Sectorial Climate Change Impacts and Adaptation in Benin

Abstract

This chapter gives a broad yet concise overview of climate change impacts and adaptation in selected sectors in Benin. First, the chapter documents climate change impacts, highlighting more or less studied sectors/areas, current adaptation efforts and required improvements. Second, the chapter presents the institutional framework of climate change policies, the roles of civil society and the provision and utilization of climate information services in combating climate change. A search and screening of scholarly articles, technical reports, and newspapers were conducted to identify and select relevant literature for the review. Findings suggest that climate change in Benin is characterized by increases in temperature, sea-level rise, and extreme events such as floods, droughts, and strong winds. The main sectors/areas where impacts are documented include water resources, agriculture, energy, health, and coastal ecosystems. Water resources and agriculture are the most studied sectors while health and energy have received limited attention so far. At both the institutional and civil society levels adaptation strategies are designed, implemented, and planned either based on indigenous initiatives or through bilateral and multilateral cooperations. These strategies have strengths and weaknesses. Awareness of the usefulness, availability and accessibility to climate information services is still limited. This review provides recommendations to support the current national effort in building a more resilient and climate-smart society.

Full text

Sectorial Climate Change Impacts and Adaptation in Benin
Djigbo Félicien Badou
a, c *
, Rosaine N. Yegbemey
b
, and Jean Hounkpè
c
a
: Ecole d’Horticulture et de l’Aménagement des Espaces Verts, Université Nationale
d’Agriculture, BP 43 Kétou, Benin. Email: fdbadou@gmail.com
b
: Laboratoire d'Analyse et de Recherches sur les Dynamiques Economiques et Sociales
(LARDES), Faculté d’Agronomie, Université de Parakou, Bénin. Email : rosaine.yegbemey@fa-
up.bj
c
Laboratoire d’Hydrologie Appliquée, Institut National de l’Eau, Université d’Abomey-Calavi,
Abomey-Calavi, 01 BP526 Cotonou, Bénin. Email : jeanhounkpe@gmail.com
*: Corresponding author’s email: fdbadou@gmail.com
Abstract
This chapter gives a broad yet concise overview of climate change impacts and adaptation in
selected sectors in Benin. First, the chapter documents climate change impacts, highlighting more
or less studied sectors/areas, current adaptation efforts and required improvements. Second, the
chapter presents the institutional framework of climate change policies, the roles of civil society
and the provision and utilization of climate information services in combating climate change. A
search and screening of scholarly articles, technical reports and newspapers were conducted to
identify and select relevant literature for the review. Findings suggest that climate change in Benin
is characterized by increases in temperature, sea-level rise and extreme events such as floods,
droughts and strong winds. The main sectors/areas where impacts are documented include water
resources, agriculture, energy, health, and costal ecosystems. Water resources and agriculture are
the most studied sectors while health and energy have received a limited attention so far. At both
the institutional and civil society levels adaptation strategies are designed, implemented and
planned either based on indigenous initiatives or through bilateral and multilateral cooperation.
These strategies have strengths and weaknesses. Awareness on the usefulness, availability, and
accessibility to climate information services is still limited. This review provides recommendations
to support the current national effort in building a more resilient and climate smart society.
Keywords:
Climate change adaptation, water resources, agriculture, energy, health, costal
ecosystems, Benin.

