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This paper focuses on examining the use of the Duolingo App as a supplement to the traditional ESP courses in Secretarial Studies, for Advanced ESP learners Classes of Lycée Technique et Professional de Porto Novo (LTP-PN), in the Benin Republic. The Objective is to assess substantial improvement of Learners Oral Communication skills after 3 months of studious use of mobile language learning apps. An experimental mixed-method research design in two stages have been used. During the first stage, quantitative data was collected using questionnaires administered to Ten (10) ESP teachers and Forty (40) randomly selected ESP secretarial studies learners of LTP-PN. Qualitative data was also gathered during classroom observations. In the second stage, the experimentation process involving the Experimental Groups (EG), which received the treatment, that is "the use of Duolingo for 15 Mn", and the Control Group (CG) were tested. The data was collected and computed using one way ANOVA test in SPSS 26. The result shows a statistical significance between the use of Duolingo and Secretarial Studies ESP learners' oral proficiency improvement. This paper further suggested that mobile learning apps such as Duolingo should be used as a supplement to the traditional ESP courses. It also pointed out the necessity for ESP teachers to invest in their professional development rather than waiting for the government.

Purpose: This paper examines the challenges of implementing Farmer Learning Videos (FLV) in Rural Advisory Services (RAS) through a holistic approach. Our study focuses on a clear theoretical and managerial question - how do RAS manage FLV that does not easily fit into traditional models? Design/methodology/approach: The research collected data through semi-structured interviews (138 respondents) and focus group discussions (342 participants) in 30 RAS. The framework built drives the data analysis. Findings: The study shows that although most of the RAS provided poor support and did not write FLV in their project documents, many are increasingly using FLV. Extension workers see FLV as a way to efficiently and effectively achieve their goals - a helpful tool that could reduce workload. Moreover, the presence of FLV champions who are generally young and the high level of positive attitude toward FLV as well as collaboration with other organizations favor the increasing use of FLV. Practical implications: The results of this study can be used by policymakers and RAS to improve the integration of information and communication technologies (ICT) into their work. Theoretical implications: This study sheds more light on the importance of a holistic approach to thoroughly understand the challenges of FLV implementation in RAS with theoretical implications for their design, implementation, and analysis. Originality: This study reports the first known application of a holistic approach to understanding the challenges of FLV implementation in RAS in Benin.

Beliefs and practices are usually guided by philosophies or thought patterns is the case with the Yoruba who believe and regard formal education in high esteem. This high regard and the level of commitment shown to formal education is founded on "Kí òla mi báa lè dára" (that my future may be bright), a philosophy of educational engagement. This philosophy, over time, has gone through three different phases: the popular phase, the unpopular phase and current phase of review. During the popular phase, the attitude of the Yoruba was mostly towards formal educational engagement. They believed without doubt that formal education was the most effective means to a guaranteed bright future. During the second phase, which is the unpopular phase, the philosophy had lost its appeal because it failed to blend theory with practice. Experience showed that formal education is not the most assured means to a guaranteed future. The current phase, which is the third phase, is a stage of re-examining the philosophy thereby making formal education more appealing to youths. This paper examines "Kí òla mi báa lè dára" as a basis for explaining the early focus on formal education among the Yoruba, and how this philosophy has determined the attitude of the Yoruba towards formal education. To buttress existing literature, a questionnaire was administered and data collected from 300 randomly selected youths between the age of 12 and 18. The questionnaires sought to know the role that formal education had played in ensuring a bright future. The paper concluded that formal education is currently no longer perceived as the key factor to achieving a bright future among youths. It also identified ways of improving on "Kí òla mi báa lè dára" as a philosophy of engagement in formal education.

The introduction of Western education to Nigeria has brought in its wake great strides toward development. Changes in Benin dates far back to the dawn of the 20th century. This paper investigates the critical role of education in development. The paper integrates interview data collected from bronze casters in Benin. The first section of the paper discusses sustainable development in Nigeria involving an infrastructure that supports accessible educational system and Benin social values. The second part of the paper discusses the present dispensation of bronze casting by Olotan casters of Benin. The paper identifies education as being critical to sustainable development. Some characteristics connected to development in the practice of bronze casting in Benin include visioning, relaxing of age old practices and acceptance of western influences.

