Benin
Total IDRC Support
116 activities worth CAD30.4 million since 1985
Our research is helping
- create sustainable food production in the Sahel region
- reduce the negative effects of climate change on food security and rural poverty
- reduce urban air pollution, which causes more than 36 million deaths annually worldwide
- establish strong research capabilities at Benin’s Institute for Empirical Research in Political Economy
- support ecohealth initiatives in Eastern and Southern Africa — exploring how changes in the earth's ecosystems affect human health
We’ve supported Benin researchers since 1985. Positive developments have included rapid alert committees to inform farmers about climatic hazards in their communities. Researchers also trained large numbers of farmers in sustainable agricultural practices, and gave the country’s decision-makers tools to design policies to combat poverty.
Access to health care
To encourage better access to health services, IDRC-supported research in Benin contributed to the “Bamako Initiative.” Adopted by many African leaders, it aims to improve access to health care and essential medications throughout Africa. Researchers proved that buying generic drugs wholesale considerably diminished treatment costs.
Farming in urban and rural settings
Our funding in agricultural research in Benin has helped improve small farm operations. For example, the Songhai Centre trains farmers to lessen environmental degradation and adopt effective agricultural techniques to help them earn a profit. With our support, a network of telecentres was established in three small Benin cities. Using distance learning, these centres teach farming techniques and business skills to rural farmers.
Research in Houéyiho, a district of the economic capital, Cotonou, made it possible to evaluate and protect against the health risks associated with small-scale market gardening. Urban market gardeners adopted simple measures, such as building latrines, to successfully prevent transmission of the malaria parasite and improve the health of farmers and their families.