1. Introduction
After the severe drought of the 1970s and 1980s, the end of the 2000s was dreadful for most West
African counties struck by unprecedented flooding events, confirming the commonly accepted fact
that Africa is one of the most vulnerable continents to climate change due to its high exposure and
low adaptive capacity (Niang et al. 2014). Over the last 50 years, near surface temperature has
increased up to 0.3 °C per decade in West Africa and will continue to increase in the future as a
result of greenhouse gases emission in the atmosphere (Boko et al. 2007; Sarr 2012; Badou et al.
2016). Concomitantly, a decrease in annual precipitation was recorded in some West Africa
regions (Niang et al. 2014). Future precipitation projections are uncertain over West Africa
(Druyan 2011) and might therefore have blurred effects.
Against the observed and future impacts of climate change, there is a need for understanding how
specific sectors/areas are and would be impacted to further develop adaptation measures/policies
at various scales (regional, national, and local levels). Yet, there is heterogeneity in the intensity
of climate change research across sectors/areas. On the other hand, due to the low adaptive
capacity, current adaptation efforts might require improvements. All this needs to be built on a
smooth institutional framework and participation from all stakeholder groups, including civil
society.
A review paper is broadly viewed as a way to summarize the existing knowledge on a topic based
on a selected literature that can include published or unpublished papers. Reviews on climate
change adaptation have the potential to document knowledge gaps, and assess the strengths and
weaknesses of adaptation responses and thus pave the way forward (Ziervogel et al. 2014). In that
frame, De Vit and Parry (2011) provided an overview of current and planned adaptation actions
and highlighted commonalities and differences among West African countries. They indicated that
research and capacity building are required to understand vulnerabilities and equip countries for
the development and the implementation of effective adaptation actions in response to climate
change impacts. At a broader level, Ford et al. (2015) reviewed the status of climate change
adaptation in Africa and Asia and concluded that a major knowledge gap of adaptation policy and
practices in the regions limits adaptation initiatives. These works at regional and continental scales
do not necessary show the national peculiarities of adaptation strategies and options implying a
need for country specific studies. Other reviews (e.g. Anwar et al. 2013; Dang et al. 2019; Muchuru
and Nhamo 2019) are very specific to a selected sector and do not provide a holistic picture. Yet,
from a country-level policy-making perspective, a review across different sectors has the potential
to be more useful.
In Benin, the number of publications on climate change impacts and adaptation has rapidly
increased over the past decades, with increasing attention from a wide range of stakeholders,
including researchers, policy makers and civil society. Notwithstanding this, there is no synthesis
of the current state of cross-sectoral knowledge that takes stock of the existing literature and
respond to the question of how is Benin impacted by and adapting to climate change in different

sectors? To address this question, a review work was conducted with two objectives: 1) document
climate change impacts, highlighting more or less studied sectors/areas, current adaptation efforts
and required improvements; and 2) present the institutional framework of climate change policies,
the role of civil society, and the provision and utilization of climate information services in
combating climate change. The review involves a search and screening of scholarly articles,
technical reports and newspapers to identify and select relevant literature. Around fifty documents
(scholarly articles, reports, theses, webpages and books) were selected for the review (Appendix
1).
In the remainder of the chapter, the major impacts of climate change and the main sectors/areas at
risk are first presented. The institutional framework of climate change policies, the role of civil
society and the provision and utilization of climate information services in combating climate
change are then discussed. Conclusions and recommendations are provided at the end of the
document.
2. Climate change impacts in Benin and sectors/areas at risk
Benin has a tropical transition climate with the peculiarity of being dryer than neighboring
countries at the same latitudes (Lawin et al. 2013). Bimodal and humid (1200 mm/a) in the south,
the rainfall regime gradually shifts to unimodal and dry (700 mm/a) in the north. Mean minimum
and maximum temperatures are 21°C and 35°C respectively with March and April being the hottest
months.
The inter-annual climate variability in the country is characterized by a succession of humid and
dry decades (Fig. 1). The first four decades (1921-1960) after the installation of the first ground
stations in Benin in 1921 were humid followed by dry decades during the 1970s and 1980s.
Rainfall conditions similar to those of the period 1921-1960 were observed during the 2000s after
a transition during the decade 1990.
Figure 1: Inter-annual climate variability in Benin between 1921 and 2010. Dark blue indicates
humid decades, red dry decades, and light-blue a decade of transition.
Source: (Bokonon-Ganta 1987; Le Barbé et al. 1993; Vissin 2007; Badou et al. 2016)
A decrease in streamflow five times as much as the decrease in rainfall occurred in Benin water
courses during the drought of the 1970s and 1980s (Vissin 2007; Amoussou 2010). Likewise, an
increase in the length of dry spells was reported (Agbossou et al. 2012; Gnihatin 2017; Obada et
al. 2017). Contrasting with the 1970s and 1980s, in 2010 the country experienced one of the most
devastating floods of his history (MEHU 2011). Future rainfall trend is uncertain as a change of -