This paper is the second in a set of two on the extent to which Catholic and other faith-based schools are serving the poor well. Catholic and other faith-based schools reach millions of children who live in poverty, yet this does not necessarily mean that they are serving these children well enough. The paper considers two separate issues. First, beyond academic subjects, Catholic and other faith-based schools emphasise learning related to values and religion. Do they succeed in doing so? Based on small sample survey data and qualitative fieldwork, as well as broader data on parental satisfaction with schools, the paper provides a tentative and mostly positive answer to this question, at least from the view of parents. The second issue is where performance is weaker. Education systems are affected by a learning crisis in the developing world. All schools should ensure that students learn, but too often this is not the case. The second part of the paper documents this learning crisis and the fact that Catholic and other faith-based schools are not immune to it. This is done in part through a rapid review of the recent World Development Report on education's promise, and a companion piece for sub-Saharan Africa. Estimates of performance for selected African countries are also provided. The results are sobering: too many children are not learning while in school. Finally, the paper briefly summarises evidence from the literature on interventions that could improve learning, including in Catholic and faith-based schools. [For Part I of the series, see EJ1206878.]

This paper discusses the effect of the dual apprenticeship or Certificate of Professional Qualification (CQP) program on the CQP students and graduates in Benin. The study sought to understand how dual apprenticeship was introduced in formal TVET system and how the dual training is provided in Benin context. This research was conducted on the descriptive qualitative method through three techniques. First, literature analysis was used to review the existing literature on Benin dual apprenticeship. Secondly, individual semi structured interviews were conducted to collect data from actors of the public and private institutions. Third, direct observation data were collected through on-site visits in the training centres. In total, 30 persons were interviewed using purposive and snowball samplings. The social constructivism theory, learning theory and the nested layer approach were used to analyze data. Results show that the Develop A Curriculum method was used to develop 13 craft occupations in which Benin dual apprenticeship is offered. CQP apprentices show positive effects on the skills acquisition. However, the CQP training does not follow the requirements regarding the principle of duality. The lack of the collaboration between training providers does not increase the commitment and the participation of the master craftsmen/women. The assessment plan does not evaluate the skills achieved in the master workshops. Although Benin dual apprenticeship builds the social cognitive capacities of the apprentices, the skills achievement of the CQP apprentices is not sustainable due to the intensive method used to train apprentices and because of the lack of materials and work equipment in the master workshops.

This paper examines three interrelated factors outside of formal provision of technical and vocational education and training (TVET) in sub-Saharan Africa that have undermined TVET systems. The first is the process, pace, and levels of industrialisation, which has had a direct effect on TVET provision: low numbers of well-paying jobs requiring technical expertise. This has an indirect effect, which is the second crucial factor: lack of economic development and change in labour markets. There are very few jobs that would be considered 'middle class' or 'mid-level' in wealthy countries. Most people are in survivalist work. An international consensus since the 2000s on palliative approaches to development which address the effects but not the causes of the lack of economic development in Africa has resulted in mass poor quality provision of education--the third factor. Education systems are rapidly expanding and achievement levels rising, in the context of very little possibility of labour market rewards for most people, and substantial labour market rewards confined mainly to graduates. This reinforces deeply embedded cultural preferences for general education, which originate in the type of education systems established by colonial powers, as well as the relationships between educational credentials and elite jobs.

This paper sets out to investigate how communicative grammar can effectively be used in EFL classes in Benin to promote real language practice. To collect data, instruments such as questionnaires, interview and class observation were used. The sample of the study consists of twenty purposively chosen secondary EFL teachers (ten of them teach traditional grammar and ten, communicative grammar) and twenty six students ranging from beginners to advanced level. The data were analyzed using the SPSS tools, the goal of which is to verify the effectiveness of this approach over the traditional one. The findings of the investigation have revealed the following: (i) not many teachers teach communicative grammar in Benin and those who claim they teach it still have a hazy idea of what it is supposed to be; (ii) communicative grammar teaching is what is needed to make EFL learning a rewarding experience for students' effective use of the language; (iii) both approaches are not mutually exclusive for they can become perfect complements. The study concluded with some strategies for implementation illustrated by some suggested activities that can develop students' communicative strategies and interactional skills.

The aim of this paper is firstly, to make teachers correct thoroughly students' errors with effective strategies. Secondly, it is an attempt to find out if teachers are interested themselves in errors correction in Beninese secondary schools. Finally, I would like to point out the effective strategies that an EFL teacher can use for errors correction as far as EFL teaching/learning is concerned. The results from the interviews and classroom observation will also be taken into account to analyse with problem solving strategies. Field survey is used and the target population was teachers and students in Beninese secondary schools.

The COVID-19 pandemic has renewed concerns about how shocks may affect religious and other private schools in low-income countries, especially when they do not benefit from state support. By reducing parental incomes, shocks -- not only epidemics but also natural disasters and conflicts, reduce overall enrollment in school. But they may also lead to a shift from private to public schools with potentially differentiated effects by type of private school depending on context. In addition, household responses to shocks such as migration may lead to a change in the socio-cultural context in which households live, and these changes may also affect school choice. This paper explores the effects of shocks and migration on school choice in West Africa. Results suggest that shocks and migration lead to a shift from private to public schools, but with differentiated effects by type of private schools.

