-24. Benin is classified as a lower-middle-income country, with a GDP per capita of approximately 1,485 USD in 2024. According to the World Bank, Benin’s national poverty level fell from 38.5 percent in 2018/19 to 36.2 percent in 2021/22, with the equivalent to 4.7 million people living under the national poverty line, estimated at 287,715 CFA per person per year. Despite recent economic growth, poverty remains especially widespread in rural areas and northern regions, where households rely heavily on agriculture, livestock, and informal labor markets. Approximately 44 percent of the rural population in Benin lived below the poverty line in 2019, with rates exceeding 60 and 50 percent in Atacora and Borgou, respectively, while multidimensional poverty indicators remain very high in Alibori, Atacora, and Borgou. Poor households often face limited land access, high dependence on seasonal agricultural labor, and high vulnerability to weather shocks. Poverty incidence and socioeconomic inequalities vary across the country, with differences between Benin's rural and urban areas and its northern interior and southern coastal regions. Poverty incidence is around 40.6 percent in rural areas versus 30.8 percent in urban areas, and northern regions have relatively higher poverty rates. Livelihoods Context Benin’s livelihood systems are largely based on smallholder agriculture, livestock production, fishing, trade, and urban informal employment. Agriculture remains the backbone of rural livelihoods and employs roughly 28 percent of the national workforce, while contributing about 23-29 percent of GDP. Benin also has large, protected areas such as Pendjari National Park and W National Park, located in the northern part of the country, that form part of the transboundary W-Arly-Pendjari conservation complex, one of the largest protected ecosystems in West Africa. These areas contribute to environmental conservation and tourism, providing employment opportunities for households. In southern Benin, livelihoods are diverse: farmers grow maize, cassava, vegetables, oil palm, and pineapple, aided by two rainy seasons, markets, and urban proximity. Fishing is an important livelihood activity in coastal areas and lagoon systems, particularly around Lake Nokoué and the lower Ouémé River basin. Households also engage in petty trade, transport services, and wage labor linked to the port economy and cross-border commerce with Nigeria. North and central Benin form the country’s principal cotton-producing belt, and farmers typically cultivate cotton alongside maize and yam in mixed farming systems. In northern Benin, agropastoral systems predominate, households cultivate rainfed cereals such as millet, sorghum, and maize, mixed with the rearing of cattle, goats, and sheep. Seasonal transhumance is common as herders move animals in search of pastures and water during the dry season. The Niger River valley also supports irrigated rice production, vegetable cultivation, and fishing activities. Urban livelihoods are largely market-based and dominated by informal employment. Most households obtain food through a combination of own crop production, market purchases, livestock products, and fishing, with the relative importance of each source varying by agroecological zone. Own crop production is the primary source of food for rural households. Staple crops produced and consumed locally include maize, sorghum, millet, cassava, yams, and rice, depending on the agroecological zone. In southern and central areas, maize and cassava dominate household consumption, while in northern zones sorghum and millet are more important. Market purchases represent another major source of food, particularly for poor rural households during the two-to-four month lean season. Urban households are almost entirely dependent on markets for food. Markets supply staples include maize, rice, and cassava products, as well as vegetables and processed foods. Livestock provide meat and occasionally milk products, which also contribute to household diets, particularly in northern agropastoral zones. In areas near rivers, lakes, and coastal zones, fishing provides an important source of protein. Source: FEWS NET with WFP data Income sources in rural Benin are diversified but remain strongly anchored in agriculture and informal economic activities (Figure 5), with 29 percent of households reporting engaging in subsistence agriculture in a 2017 survey. The main income sources are crops and livestock sales, fish sales, trade, and wage labor, and importance of each source varies by region. Farmers cultivate both food and cash crops, selling part of their harvest to generate cash for household expenditures. Cotton is the most important cash crop in central and northern Benin, forming the backbone of rural income in the cotton belt. Other commonly sold crops include soybeans, maize, yams, cassava, rice, and vegetables. In agropastoral zones, households earn income from the sale of cattle, goats, sheep, and poultry, as well as livestock products such as milk. Fishing activities generate income for households living near rivers, lakes, and coastal areas. Agricultural wage labor is another important source of income for poorer households, particularly during peak agricultural seasons such as planting and harvesting. Urban households rely on informal employment, engaging in activities such as petty