Central project evaluation: Promotion de l’agriculture (ProAgri 4), Benin

Central Project Evaluation: "Promotion of Agriculture (ProAgri 4) in Benin"

The ProAgri 4 project (2020–2023), funded by BMZ and implemented by GIZ, aimed to sustainably promote selected agricultural value chains in two development areas in Benin. Key activities included enhancing agricultural advisory services, strengthening agribusiness clusters (ABC), empowering women through Smart-valley approaches, and integrating dual vocational training into agricultural education. The project targeted soybean, rice, and shea value chains, improving productivity and market access for 15,000 producers and processors. The total budget was €10.3 million, including adaptations for COVID-19 impacts.

Mainlevel Consulting AG conducted the evaluation, assessing the project’s relevance, coherence, effectiveness, efficiency, impact, and sustainability, and provided actionable recommendations for future initiatives.

Conclusions

ProAgri 4 effectively enhanced agricultural productivity, strengthened value chains, and fostered gender inclusion. Despite challenges such as security risks and resource limitations, the project contributed to improving livelihoods, empowering women, and increasing agricultural sustainability in Benin.

• Relevance: The project was well-aligned with national and regional agricultural strategies, including the PSDSA and PNIASAN, and supported SDGs 1, 2, 5, 8, and 12. It addressed stakeholder needs through tailored advisory services and gender-sensitive approaches.
• Coherence The project complemented existing policies and initiatives, leveraging synergies with ProAgri 3 and ensuring alignment with local institutional frameworks.
• Effectiveness: Most objectives were met, particularly in promoting ABCs and Smart-valley approaches. However, delays in integrating tools and transferring knowledge at ministerial levels were noted.
• Efficiency: The project optimised resources effectively, despite high costs for complex interventions. Efficiency was constrained by limited partner capacities and administrative hurdles.
• Impact: The project significantly improved market access, incomes, and women’s participation in agricultural value chains. Environmental benefits were achieved through sustainable practices.
• Sustainability: The outcomes, such as ABC coaching models and Smart-valley initiatives, showed strong potential for long-term viability, supported by institutional integration and capacity-building

Recommendations

• Enhance Institutional Ownership: Strengthen the ownership of value chain promotion initiatives by local institutions to ensure long-term sustainability and integration into national frameworks.
• Expand Gender-Inclusive Approaches: Scale up gender-sensitive strategies, such as Smart-valleys, to boost women’s participation and leadership in agricultural value chains.
• Streamline Methodologies: Simplify project methodologies to lower implementation costs and improve accessibility for local stakeholders and actors.
• Invest in Capacity-Building: Provide comprehensive training and capacity-building for governmental and private-sector partners to enhance their ability to sustain project outcomes.
• Improve Monitoring Systems: Develop and implement a robust monitoring and evaluation framework to effectively track the long-term impacts and achievements of the project.