Purpose: This paper explores the main factors that influence farmers in acquiring agricultural knowledge and adopting technologies with the aim of better understanding the agricultural innovation systems in West Africa. Design/Methodology/Approach: We use data collected between 2013 and 2014 across rice hubs in five West African countries: Benin, Côte d'Ivoire, Niger, Nigeria and Togo. In total, 499 household heads were surveyed using a stratified random sampling technique. Data are analyzed with the Mann-Whitney-Wilcoxon test and the Poisson regression. Findings: The findings show that farmers' knowledge is influenced by a range of factors, including household size, training, access to formal and informal knowledge sources and community socioeconomic status. Farmers rely heavily on personal experiences and fellow farmers to adopt technologies. Practical implications: The study suggests that key policies for strengthening the innovation systems are those that help farmers access both formal and informal knowledge sources, credit services, better welfare and information and communication tools. Theoretical implications: The study shows the need to consider both extrinsic factors (e.g. characteristics of the technology and attributes of the external environment) and intrinsic factors (e.g. knowledge, perceptions and attitudes of the potential adopter towards the innovation) when analyzing the decision process toward technology adoption in West Africa. Originality/Value: This initiative is to identify the conditions that will enable a more inclusive technology development and diffusion process. This is important because agricultural extension is currently undergoing a deep restructuring focused on privatizing the agricultural services in developing countries characterized by a low literacy rate.

Purpose: Changing research design and methodologies regarding how researchers articulate with end-users of technology is an important consideration in developing sustainable agricultural practices. This paper analyzes a joint experiment as a multi-stakeholder process and contributes to understand how the way of organizing social learning affects stakeholders' ownership of process outcomes. Design/Methodology/Approach:A learning group composed of the different stakeholders of the oil palm seed system in Benin was set around a joint experiment. We use a detailed account of the group dynamics to understand the social process. Findings: The way the process is designed and conducted has a great effect on the ownership by the participants. Methodological steps taken in this research process showed its efficacy to produce quick and positive feedback mechanisms. Stakeholders' perspectives on what constitutes a quality oil palm seedling varied widely. Participants, mainly nursery holders, learned new production practices. Representatives of the research center learned a mismatch of recommendations with users' contexts. Field observations further to the process indicate changes in practices among stakeholders that would be sustainable. Practical Implications: Beyond focusing on outcomes, initiatives in multi-stakeholder processes should also document and analyze social processes in order to better understand the mechanisms by which such processes foster socio-technical change, as well as identify potential institutional barriers to such processes. Originality/Value: Through a detailed analysis of group dynamics, this paper addresses an important knowledge gap in participatory agricultural development.

Cell-phone ready educational videos, translated into local languages, are a recent phenomenon in developing nations. One of the reasons for the emergence of this approach is due to the scarcity of other forms of educational materials with appropriate content for low literate learners. Additionally, the World Wide Web (WWW) has very little to offer in regards to audio-visual training materials that could be used to educate people in their own local languages without the need for literacy. Scientific Animations Without Borders (SAWBO) creates and works with local groups to deploy educational videos in local languages facilitating access to information and knowledge to individuals in the developing world. This paper is based on a survey conducted with 83 individuals on the perception of three SAWBO educational animations--neem extracts for insect control, cholera and malaria prevention; and their potential as training tools for health and agricultural extension in Benin. These animations provide information and knowledge in a simple way, on complex ideas and techniques that could improve livelihoods. The results obtained in this study suggest that animated videos are a well-received approach as a training tool in agriculture and prevention of diseases amongst populations with diverse literacy levels.