trade, vending, and service activities (e.g., transport services, construction work, and small businesses). The availability of informal employment is inconsistent and pays low wages, rendering households more vulnerable to price shocks. Household expenditure patterns vary significantly between rural and urban populations but are generally dominated by food purchases, particularly among poorer households. In rural areas, households purchase staple foods such as maize, cassava, and rice, especially during the lean season when household food stocks are depleted. Other important expenditures include agricultural inputs (for crop and livestock production), health services, education costs, and social obligations such as ceremonies. In urban areas, where households depend almost entirely on markets to access food, food expenditures represent a larger share of total spending. Urban households also allocate a greater portion of income to housing, transport, utilities, and education. Common hazards in Benin include floods, torrential rains, droughts, conflict and insecurity, inflation, and other macroeconomic shocks. Weather hazards occur regularly across the country. In the south, flooding, particularly along the Ouémé River basin and low-lying coastal zones, is associated with destruction of crops, displacement of communities, damage to infrastructure, and disruption to market access. Northern areas are more exposed to drought, erratic rainfall, and prolonged dry spells, which often lead to significantly reduced crop yields. Pastoral livelihoods in northern Benin are especially vulnerable to pasture degradation, water scarcity during the dry season, and conflicts over natural resources. The escalating violence and instability in neighboring countries of Burkina Faso and Niger increases the number of internally displaced persons (IDPs), refugees, and asylum seekers in Benin. While impacts vary geographically, insecurity restricts mobility, limits market access, disrupts transhumance routes, and reduces cross-border trade flows, affecting both agricultural and pastoral livelihoods. Households employ a variety of coping strategies that help bridge seasonal food and income gaps following impacts of hazards on their food security and livelihoods. Common livelihood strategies include livestock sales (particularly small ruminants), increased agricultural wage labor, and expanded petty trade or small informal businesses. Households also resort to consumption-based coping strategies such as reducing meal sizes, eating less preferred or cheaper foods, or borrowing food or money from relatives, traders, or community networks. Households may also rely more heavily on fishing or the collection of natural resources where available, and in some cases, household members temporarily migrate to urban areas or neighboring countries to seek short-term employment and support household income. Security and Conflict Context Source: Armed Conflict Location and Event Data (ACLED) Benin is divided into the largely Muslim north and the largely animist and Christian South. Persisting small-scale conflicts between herder and farmer communities constitute a key source of tensions in Benin. Outbreaks of intercommunal violence are often related to land ownership and grazing rights between nomadic herding people, who are predominantly Fulani and Muslim, and subsistence farmers that typically belong to other ethnic groups. While the government of Benin has placed additional restrictions on the entry and grazing of Fulani cattle herders that do not typically reside in Benin, tensions have persisted. Since the mid-2010s, Benin's northern departments of Alibori, Atacora, and Borgou have faced a burgeoning presence of violent extremist organizations (VEOs), namely Jama'at Nusrat ul-Islam wa al-Muslimin (JNIM) operating from neighboring Burkina Faso and Niger, and to a lesser extent, the Islamic State Sahel Province (ISSP), which maintains a presence in Niger (Figure 6). VEOs initially exploited the porosity of borders to establish rear bases in the W-Arly-Pendjari (WAP) complex, conducting opportunistic raids and attacks on border outposts and military patrols before establishing a more durable presence in northern Benin, threatening civilian populations. More recently, Borgou Department has seen an increased presence of fighters likely associated with Mahmuda, likely displaced by increasing security operations in neighboring Nigeria. Despite the increasing presence of VEOs in northern departments, Benin’s government has implemented a multidimensional counterinsurgency strategy that has received praise from the United Nations. Beninese security forces have launched a series of security operations across Atacora and Alibori, establishing bases and striking VEO positions. Alongside its military response, Beninese authorities have invested in outreach and development initiatives aiming to prevent VEOs from exploiting local grievances. Political tensions have increased in recent years, culminating in an attempted coup against President Patrice Talon in December 2025. Soldiers led by Lieutenant Colonel Pascal Tigri announced the overthrow of President Talon on national television, explicitly citing the deteriorating security situation in the north. The coup was swiftly thwarted by government forces backed by international partners, though the attempt exposed the fragility underpinning