Mid-term evaluation of the Sector Reform Performance Contract "Support Program Sustainable Development of the Agricultural Sector" in Benin

The Support Program for the Sustainable Development of the Agricultural Sector is a performance contract for the sector reform for a period of five years (2017-2021). It provides budget support (55,000,000 EUR) for the implementation of the reform of the agricultural sector and associated sectoral policies and additional support (15,000,000 EUR) for capacity building and pilot actions for sustainable development of agriculture.

The specific objective of the program is to sustainably improve the performance of Beninese agriculture, and the expected results are:

Result 1 - Intensification of the reasoned use of the various inputs, as well as reasoned use of water resources and use of non-polluting inputs;

Result 2 - Intensification of agricultural advice adapted to the challenges of the agricultural sector in Benin; this includes the establishment of quality, sensitive local agricultural advisory systems, which integrate different dimensions of sustainable development such as gender equality, provisions of sustainable employment opportunities, increased attention to climate change challenges.

Result 3 - Reinforced land security;

Result 4 - Governance and financing of the sector improved.

The mid-term review focuses on the progress made by the Programme after 30 months of implementation. This progress is analyzed in order to assess whether or not it corresponds to initial expectations. On this basis, recommendations are formulated to improve the action during the coming phase, so as to achieve the expected results, or to adapt the ambitions, according to the context of the implementation of the intervention.

The mid-term evaluation seeks to provide the EU Delegation and other stakeholders with:

A comprehensive and independent analysis of the current performance of the Programme, paying particular attention to the changes made, as well as to the progress made to achieve the expected results at this stage;

Lessons learned, conclusions and recommendations, so as to improve the implementation of the Programme, if necessary, by correcting its trajectory.