In the context of Africa’s farm labor scarcity, the use of mechanization is crucial for agricultural development. In Benin, technological advances, such as animal traction and motorization, are struggling to achieve the success expected by producers. The objective of this research was to analyze the drivers of mechanization in cotton production in Benin. Data collected from 482 cotton producers in three agroecological zones of the country were analyzed using a multinomial Logit model. The results revealed that 34% of cotton producers used hand tools, compared to 31% using draught animals and 35% using tractors. Variables such as education level, area cropped, access to land, access to credit and agroecological zone had a positive influence on the probability of using mechanization in the cotton production. Family labor size per household had a negative influence on the probability of using farm mechanization. Women were more likely to use farm mechanization than men. This research suggests that mechanization policies should adapt agricultural equipment to the specificities of the production systems of each agroecological zone, and strengthen land tenure security and access to credit, particularly for women cotton producers.

This study assesses the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on catastrophic health expenditures and income inequality in Benin. A microsimulation was calibrated to estimate the impact of the pandemic under three different shock scenarios: low, moderate, and severe. The analysis relies on secondary data from household living condition surveys. The results indicate that the COVID-19 crisis would lead to a significant average income loss of up to 20% and income inequality, while the number of households with catastrophic health expenditures would increase by 4%. More importantly, the findings reveal heterogeneous impacts across households, with urban residents, younger individuals, more educated households, and male-headed households experiencing the greatest income decline. These findings underscore the need for targeted health coverage and employment policies to better protect vulnerable populations in Benin in the face of future shocks.

Understanding the sources of growth in total factor productivity (TFP) and profit is crucial to guide agricultural policy decisions. This study examines TFP and profit growth in cotton production in Benin between 2000 and 2018. Using panel data from 482 cotton producers, a parametric translog cost frontier approach was applied to analyze productivity and profitability dynamics. Results indicate that technical efficiency gains and technological progress increased TFP by 1.26% per year, while scale effects negatively affected productivity, suggesting underexploited economies of scale. Profit growth averaged 1.65% per year, driven by higher cotton prices and output, whereas rising input costs reduced profits. The study recommends strengthening producer capacities through training, promoting technological innovations such as mechanization and pest-resistant varieties, and implementing incentive-compatible price policies to support optimal input use and enhance both productivity and profitability.

Résumé : Si la constitution du Bénin de 1990 respecte les standards démocratiques notamment présidentiels, on peut s’interroger sur l’efficacité de l’encadrement des choix qui y sont faits. En se fondant sur une analyse contractuelle, nous montrons dans ce papier que malgré l’existence d’un régulateur constitutionnel, le partage du pouvoir démocratique entre l’exécutif et le parlement tel que conçu dans cette constitution est consubstantiellement déséquilibré au profit du premier. Nous montrons également que ce déséquilibre est créateur de conflits permanents et de non développement plutôt que de consensus tel que promu par le régulateur constitutionnel. Nous montrons également que la probité et la bonne moralité des dirigeants sont très importantes pour le bon fonctionnement des pouvoirs. Ces résultats impliquent que l’information des citoyens est primordiale pour la sélection et le contrôle de dirigeants efficaces et honnêtes. Mots clés : Constitution – régulateur constitutionnel – équilibre des pouvoirs – conflits Balance of powers, consensus and conflicts in the Benin 1990’s Constitution While Benin 1990’s Constitution conforms to democratic standards, namely the presidential standard, questions remain concerning the effectiveness of the rules embedded in that constitution. Using a contractual analysis we showed in this paper that although a constitutional regulator is present, the sharing of the democratic power between the Government and the Parliament is unbalanced in favor of the former. We showed that this unbalance is a permanent source of conflicts and anti-development while the constitutional regulator is promoting consensus among the different branches of Government. We also showed that honesty and morality of the political leaders are crucial for the wellfunctioning of the different branches of powers. These results imply that information of citizens is very important for selecting and monitoring effective and honest political leaders. Key words: Constitution – constitutional regulator – balance of powers – conflicts JEL Classification: D72 – D63 – D02 – B52