Benin's relative stability, and the degree to which insecurity in northern Benin has become a source of broader political tension. Economic and Markets Context Benin has experienced relatively strong macroeconomic performance over the past decade, with economic growth generally ranging between 5 and 6 percent annually, supported by a combination of agricultural production, expanding services, and trade activity. This steady growth has contributed to gradual improvements in living standards and government revenues, although poverty and food insecurity remain significant concerns, particularly in rural areas. The structure of Benin’s economy remains strongly tied to agriculture and trade. Agriculture employs a large share of the labor force and contributes significantly to national output, with staple crop production and export-oriented commodities such as cotton, soybean, and cashew nuts playing key roles. The services sector, including transport, logistics, and trade linked to the Port of Cotonou, represents another important pillar of the economy and supports Benin’s role as a regional trade gateway for neighboring countries. Benin’s economic growth has been strengthened by the creation of the Glo-Djigbé Industrial Zone (GDIZ) in 2021. Focused on adding value to local resources, the GDIZ has enabled the development of domestic value chains, transforming agricultural products such as cotton, soybeans, and cashew nuts into high value-added finished goods. This dynamic has contributed to a rapid and significant transformation of the country’s economic landscape. Tourism contributes more modestly to national income but remains relevant in coastal areas and cultural heritage sites such as Ouidah and Abomey, which attract regional and international visitors. Source: Calculations based on International Monetary Fund's GDP and inflation data; Central Bank of West African States exchange rate data Benin and the seven other members of UEMOA use the West African CFA franc (XOF), which is pegged to the Euro (EUR). This exchange rate arrangement has historically contributed to macroeconomic stability and relatively moderate to low inflation levels (Figure 7). However, because many internationally imported commodities – including rice, wheat, fuel, and fertilizers – are priced in USD, fluctuations in the EUR/USD exchange rate influence these import costs and resulting domestic prices. Despite the steady economic growth, public debt has increased in recent years, exceeding 50 percent of GDP, largely reflecting expanded public investment in infrastructure and economic development programs. While investments in these priority areas are intended to support long-term growth, the government’s overall fiscal policy has been one of tightening, alongside regional monetary policy measures, and these could constrain credit availability for farmers, traders, and small businesses. Financial inclusion and payment systems in Benin continue to evolve. Cash remains the dominant medium for everyday transactions, particularly in rural areas and in the large informal sector that characterizes much of the economy. However, mobile money services have expanded rapidly, with more than 11 million registered accounts in 2023, up from 2.6 million at the end of 2018 (a 323 percent increase), and a total of 2.07 billion transactions made in 2023, up from 202.6 million recorded in 2018 (a 920 percent increase). Data from the Central Bank of West African States (BCEAO), highlighting the increasing importance of mobile payments for transfers, bill payments, and small-scale commerce, indicate that digital transaction values increased by 68 percent between 2020 and 2023, amounting to 2,115 billion XOF (about 3.5 billion USD) and doubling the 2020 value of 1,200 billion XOF (about 2.1 billion USD). Despite this progress, the use of bank cards and formal electronic payment systems remains relatively limited and is largely concentrated in urban areas. According to national statistics, agricultural production in Benin has generally increased over the past decade, supported by expanding cultivated areas, public and partners’ support programs, private investments, and rising demand. Cotton remains the country’s main export crop, with production increasing from about 453,000 metric tons (MT) in 2016/17 to nearly 780,000 MT in 2021/22, before stabilizing around 600,000-680,000 MT in recent years. Soybean production has grown rapidly, rising from about 157,000 MT in 2016/17 to more than 520,000 MT in 2023/24, reflecting strong demand and increased farmer adoption, while cashew, groundnut, and oil palm production have also shown gradual growth. Among staple cereals, maize production increased steadily from about 1.4 million MT in 2016/17 to over 2.0 million MT in 2023/24, reinforcing its role as the country’s primary staple, while rice production expanded more gradually from below 300,000 MT to around 500,000 MT in 2021/22, as part of government efforts to strengthen domestic supply. Root and tuber crops dominate domestic food production, particularly cassava and yam, with cassava increasing from about 3.9 million MT in 2016/17 to around 4.4 million MT in 2024/25. Yam production has remained consistently high at roughly 3.0 to 3.4 million MT annually over the same period, highlighting its vital role in food availability. Benin is generally self-sufficient in several traditional