Food in Benin

Agriculture is central to the livelihoods of about 70% of people in Benin. Smallholder farms, mostly dependent on rainfall, produce maize, rice, yam, cassava, sorghum, millet, legumes, tomatoes, vegetables and fish. Roots and tubers produced 7,851,764 tonnes in 2023–2024, including 4,449,430 tonnes of cassava and 3,321,089 tonnes of yam. Over the five years covered by the available production data, roots and tubers represented about 67.8% of food-crop production. A common meal pattern combines a starchy staple with a sauce. Maize or cassava may be prepared as pâte, a firm staple served with sauce, while akassa is fermented maize dough. Atassi combines rice and beans. Gari consists of processed cassava granules, niébé means cowpeas, and afitin is a fermented seasoning. Other local foods and preparations include owo, tchatchanga, Houawélio and Bômiho. Recipes, ingredients and names vary between communities and seasons. Southern and coastal cooking commonly uses maize, cassava, pâte, akassa, fish, seafood, palm oil and vegetables. Northern meals more often feature yam, sorghum, millet, beef and dairy products. The centre and Zou are associated with afitin, fermented maize products and local gastronomy. In Ouidah, Dakouin and Atoutou are linked with fish or crab, cassava, beans and vegetables. These patterns describe regional tendencies rather than a single national menu. People obtain food from household production, local markets, traders, street sellers, restaurants, maquis, hotels and cafés. In an urban study from 2026, atassi was the most frequently consumed cooked dish, and 95.3% of surveyed atassi consumers ate it at least once a week. A separate study of 92 sellers in Abomey-Calavi-Gbeli found that 56% of tested samples did not meet microbiological standards. That local result does not establish a national rate, but it shows why preparation conditions matter when buying ready-to-eat food. Benin’s food guide groups food into cereals and tubers; plant and animal proteins; vegetables; fruits; and dairy or other high-calcium foods, with water alongside these groups. Fish is common, while beans, peanuts, soy, cheese and peas provide alternatives. The guide encourages less processed traditional foods and advises limiting excess salt, sugary drinks, added fat and repeatedly used oil. WFP and MICS data for 2021–2022 recorded about 36.5% stunting, 8.3% wasting and 21% underweight among children, showing the scale of nutrition challenges without describing the situation of every household. ABSSA is responsible for food-safety and quality control across the food chain, including risk analysis, inspections and public warnings. Regional control structures and laboratories support this work. Depending on the product and sales channel, packaged foods may also require market authorization. MAEP covers agriculture, livestock, fisheries and value chains, while ANM handles standards, metrology, certification and quality control. Communes, producer groups and women’s associations contribute to local implementation. Food businesses need to follow hygiene, safety and quality requirements, especially where food is prepared for immediate consumption. Water and sanitation problems, poor hand or surface hygiene, unsuitable temperatures and contact between raw and ready-to-eat food create common safety risks. Keeping cooked food protected, separating raw ingredients, using safe water and avoiding food held too long at unsafe temperatures reduce these risks. The same precautions matter in homes, markets and street-food settings. PNASI provides formal school meals at participating public primary schools. ANAN has served as the national coordinating body for this programme since September 2024; the programme covers more than 5,709 schools and more than 1.4 million children. PNASI is not a universal household food benefit, and no general entitlement to free food is established by the available evidence. FAO, WFP and ANAN may support vulnerable households or children through specific projects. Food prices are quoted in FCFA and vary with season, harvests, storage, transport, border trade and export measures. An official May 2024 market snapshot recorded imported rice at 643 FCFA per kilogram, yam at 399 FCFA, gari at 434 FCFA and niébé at 738 FCFA. These figures are dated reference prices, not a permanent national meal tariff. Food-price monitoring in April 2026 reported local rice about 10% cheaper than a year earlier, maize 25–35% cheaper and sorghum as much as 45% cheaper; rice and maize were broadly stable from January to April, while sorghum fell by up to 30%. During the June–August 2026 lean season, more than 201,000 people were classified at Crisis level or worse, including about 9,500 at the more severe Emergency level, with Atacora and Alibori especially vulnerable. Rainfall dependence, soil and biodiversity loss, low productivity, weak storage and limited market access put pressure on long-term food supply. Agroecology, climate-resilient farming, soil and water protection, better storage, local value chains, rice and maize processing, and support for women and young people are identified responses. A FAO-GEF food-systems project and a World Bank financing package of USD 150 million for northern agri-food development support parts of this transition.