25 to +50 % is projected (Essou and Brissette 2013; Lawin et al. 2013; Badou 2016). As for
temperatures, 2.4 °C and 1.2 °C increase in minimum and maximum temperatures were observed
in northern Benin between 1970 and 2010 (Badou and al., 2016) suggesting an increase in
minimum temperatures two times faster that of maximum temperatures. Future climate projections
indicate that temperature will continue to increase up to 2.5 °C by 2050 in comparison to the values
of 2000 (Essou and Brissette 2013; Lawin et al. 2013). These climate change effects impact all the
key socioeconomic development sectors of the country, water, agriculture, energy, health, and the
coastal ecosystem (Table 1).
Table 1: Climate change impacts on six key sectors in Benin. For a given climate variability or
risk factor, a sign + (-) implies a sector considered is affected (not affected).
Water Agriculture
Energy
Health
Ecosystems
Coastal
ecosystems
Climate variability
Increase in temperature + + + + + -
Decrease in rainfall + + + + + -
Disaster
Droughts + + + + + +
Floods + + - + + +
Strong winds - + - - + +
Sea-level rise + + - + + +
Source: Boko et al. (2012)
Many other studies (Awoye et al. 2012; Sanchez et al. 2012; Yegbemey et al. 2013; Baudoin et al.
2014; Yegbemey et al. 2014) explored the perception of climate change and it impacts mostly by
smallholder farmers. These studies suggest that climate change is perceived through reductions of
rainfall, increases of temperature and frequencies of extreme events, etc. In terms of impacts,
climate change is linked to reductions of yields, increases of weeds and crop pests and diseases,
etc.
3. Climate change and water resources
The impacts of climate change on water resources for human usages and human safety are
presented here along with the adaptation efforts (Table 2).
Up to 95% of drinking water supply in the country is provided by groundwater which just like
surface water is subject to change in rainfall regime. Seasonal water scarcity impacts both ground
water and surface water used for drinking water supply. In northern and central Benin, it has been
reported the drying-up of dams, boreholes and shallow wells during the dry season of November
to April.

Transhumance of bovine livestock from neighboring countries (e.g Niger, Nigeria) augments the
pressure on water resources and favors water related conflicts (Lougbegnon et al. 2012).
Table 2: Climate change impacts and key selected adaptation responses in water resources sector
(Potential) Impacts
Adaptation measures
Water supply
Seasonal water scarcity
-
Development of a National
Action Plan on IWRM
considering climate change;
- Implementation of IWRM and
water supply project considering
the interrelation water-climate
change-food security
Transhumance (migration) of
bovine livestock
Increase in water
related
conflicts
Development of a
participative
and inclusive integrated conflict
reduction system between
farmers and herdsmen
Safety of people and property
Increasing fluvial and pluvial
flooding events
-
Development of an early
warning system (SAP-Bénin)
- Implementation of the
Emergency Project for Urban
Area Environmental
Management (PUGEMU)
Future direction of rainfall over the country is uncertain (Essou and Brissette 2013; Lawin et al.
2013; Badou et al. 2018). The impacts of climate change (decline in precipitation) could result in
40% to 60% reduction in the availability of water resources, further influencing Benin’s food
production (Dutch Sustainability Unit 2015). A decrease in mean annual rainfall will likely cause
low groundwater recharge and low reservoirs filling, and might lead to the emergence of water
security issues.
Pluvial and fluvial floods are the major water related disasters occurring in Benin. Fluvial floods
occur when major rivers like the Ouémé River and the Niger River overflow into areas that are
normally dry but valued. It was the case in 1988, 1996, 2010, and 2012 with devastating damages
(MEHU 2011). The flood of 2010 was the worsen ever experienced in Benin with damages
amounting 78.3 billion CFA francs (about USD 160 million) related to total or partial destruction
of assets including buildings, and other infrastructures (World Bank 2011). In northern and
southern Benin, farmers living close to riverbanks perceive floods as an opportunity of cultivation
(as streamflows bring water and nutrients to their fields) and therefore take serious risks of being
flooded (Behanzin et al. 2015).
Pluvial floods are caused by the increase in the frequency and intensity of extreme rainfall over
the past years. A 10% increase in the intensity of extreme rainfall was reported by Obada et al.
(2017) for northwest Benin. Similarly, between 1921 and 2012, the frequency of extreme rainfall