staples, including cassava, yam, maize, and sorghum. However, the country remains structurally dependent on imports for rice, wheat, and vegetable oils, which are increasingly consumed in urban areas. Over the past decade, agricultural production has expanded moderately due to population growth, expanded cultivated area, and improved crop varieties, though productivity gains remain uneven. Production surpluses are typically concentrated in the central and northern departments, which produce cereals, legumes, and yams in larger quantities. Meanwhile, coastal and urban areas – particularly around Cotonou – are structurally deficit-producing due to higher population densities and limited agricultural land. These spatial imbalances underpin strong north–south trade flows, with surplus-producing areas supplying deficit-producing consumption areas. Benin’s food markets are relatively dynamic and integrated at both domestic and regional levels. Major wholesale and assembly markets include Dantokpa in Cotonou, Bohicon, Parakou, Malanville, and Natitingou, which serve as key nodes for the aggregation and redistribution of agricultural commodities. These markets are characterized by a large number of small traders and assemblers operating within competitive informal networks, while higher levels of concentration occur in import-dependent commodities such as rice and wheat flour. Benin also plays a significant role in regional trade networks, particularly as a transit and re-export hub for goods destined for Nigeria and landlocked Sahelian countries such as Niger and Burkina Faso. Informal cross-border trade is widespread and constitutes an important channel for the movement of staple foods and livestock in Benin and across West Africa. Despite relatively active market systems, several structural constraints affect market efficiency. These include high transport costs, limited storage infrastructure, seasonal road degradation during the rainy season, and periodic trade policy disruptions, such as export restrictions or border closures, both internal and/or from neighboring countries. Insecurity can also affect cross-border trade routes and market functioning. Food prices exhibit strong seasonal patterns, with cereal prices typically rising during the lean season before the main harvest and leveling off during harvest and post-harvest periods. Annual price anomalies are generally associated with poor agricultural performance, trade restrictions, insecurity, and global shocks (e.g., the COVID-19 pandemic and war in Ukraine). Food Security and Nutrition Context Acute food insecurity in Benin is generally rare, given the broadly favorable agroclimatic conditions and relative political and economic stability. However, over the past several years, acute food insecurity has been worsening in conflict-affected northern Benin, notably Atacora and Alibori departments. Growing insecurity and incursions by armed groups from the central Sahel intermittently disrupt households’ access to their typical sources of food and income and have also increased costs of essential food and non-food items. Given persistent poverty, many households lack the capacity to cope with successive conflict shocks, which has slowly eroded their livelihoods and capacities to cope with future shocks. Since 2019, insecurity linked to armed groups in northern border areas has grown in scale and impact. The number of security incidents rose sharply from 67 incidents in 2019 to about 420 incidents in 2025, resulting in approximately 1,725 deaths. Armed group incursions have intermittently disrupted households’ access to agricultural land and typical sources of food and income, with some agricultural lands abandoned entirely due to insecurity. Mobility restrictions have further limited market access and constrained commercial activity. Though incursions by armed groups have had the greatest impact on acute food insecurity, conflicts between farmers and pastoralists account for most reported security incidents. These highly localized events regularly result in crop destruction, livestock losses, and disruptions to agricultural activities and pastoral movements. In addition, as of late 2025, there were over 58,000 IDPs, most of whom are located in northern Benin. These households, many of whom have likely faced repeated forced displacements, are of highest concern. They have lost access to their typical livelihoods and face a greater vulnerability to food price shocks due to their dependence on food purchases. In areas hosting high IDP concentrations, additional pressure is placed on already limited local resources and services. Regional economic and trade disruptions have also contributed to weakening food systems. Trade restrictions and the prolonged closure of some regional borders, particularly with Niger, disrupted cross-border trade flows and reduced market outlets for several agricultural commodities. Rising input and fuel costs have compounded these pressures. The price of a 50 kilogram bag of fertilizer increased by approximately 41 percent between 2017 and 2025, while fuel prices have roughly doubled since 2011, rising from approximately 275 CFA/liter to around 700 CFA/liter. Together, these increases have raised production and marketing costs, reduced agricultural earnings, and eroded household purchasing power, particularly among poor urban populations and rural households