Institutional and organisational arrangements in relation to women actors in the rice parboiled innovation platform in north-east Benin

Abstract

To address the complex challenges affecting the parboiled rice value chain in Benin, an innovation platform (IP) was participatory implemented in the municipality of Malanville in Benin. This study analysed the institutional and organisational arrangements that arise from the establishment of this innovation platform. Focus Group Discussions (FGDs) and semi-structured and structured interviews were carried out at stakeholder level. Quantitative data were collected through questionnaires from 200 women rice farmers, selected through a stratified random sampling method. Results showed that the platform strengthened interactions between the different stakeholders to overcome institutional and organisational issues such as standardisation of parboiling practices and steps; access to credit and to remunerative market; standardisation of the variety of rice; and the organisation of women into groups. In terms of governance, the platform was vertically integrated. The leading actors had a monopoly on decision-making and resource management. The study suggests the promotion of the innovation platform approach, to enable small producers to overcome the obstacles that hinder good production.