This paper examines the challenges of implementing Farmer Learning Videos (FLV) in Rural Advisory Services (RAS) through a holistic approach. Our study focuses on a clear theoretical and managerial question – how do RAS manage FLV that does not easily fit into traditional models? The research collected data through semi-structured interviews (138 respondents) and focus group discussions (342 participants) in 30 RAS. The framework built drives the data analysis. The study shows that although most of the RAS provided poor support and did not write FLV in their project documents, many are increasingly using FLV. Extension workers see FLV as a way to efficiently and effectively achieve their goals – a helpful tool that could reduce workload. Moreover, the presence of FLV champions who are generally young and the high level of positive attitude toward FLV as well as collaboration with other organizations favor the increasing use of FLV. The results of this study can be used by policymakers and RAS to improve the integration of information and communication technologies (ICT) into their work. This study sheds more light on the importance of a holistic approach to thoroughly understand the challenges of FLV implementation in RAS with theoretical implications for their design, implementation, and analysis. This study reports the first known application of a holistic approach to understanding the challenges of FLV implementation in RAS in Benin. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Floods destroy crop production; nevertheless, the extent of their impact on farmers' livelihoods in developing countries has been poorly investigated. This paper contributes to the growing evidence-based assessment of the impacts of shocks on communities. It assessed the post-disaster livelihood of farmers affected by the 2012 flooding in the semi-arid zone of Benin. To this end, a survey was conducted on 228 farmers in two municipalities of the flood-prone part of the semi-arid zone of Benin (Malanville, Karimama). Information on the well-being of households was collected using semi-structured interviews. Data were analyzed using income and consumption approaches focusing on poverty and on subjective assessment using happiness approach. Additionally, a probit model was used for a poverty assessment. The survey revealed that flooded farmers were amongst the poorest in the study system. Seven variables determined poverty in this study: household size, location, the percentage of the farm size that was flooded, fishing, the farmer's gender, farm size, and "holding a secondary activity". Regarding happiness, 99% of the flooded farmers were unhappier after the flood in 2012. The results clearly show that being subjected to floods increases the incidence of poverty. The capacity of flood risk management and governance should be strengthened in the study system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Government and financial institutions are attempting to address the low financial inclusion for developing sustainable microenterprises in rural Benin. Yet, their actions remain to be guided by evidence pertaining to the design of financing schemes intended to boost rural women-owned enterprises. This paper focuses on the relationship between the various financing schemes that exist and the economic performance of women-owned enterprises in rural Benin, using a sample of 3949 small businesses. Results show that social network-based financing improves the business performance of rural women entrepreneurs in small-scale commerce. This is also the case for microenterprises managed by adult women and women with primary-school education. Formal credit-based financing increases the profit margins of mature microenterprises owned by women. This paper also shows that self-financing is more profitable for young rural women entrepreneurs. The results partly inform the need to target women more in financing policies in Benin. Plain English Summary: Microenterprises' financing and performance require more gender considerations in rural Benin. Because of the demand rationing of formal credit, there is a coexistence of other sources of financing in use that induce differential impacts on the performance of women-owned microenterprises. This study finds that informal social network-based financing is more beneficial for rural women traders, adults, or educated owners. A substitute formal microcredit would enhance the growth of rural women-owned microenterprises operating with social networks-based financing. This has to be rural women having proven experience in small businesses. For inexperienced young women, a self-financing mechanism is more appropriate to start small businesses. Our findings call thus for policies targeting experienced female microenterprises for innovative microfinance programs and young female entrepreneurs for subsidy programs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Beyond productivity, does the adoption of agricultural technologies improve food consumption and reduce poverty? To provide answers to this, the paper used data from the household survey on the Comprehensive Food Security and Vulnerability Analysis (CFSVA) carried out in 2017 in Benin. Five agricultural technologies were considered in this study. First, an extended ordered probit model was estimated to analyze the impact of technology choice sets on food consumption groups (poor, limit and acceptable). Second, an extended probit model is employed to assess the impact on poverty status. The results show that the adoption of multiple technologies increases food consumption and reduces poverty among agricultural households in Benin. Combinations of technologies that enhance both food consumption and poverty status are irrigation and herbicide, irrigation and chemical fertilizers and improved seed and chemical fertilizers. Therefore, policy interventions should help farming households gain access to these improved technologies to improve food security and reduce poverty. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper explores the effectiveness of a technology education professional development (TEPD) program and factors impeding the implementation of such a program within the context of the Republic of Benin (West Africa). Professional development (PD) programs do not always take into account the specific disciplinary content knowledge and pedagogical content knowledge teachers should learn to be able to reach the PD goals. The goals of the study were to identify effective design elements of TEPD for developing nations and to enhance secondary technology education teaching in Benin, as well as in similar developing countries. Within the context of Benin technology education, four all-day sessions of the TEPD were carried out with 51 secondary school science teachers. Qualitative data, comprising teachers' after-session journals, after-session evaluation sheets, class observations and interviews with teachers and students, were collected during the PD program. Results indicated that participants' technology education content knowledge and pedagogical content knowledge were enhanced and that technology education lessons from the PD program were incorporated into teachers' classroom practices. (Contains 2 tables.)

In order to be able to adapt successfully to eco-challenges, interest in change-oriented learning is growing around the world. The authors of this paper aim to assess the occurrence of learning for effective action-taking in successive fishery problem-solving interventions in the municipality of Grand-Popo, South-Western Benin, where interventions aimed at fishery development have been taking place for several decades with limited outcomes. Case studies were examined to investigate learning by intervention parties from generation to generation of interventions, with reference to organisational learning theory. Historical analysis of intervention processes within their context based on document review, conversations and observations helped in describing and tracking the intervention processes and their outputs since the 1950s. Findings indicate some single-loop learning by some interventionists, but mainly continuing discrepancy between espoused and in-use intervention/action theories. The learning needed to improve the effectiveness of interventions is absent. (Contains 3 figures.)