whose incomes have not kept pace with increasing costs. Recurrent weather shocks have also compounded the impacts of conflict and insecurity on livelihoods. Producers have faced increasing rainfall variability, including prolonged dry spells, flooding, and gradual soil degradation. These disruptions have reduced crop yields and resulted in production losses, most recently flooding along the Niger River in 2012 and prolonged dry spells in 2025, all in Alibori Department. Though most weather shocks have been relatively localized, the 2010 floods were the most severe in nearly half a century, affecting over 680,000 people in 55 of 77 communes and causing substantial damage to homes, crop losses, and fatalities. These shocks have had an outsized impact on acute food insecurity due to structural vulnerabilities. Benin’s rural economy relies predominantly on rainfed agricultural production systems characterized by low mechanization, limited use of improved inputs, and constrained access to financial services and storage infrastructure. This dependence on rainfall exposes households to significant risk and variability in agricultural production and limits their capacity to cope with production losses and economic disruptions. These constraints are compounded by high levels of poverty, particularly in the north. Persistent poverty limits households’ access to productive resources, social services, and markets, reducing their capacity to cope with successive shocks and slowly increasing their vulnerability to future shocks over time. Poor diet quality, inadequate infant and young child feeding (IYCF) practices, and a persistently high burden of childhood illness are key drivers of acute malnutrition in Benin. Only 9.3 percent of children aged 6-23 months consume a Minimum Acceptable Diet (MAD), 22 percent achieve Minimum Dietary Diversity (MDD), and 32.1 percent meet Minimum Meal Frequency (MMF) according to the latest Multiple Indicators Cluster Survey (MICS) in 2021. Early initiation of breastfeeding remains low at 35.1 percent of infants, as well as exclusive breastfeeding at 44.9 percent. These challenges are compounded by widespread anemia, affecting 71.5 percent of children under five and 57.5 percent of women 15-49 years, as well as limited access to high‑quality diets, recurrent infections, and suboptimal water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) conditions. The most recent national data on nutrition status in Benin is from the 2021 MICS, which measured global acute malnutrition (GAM) by weight-for-height z-score (WHZ) and/or edema at the department level. The survey found a GAM (WHZ) of 8.3 percent (Alert threshold and indicative of Stressed [IPC Phase 2]). However, three departments exceeded the 10 percent GAM threshold for a Serious level of acute malnutrition (10.0-14.9 percent), indicative of Crisis (IPC Phase 3): Alibori (14.7 percent), Atlantique (11.7 percent), and Donga (11.7 percent). At the national level, the GAM of 8.3 percent (7.5-9.1 95% C.I.) found in this 2021 survey represents a statistically significant deterioration from the 5.0 percent (4.5-5.4 95% C.I.) found in the 2018 Demographic and Health Survey (DHS). Trends in severe acute malnutrition (SAM) also show deterioration, rising from 1.1 percent in 2018 to 2.4 percent in 2021. This deterioration occurred across urban and rural areas between the two years and likely reflects a real deterioration in nutritional status rather than methodological artifacts. Representative, countrywide nutrition data is seemingly limited to the 2021 MICS, 2018 DHS, 2014 MICS, 2008 Comprehensive Food Security and Vulnerability Analysis (CFSVA), and 2001 DHS. Other nutrition data exist but come from varying survey types with differences in sampling frames, geographic coverage, and methodological approaches. For these reasons, there is limited capacity to compare nutrition status beyond the comparison of 2014 and 2018 to 2021. This includes a limited ability to assess nutritional status in 2026. Without more recent assessments, it is difficult to determine whether the increase in 2021 is part of a continuing upward trajectory or reflects temporary shocks in food access, disease burden, or service availability. Mortality indicators provide further context but are limited. No recent crude death rate (CDR) or under‑five death rate (U5DR) estimates are available. However, in 2021 the Ministry of Health identified malaria (19.8 percent), anemia (12.7 percent), malnutrition (11.8 percent), acute respiratory infection (4.4 percent), and diarrhea (2.9 percent) as leading causes of death among children under five. These patterns underscore the strong link between infectious disease, micronutrient deficiencies, and acute malnutrition in the country. Given the limited availability of more recent nutrition data, clear trends beyond the 2021 MICS are difficult to determine. However, the combination of rising GAM and SAM prevalence, very high anemia rates, poor dietary diversity, and suboptimal IYCF indicators suggests that acute malnutrition in many areas of Benin has likely remained within Alert levels (5.0-9.9 percent), indicative of Stressed (IPC Phase 2), with certain northern and southern coastal departments possibly approaching or exceeding Serious levels (10-14.9 percent) indicative of Crisis (IPC Phase 3). hwellman@fews.net Thu, 06/11/2026 - 14:10 Download the report 8