Thumbnail Image

Towards a more sustainable supply and use of evidence in agricultural policy in Benin

Year of publication 2023

Place of publication Rome, Italy ;

Pages 2p.

Author FAO

Publisher FAO ;

Product type Policy brief

ISBN 978-92-5-137686-7

Series title FAO Agricultural Development Economics Policy Brief

Series number No. 60

To cite or share https://doi.org/10.4060/cc4587en

Synopsis (short abstract) The production and use of evidence for agricultural policy is critical to prioritizing and targeting effective agricultural transformation reforms in African countries. International development organizations, like FAO, have supported programmes that promote evidence-informed policies. This policy brief summarizes the findings from the FAO Agricultural Development Economics Working Paper 23–01 ‘An ecosystemic framework for analysing evidence-informed policy systems for agricultural transformation – Case study of Benin’, drawing on ecological science and social network analysis to develop and test a framework to map agricultural evidence-policy systems and understand their sustainability in Benin. Despite the evidence policy ecosystem in Benin comprising almost 50 organizations that supply, broker or demand agricultural policy evidence, this network does not leverage all possible connections to help circulate evidence due to a lack of brokering organizations. It also highlighted a disconnect between data as the preferred form of policy evidence and the prioritization by these organizations of data actually being produced. Although there is a relatively sustainable ecosystem in place to incentivize and use evidence for agricultural development, there is an over reliance on its funding from development partners. Finally, it provides policy recommendations with the key entry points including developing a strategic vison for agricultural research, strengthening agricultural data and further institutionalizing evidence use.

The findings of this brief have been adapted from the FAO Agricultural Development Economics Working Paper 23-01 An ecosystemic framework for analysing evidence-informed policy systems for agricultural transformation – Case study of Benin.

Cite this content as:

FAO. 2023. Towards a more sustainable supply and use of evidence in agricultural policy in Benin. FAO Agricultural Development Economics Policy Brief, No. 60. Rome. 

https://doi.org/10.4060/cc4587en

Language English

Also available in:
No results found.

Related items

Showing items related by metadata.

  • Thumbnail Image
    Book (series)
    An ecosystemic framework for analysing evidence-informed policy systems for agricultural transformation
    Case study of Benin
    2023
    Also available in:
    No results found.
    The production and use of evidence for agricultural policy is critical to prioritizing and targeting effective agricultural transformation reforms in African countries. International development organizations have supported programmes that promote evidence-informed policies, however, this support has often been focused on short-term and externally driven solutions, with limited impact in the long run. Faced with this scenario, there is now a growing interest in the role of resilient and sustainable national systems that can generate organic evidence-informed agricultural policy. Yet, there is limited knowledge on how to map out and analyse such systems, which is critical to fostering their emergence and the later uptake of evidence in policymaking. This study draws on ecological science and social network analysis to develop and test a framework that can help understand evidence-policy systems and their potential to sustainably promote evidence-informed policymaking in the agricultural sector. Applying this framework in Benin, the study found that beyond the Ministry of Agriculture, other organizations produce, broker or use evidence such as data, research, evaluation and expert knowledge in a context that is influenced by the institutional rules and setup, the incentives in place and the funding landscape. Furthermore, the paper analyses the sustainability of the evidence-policy system in Benin through its power, resilience and capability. Finally, it provides policy recommendations with the key entry points to improve on and how a system like this can be used to improve agricultural policymaking.
  • Thumbnail Image
    Policy brief
    Strengthening gender-responsive climate policies and actions in climate-smart agriculture 2022
    Also available in:
    No results found.
    Championing women as critical agents of change within their communities and in policy and decision-making processes at national and international levels is a fundamental step towards ensuring gender equality and climate-related issues are adequately addressed in agricultural policies and dialogue and considered by international climate finance mechanisms, government ministries and research institutions. Gender-responsive climate-smart agriculture refers to approaches that consider women’s and men’s specific priorities and their different access to resources, services, education and information to build climate resilience, through a focus on equality and agency. This brief showcases promising research and innovation, particularly from countries engaged through the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) Flexible Multi-Partner Mechanism (FMM) 149 project. Senegal, Uganda and Belize are highlighted as examples to inform policymakers, guide gender-responsive investments, policies, and strategies in countries’ work in response to climate change. This brief is part of a series. Other briefs on agrifood value chains, aquaculture and fisheries and the livestock sector are available.
  • No Thumbnail Available
    Document
    Non-wood forest products and income generation 1999
    Also available in:
    The range of efforts required to develop the full potential of NWFPs is wide indeed. Land-use and forest policies need to be evaluated and where necessary adapted to ensure that potential impacts on non-wood forest resources and products are taken into consideration. Increased research on the abundance, distribution, biology and ecology of non-wood forest resources is essential. Of particular importance are investigations into ways to improve the employment- and income-generating potential of NW FPs through better harvesting, storage, transport, processing, manufacturing and marketing. The articles in this issue of Unasylva explore various facets of the challenge of generating income through the sustainable management of NWFPs.
Show more

Users also downloaded

Showing related downloaded files

No results found.