In West Africa, advisory services for family farms have been promoted to better address producers' needs. The paper aims to show that these services can be understood as a system whose functioning is strongly determined by the financing mechanisms, the governance mechanisms put in place, the quality of human resources delivering advice, and the characteristics of the advisory method. The study is based on an analysis of two case studies in Benin and Burkina Faso using a common framework derived from an agricultural advisory system approach. The study highlights the strong interaction between the different components of the system. It shows that (i) the intervention method needs to be continuously adapted to take into account changes in financial capabilities and human resources available for providing advisory services, (ii) the nature and the quality of advisory activities are closely related to the skills of advisors and managers of advisory services, (iii) the governance mechanisms steering advisory services reveal the social relations between the stakeholders and influence the content of the advice, and (iv) the funding mechanisms are pivotal in defining the rules of governance. Lessons learned are drawn from this analysis that may serve to support advisory services. (Contains 2 figures and 1 table.)

This paper analyses the organizational, financial and technological incentives that service organizations used to motivate farmers to finance agricultural research and extension in Benin. Understanding the foundations and implications of these motivation systems is important for improving farmer financial participation in agricultural research and extension. We studied three cases of farmer financial participation in the field of agricultural research and extension in Benin. We conducted semi-structured interviews with leaders of service organizations and farmers' associations, local authorities and individual farmers. Our interviews focused on service delivery systems, mechanisms of farmers' financial contribution, the functioning of farmers' associations, and the appropriateness of services provided. We performed thematic and comparative analyses at the interfaces between (1) service providers and partner-farmer associations, (2) service providers and delivered services, and (3) farmers/farmers' associations and services. Incentives for farmer financial participation are the increasing participation strategy, the fulfillment of farmers' needs and the local leadership valorization. The selection and combination of their variants determine the motivating capacity and orientation of service organizations. Conversely to the increasing participation strategy, an effective fulfillment of farmers' needs and local leadership valorization can lead to sustainable motivation. As the fulfillment of farmers' needs determines importantly the effectiveness and sustainability of farmers' motivation, the strategies of farmer financial participation are likely to fail if there are no successful agricultural technological incentives. In the current context of privatization of agricultural services in developing countries, this analytical framework is of interest for policy makers and development workers for identifying conditions of farmer financial participation and designing effective motivation strategies. (Contains 5 tables and 2 figures.)

This paper investigated the prevalence of eating disorders of female students and the consequence on their personality profile. Three research questions were raised and one hypothesis formulated. One thousand seven hundred and sixteen (1716) students whose ages ranged from 13-17 years were drawn from secondary school female students in Benin metropolis, using the multistage sampling technique. Female adolescent students eating disorder questionnaire (FASEDQ) was used to generate data. It is made of two parts. Part one comprised of ten main questions, grouped into five sub-areas and part two comprised fifteen questions grouped into five sub-areas. (Contains 4 tables.)

The emergence of Management Advice for Family Farms in West Africa is closely related to the increased integration of farmers into an open market economy. This is creating a strong demand from farmers for advisory support services, focusing on management of the farm. With the gradual withdrawal of the State from extension services delivery, a stimulating context exists for reviewing approaches and systems of support delivery facilities for producers. In response to these developments, several experiments based on the concepts of "Management Advice for Family Farms" are going on in West Africa. Beyond a variety of objectives and implementation procedures analysed in this paper, common features and a considerable degree of consensus on concepts emerge. Strengthening the producers' capacity for assessment, decision-making, and management of their farms is a common objective. Differences exist between procedures for delivery of advice, methods, tools used, and emphasis put on different aspects of management. All experiments stress the importance of training, enhancing group dynamics, and individual learning. They are all farmer and farm family targeted. Expression of farmers' objectives, needs, and demands is essential. Advice is based on data gathering and assessment by the farmers themselves. From mere technicians, extension workers become advisors and facilitators. In all cases, Farmers' Organisations are involved in governing the delivery services, though at different degrees. In several cases priority is given towards strengthening farmers' capacity in the management of delivery at both local and global levels. Significant improvements in farm performances have been reported. Cost sharing is generally accepted, but insufficient to cover all costs. However, to reach sustainability for farmers' driven and governed advice delivery services, innovative agricultural policies, and public finance are needed. (Contains 2 tables, 3 boxes, and 3 notes.)