has increased for 57% of the stations of the Ouémé basin (Hounkpè et al. 2016). Accordingly,
flood occurrence has doubled since the 2000s along with a substantial increase in the number of
deaths due to flooding (Badou et al. 2019). The most dreadful flooding ever experienced in Benin
was that of 2010 with 46 people dead.
In response to the challenges related to the impacts of climate change on drinking water supply,
several projects and programs were developed and implemented. These include, among others, in
: (i) 2012, the development of a National Action Plan on integrated water resources management
(IWRM) paving the way for the integration of climate change in the water resources sector
(MERPMEDER 2011); (ii) 2014, the implementation of a project on “Integrated management of
water resources and water supply” with the objective of improving access to water by considering
the interrelationship water-climate change-food security (Dutch Sustainability Unit 2015); and (iii)
2019, a three-year project of access to water targeting a 100% rate of drinking water supply.
To reduce water related conflicts in the Okpara basin (northern Benin), Ogouwalé et al. (2013)
suggested a scheme for communicating research findings and applicable to other basins. Climate
change information targets are split into two sub-groups. The first one gathers local
representatives, officials of ministries whose activities are climate-sensitive, as well as local radio
presenters. The second sub-group consists of direct beneficiaries (e.g. farmers, herdsmen).
Training sessions (workshops and seminars), working groups, and distribution of leaflets is the
communication channel suggested for the first sub-group. Adaptation strategies are disseminated
to the direct beneficiaries via awareness-raising sessions and local radio broadcastings. Using this
scheme, a participative and inclusive integrated conflict reduction system between farmers and
herdsmen is developed.
As for the adaptation to flooding events, an early warning system (SAP-project) was developed.
Funded by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), the project brought together
academicians from Benin Universities, experts from Benin Meteorological Agency (Agence-
Météo), Benin Water Directorate (DGEau), Benin fishing and Ocean Research Institute (IRHOB)
and the National Civil Protection Agency (ANPC). Learning from the experience of 2010, Civil
Protection Communal Committees in charge of disasters management at the municipality level
were alerted for the floods of 2012 along the Ouémé River, hence preventing losses of lives.
Another project worth to be mentioned is the Emergency Project for Urban Area Environmental
Management (PUGEMU) which was implemented from 2012 to 2017 in the Grand-Nokoué region
(Cotonou, Porto-Novo, Sèmè Kpodji, Abomey-Calavi and Ouidah). The project contributed to
strengthen the resilience of population to flood events by constructing and rehabilitating
stormwater drainage structures (bridges and storm drains), designing fluvial sanitation master plan,
improving wastewater and solid waste management systems through the construction of waste
transfer stations and by improving flood risk management (Secrétariat Général du Gouvernement

2019). The sustainability of the PUGEMU project achievements is currently considered through
new projects and programs such as the rainwater drainage program for the city of Cotonou, and
the asphalt paving project.
A recent study on the vulnerability of water resources sector to the impacts climate change has
been conducted over the Ouémé River basin to identify vulnerable areas to water scarcity and flood
hazards. By 2050, only two communes located in the north of the River basin (Djougou and
Ouèssè) will be the most affected by water scarcity while majority of the communes of the River
basin will experience floods hazards (Sintondji et al. 2019). These findings will be accounted for
the country National Adaptation Plan in preparation.
In terms of capacity building, the country is involved in regional and international programs for
climate change adaptation and mitigation such as the West African Science Service Centre on
Climate Change and Adapted Land Use (WASCAL, www.wascal.org) with its doctoral school on
climate change and water resources hosted by the National Institute of Water in Benin.
4. Climate change and agriculture
In Benin, like in other West African countries, agriculture occupies the majority of the population
meaning a crucial sector for the socioeconomic development.
Benin’s agriculture remains mainly rainfed (irrigation is still incipient) and therefore climate-
dependent. As shown in Table 3, Climate change poses problems in terms of decrease in the
number of rainy days, shortening of the wet seasons, misleading onset and cessation of the rainfall
seasons, progressive merging of the two distinct planting seasons into just one (in the south), and
increase in pest and disease pressures (Awoye et al. 2012; Otieno et al. 2018). Otieno et al. (2018)
reported that climate change is narrowing down the range of maize (the principal staple food grown
in Benin) varieties available to farmers in the municipality of Tori-Bossito, located in southern
Benin. Lawin et al. (2013) showed that under climate change maize productivity will be reduced
by around 5 to 25% by 2050. In line with previous studies, Akponikpe et al. (2019) found a
significant decrease in crop yields of up to 30% for maize and 20% for cotton by 2050 in central
Benin (Collines region).