To provide clean energy at a lower cost to their citizens, all nations of the world are striving to increase their energy production in an environmentally friendly way. Benin has also joined this dynamic by considerably increasing its green energy production efforts in recent years. The country has a huge undeveloped renewable-energy (RE) potential that can contribute considerably to its national energy production capacity. This paper summarizes the current RE situation in Benin and examines its future prospects. The current energy situation of the country is discussed, followed by an examination of its electricity demand-and-supply situation. The country has been found to depend heavily on natural gas and petroleum products from neighbouring countries and has ~41% of national electricity access. However, the government is taking considerable steps to implement RE projects in the country. The study analyzes government targets in the energy sector with existing policies and institutional frameworks. Recommendations are made for the benefit of the government, the private sector and other actors in order to developing the RE potential of Benin. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Benin is an underdeveloped country whose economy is dependent on agriculture, principally cotton production. Kandi is a community in the country's northeast region, and is regarded as one of Benin's top four cotton-producing communities. This community has a deficient level of education. The present paper aimed to investigate whether education could contribute to increasing cotton production in Kandi. A questionnaire was distributed to educated, uneducated, and organic farmers in the research area to achieve this goal. A linear regression strategy was applied, with the key components of the research areas being the usage of agricultural chemical inputs (pesticides and fertilizers), miscellaneous factors, and the level of education of farmers. The data collected were utilized to compare the different groups polled (educated and uneducated farmers). Organic farmers are used in this paper as a model of suitable agriculture development in the study area. The key finding is that primary education affects agricultural production. Solutions are presented with a focus on organic farmers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rural entrepreneurship is an important employment generation intervention for the fast‐growing young labour force in developing countries. Many bottlenecks including access to finance impede rural youths from performing in their new ventures. This paper examines the impact of access to finance on rural youths' entrepreneurship in Benin using data from the second wave of the School‐To‐Work Transition Survey, involving over 900 youths. The paper employs the endogenous switching regression technique, combined with propensity score matching, to investigate the drivers of rural youths' access to finance and its impact on entrepreneurship intention and performance. The results indicate that age, education, poverty status, experience, working in the agricultural sector and the existence of a bank branch are important determinants of rural youths' access to finance. The results also show that access to finance increases the probability of youth entrepreneurship by 15.2% on average. Moreover, the study shows a significant gender gap in rural entrepreneurship of 5.24% among youths with access to finance in Benin. These results suggest that policymakers should facilitate the access of youth, especially young women, to finance by encouraging formal financial institutions to reduce their credit eligibility conditions for those who do not have collateral. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Access to agricultural credit is still a challenge in developing countries. The weakness of agricultural financing prevents producers from acquiring the modern technologies that are essential for the development of their activity. This paper aims to determine the impact of access to credit on agricultural productivity in Benin using alternative measures of productivity. To do this, we use the endogenous switching regression model to control for potential selection and unobserved heterogeneity issues associated with this impact analysis. The data used comes from the statistical databases of the National Agricultural Research Institute of Benin. The results show that the adoption of improved seeds, the geographic location, the area sown and member of peasant organization determine producers' access to credit are factors that determine producers' access to credit. Farmers' access to credit generates an estimated gain of 40.07% and 31.97% respectively for production per hectare and production per FCFA invested. These results require a comprehensive and coherent public action. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper aimed to investigate the influence of polymorphisms in the FCGR2A gene encoding R131H FcgRIIA variants and in the FCGR3B gene (108G > C, 114C > T, 194 A > G, 233C > A, 244 G > A and 316G > A) encoding FcgRIIIB-NA1, -NA2 and -SH variants on malaria susceptibility and antibody responses against P. falciparum merozoite antigens in Beninese children. An active malaria follow-up was conducted in infants from birth to 24 months of age in Allada, Benin. FCGR3B exon 3 was sequenced and FCGR2A exon 4 was genotyped. Antibodies directed to GLURP and MSP3 were quantified by ELISA. Association studies were performed using mixed-effect models. Individual carriage of FCGR3B 194 AA genotype was associated with a high number of malaria infections and a low level of IgG1 against MSP3 and GLURP-R0. High parasitemia and increased malaria infections were observed in infants carrying the FCGR3B*05 108C-114T-194A-233C-244A-316A haplotype. A reduced risk of malaria infections and low parasitemia were related to the carriages of the FCGR3B 108C-114T-194G-233C-244G-316A (FCGR3B*06), FCGR3B 108C–114T–194G–233A–244A–316A (FCGR3B*03 encoding for FcgRIIIB-SH) haplotypes and FCGR3B 297 TT genotype. Our results highlight the impact of FCGR3B polymorphisms on the individual susceptibility to malaria and antibody responses against MSP3 and GLURP in Beninese children. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The recent emergence of the subfield of ecomusicology has raised provocative questions about theory and method in music studies, as well as relationships between sound, humans, and the environment. This paper responds to these questions through an examination of two albums by the Beninese guitarist Lionel Loueke, informed by ethnographic interviews with Loueke and fieldwork in Benin and the U.S. Each of the two albums deals with a distinct set of musical materials and strategies to convey their respective ecological orientations. The album Virgin Forest does this through creating ambient atmospheres that blur the lines between human and animal sound, while the second album, Gaïa, deploys guitar distortion and "out-of-joint" grooves to channel an angry earth goddess. This analysis explores connections between the albums and concepts of sacred sound and interdependence in the Nichiren Buddhist practice that Loueke has adopted, and in vodun ancestral practices in Benin. I propose a concept of relational listening, building on Edouard Glissant's la Relation and Steven Feld's acoustemology, which embraces humans' interdependence with the environment while respecting the radical alterity of other beings, including human, non-human, and more-than-human. Loueke's music suggests that this relational listening necessarily leads to relational sounding: interactive improvisation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Access to land is crucial for food systems to address the challenges caused by habitat and biodiversity loss, land and water degradation, and greenhouse gas emissions. Sustainable food production requires land security upstream for agricultural production. Land security emanates from the land law implemented in-country by government policy. In the span of a decade (2007–2017), three different land reforms have been adopted in Benin. This paper aims to investigate the land rights and land tenure security for sustainable food production according to land law and the factors that influence agricultural entrepreneurial activities in North Benin. The study was carried out in the Borgou department, mainly in five communes that are beneficiaries of the Responsible Land Policy Project of GIZ (Promotion d'une Politique Foncière Responsible: ProPFR/GIZ). A multistage sampling procedure was used to select the agricultural entrepreneur respondents. A total of 102 agriculture entrepreneurs were interviewed in 25 villages. According to land law in Benin, the results highlight the different levels of land tenure security and land rights represented by types of land documents: type contract (use right), certificates of customary ownership (ADC), and land title. The research reveals that 44.3% of the land of agriculture entrepreneurs' respondents possessed the certificates of customary ownership and 18% possessed the land title. The facilitation of access to legal land documents such as certificates of customary ownership and land titles can protect agricultural entrepreneurship for sustainable food production. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Along the West-African coast, groundwater is under several threats coming from both human activities and climate change. However, hydrogeological studies have so far been conducted in a piecemeal way, city by city. In this paper, a regional study was conducted along the Beninese coast, combining hydrogeochemistry and water stable isotopes. Monthly rainfall samples were analyzed in terms of chemistry and isotopes as well as groundwater from Holocene (upper aquifer) and Mio-Plio-Pleistocene (lower aquifer). This allowed to determine the recharge timing of aquifers (April to October, excluding August). Rainwater then infiltrates the soil with a slight evaporation. The upper aquifer, more heterogeneous, is displaying many different water types while the lower aquifer shows mainly a Na-Cl water type. While the upper aquifer shows many signs of contamination from human activities and saltwater intrusion from lakes and lagoons, the deeper aquifer is more influenced by a geogenic signature. These results are then interpreted regarding the demographic trends and climate change scenario. In the long-term, the groundwater level of the lower aquifer is expected to decrease as the rate of abstraction increases and recharge rate decreases. It is therefore recommended to develop adapted and urgent protection measures of the water resource to ensure sustainable and healthy groundwater exploitation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The objective of this paper is to expose those socio-structural contexts revealing the social injustice and human rights violations that sub-Saharan women face every day when forced into sex work by unemployment or sickness. Results of a qualitative study highlighting some key structural determinants of sex work and HIV infection among FSWs will be presented and examined through the lens of the WHO conceptual framework for action on the social determinants of health. The results showed that most FSWs had lacked the necessary financial support at some point in their lives. Also, both the socioeconomic and political context failed to provide proper support to prevent involvement in sex work and the consequent risks of HIV. The cultural and societal values placed on the health and well-being of FSWs in Benin appear to depend on the degree to which sexual violence and adultery are perceived as a collective social concern. This portrait of FSWs calls for both long-term interventions through a structural determinant approach to HIV prevention, targeting all the women who could face such a financial situation well before their entry into sex work, while maintaining short and medium-term interventions on the intermediary determinants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: In Benin, despite good knowledge and availability, modern contraceptive prevalence remains relatively low, and the unmet need for family planning is relatively high. This is partly due to insufficient attention to socio-normative barriers that influence need and method use. Applying social network theory, Tékponon Jikuagou (TJ) aims to reduce socio-normative barriers preventing modern contraceptive use in rural Benin. After community identification, TJ trains influential network actors who encourage critical dialogue about unmet need, family planning, gender, and other social norms within their networks, complemented by radio and services linkages. This paper evaluates TJ's effectiveness and how intervention components affect intermediate and primary FP outcomes.Methods: We report findings from pre/post-intervention cross-sectional research with a comparison group conducted at baseline with 1,043 women and 1,030 men, and 14 months later at endline with 1,046 women and 1,045 men. Using sex-stratified models, we assessed balance across intervention and comparison groups on background characteristics using Pearson's chi-square tests of independence; performed bivariate tests of independence to assess differences between baseline to endline on intermediate outcomes and primary FP outcomes; used logistic regression to examine the effect of intervention components on intermediate and primary FP outcomes.Results: Statistically significant improvements in primary outcomes: women's intentions to use modern contraception, achieve met need, and reduce perceived met need. The fourth primary outcome, actual use, showed substantial gains, although not statistically significant. Men's achievement of met FP need and reduced perceived met need were also statistically significant. Assessing intermediate outcomes at individual, couple, normative-network levels, TJ led to statistically significant increases in couple and network communication on fertility desires and family planning use and self-efficacy and confidence to access services. Both women and men showed significant shifts in the acceptability of discussing FP in public. Results for other indicators of norms change were inconsistent.Conclusions: An easy-to-implement, short-duration, gender-equitable social network intervention with a limited set of network actors, TJ effectively decreases social and normative barriers preventing women and men from seeking and using FP services. Results support the broader use of innovative social and behaviour change strategies that diffuse family planning ideas through social networks, diminish normative and communication barriers, and catalyse modern family planning use. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of European Journal of Development Research is the property of Palgrave Macmillan Ltd. and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Describes changes in the family and ameliorative efforts on behalf of the family in the Republic of Benin. Also examines health needs of women and young children in urban and rural areas. Stresses that early childhood issues must be considered within the context of society and family status. (NH)

Electricity access has become a crucial issue in global South cities. While demand is growing, conventional grids are failing or insufficient, especially in Africa. Urban dwellers therefore have to develop a wide range of (in)formal infrastructures to meet their daily electricity needs. Building on recent studies on urban electricity in the global South, this paper aims to contribute to the debates on hybrid forms of electricity provision by analysing the diffusion of solar panels and generators in two cities, Ibadan in Nigeria and Cotonou in Benin. Although neighbouring and relatively similar, these two cities illustrate distinct daily electrical lives. In Nigeria, an electricity-exporting country, people face daily power outages. In Benin, a country that depends on Nigeria for its supply, there is electricity but it is difficult to connect to the grid because of connection costs. Based on an empirical study, the article shows that Ibadan's inhabitants use generators as a complement to a conventional grid that is almost universal but unreliable. In Cotonou, solar energy is an alternative until they can connect to the grid. Generators and solar panels have become the material markers of urban Africa, providing information on inequalities in access to electricity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Cahiers Agriculture is the property of EDP Sciences and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Adoption of agricultural technologies in Benin remains at a very low level. This paper analyzes the factors that determine the adoption of agricultural technologies by rice producers in Benin. It employs a simple probit and Poisson regression models, as well as a multivariate probit model to account for the unobserved interaction between technology adoption decisions. Results reveal that variables such as education, access to extension services, membership of a farmers‐based organization, access to credit, media and use of a mobile phone are important in the process of increasing adoption of agricultural technologies. These variables must be taken into consideration in the elaboration of the agricultural modernization policy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to examine the determinants of poverty and the persistence of poverty in Benin using a longitudinal data for the years 2006-2011. The paper also seeks to understand the dynamic of poverty and what factors explain households’ mobility across poverty status over time.Design/methodology/approach To answer the research questions, the paper develops and estimates logit and probit models of poverty. In addition to households’ characteristics as explanatory variables, the models control for the previous years’ poverty status to test for the hypothesis of persistence in poverty. Next, the paper extends the analysis to compute poverty transition matrix and estimates a multinomial models of the determinants of these transitions.Findings The paper finds that households’ demographic and socio-economic characteristics are strongly correlated with their poverty status. It also finds a strong evidence of persistence of poverty: being poor in a year increases the likelihood of remaining poor in the following years. The analysis of the dynamic of poverty reveals that there is a large and rapid change in poverty with households moving in and out of poverty. Across all models, it appears that human capital accumulation through education and labor skills are the strongest forces lifting households out of poverty and persistence of poverty.Practical implications Taken together, the results suggest that public policies should not only seek to lift households out of poverty, but also seek to reduce re-entries into poverty by investing in education and improving employment skills.Originality/value A key contribution of the study is the characterization of the profile of poor and persistently poor households in Benin, and the analysis of the factors explaining the dynamic of poverty. It updates and complements previous studies on poverty in Benin using the most recent nationally representative longitudinal data. The findings stress the crucial importance of human capital as a key force to lift households out of poverty. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]