Table 3: Climate change impacts and key selected adaptation responses in agriculture sector
(Potential) Impacts
Adaptation measures
Poor rainfall conditions (
misleading onset and
cessation, shortening of the wet season, decrease
in the number of rainy days)
Progressive merging of the two distinct planting
seasons into just one (in the south)
-
Use of drought tolerance, and early
maturity species (for maize)
- Development and implementation of an
agro-meteorological early warning
- Use of staggered sowing
Increase in pest and disease pressures
-
Use of pesticides
Reduction of productivity of up to 30% major
crops (maize, cotton) by 2050
-
On
-
farm
diversification and land use
changes strategies
- Use of fertilizers
Farmers are aware of these impacts (Awoye et al. 2012), and strive to cope with them (Yegbemey
et al. 2013). Yegbemey et al. (2014) reported that on-farm diversification and land use changes
strategies are the most sustainable adaptation actions implemented for maize production. Land-use
adaptation strategies include crops association/rotation, land re-allocation, soil erosion control, and
change of site, which at least one of these strategies is implemented by 89 % of farmers (Yegbemey
et al. 2013). To face the challenges related to maize production, Otieno et al. (2018) suggest “to
take advantage of maize genetic diversity” and use drought tolerance, and early maturity species,
available at the national or international levels.
To adapt to the erratic and blurred rainfall conditions, an early warning system was developed for
the agricultural sector. As part of the Project for Strengthening the Adaptation Capacities of
Benin's Rural Stakeholders in the face of Climate Change (PARBCC), Hounkponou et al. (2010)
developed an agro-meteorological early warning to reduce agricultural vulnerability to climate
change in rural Benin. Fig. 2 below depicts the warning system developed and implemented. This
research showed that access to agro-meteorological information clearly helps in building the
capacity of farmers and in reducing their vulnerability to climate change. In addition, it proved
necessary to take into account local knowledge (by a periodic assessment of needs and impacts at
the beneficiary level) to adjust forecasts (Hounkponou et al. 2010). Decadal, weekly and three-day
rather than monthly information will help farmers plan and monitor efficiently their activities.
Local radio and local languages should be used for the dissemination of agro-meteorological
information to farmers (Hounkponou et al. 2010).

Nevertheless, though farmers (in northern Benin) are willing to be informed of climate forecasting,
they prefer paying for “documented adaptation strategies” than for climate forecasting. Thus, the
dissemination of climate change information up to the farmers’ level is key (Yegbemey and al.
2013a).
Other adaptation measures include staggered sowing, the use of short-cycle varieties, lowlands’
development, use of fertilizers, diversification of income sources (Akponikpe et al., 2019).
The forestry, and fishery sectors are also impacted by climate change. However, impacts and
adaptation strategies are poorly documented so far.
Figure 2: An example early warning system for a resilient agriculture
Source: Hounkponou et al. (2010)
5. Climate change and energy
Benin is a country with little industrialization, and low energy consumption. The energy
consumption in Benin was 0.39 tonne of oil equivalent (toe) per capita in 2010 against 1.0 toe per
capita in Cote d’Ivoire and 1.5 toe per capita in Senegal (MEEM 2016) meaning that Beninese
consume 2.5 and 4 times less energy than Ivoirians and Senegalese respectively. In 2013, the

energy consumption was 923 MWh representing an increase of 2.3% compared to 2012 (TBS,
2015). Major cities have relatively good energy supply while other cities are less well covered,
and most peri-urban and rural areas are not covered with electricity grid.
Energy supply in the country largely depends on neighboring country like Ghana and Nigeria
despite a very high potential of energy production. An estimate of this potential amounts 624 MW
for hydropower, 300 MW for biomass, and an important potential for solar energy given average
daily solar radiation values ranging between 3.9 kWh/m2 in the south and 6.2 kWh/m2 in the north
(MEEM 2016).
Climate change has direct effects on the energy sector in the case of hydropower, biomass, solar
and wind energy, and indirect effects in the case of thermal energy and could there negatively
affect the potential mentioned earlier. Hence, a project for strengthening the resilience of the
energy sector to the impacts of climate change in Benin is being implemented by the UNDP.
Funded by Benin Government and the Global Environment Facility (GEF) the project will run
from 2016 to 2021. Expected results are: (i) building human and institutional resources capacity
in the energy sector, (ii) integrating climate risks into energy sector policies and planning
documents, and (iii) enhancing the climate resilience of energy sources by investing in adaptation
measures, and by improving energy services for the most vulnerable households (MEEM 2016).
A similarly project entitled “Promotion of sustainable biomass-based electricity generation in
Benin” was launched in 2017 for 5 years with the aim of promoting electricity generation through
gasification of waste agricultural residues (biomass) to supply both the main grid and isolated
mini-grids. At the end of the period lifetime, it is envisaged the production of a total of 76,651
MWh. The facility installed will have an annual generation capacity of 24,498 MWh for up to 15
years (the lifetime of gasifiers). The project also targets the improvement of agricultural techniques
over 9,000 ha and lands restoration with tree plantations over 2,000 ha. Sustainable management
practices will be supported in the forests in the vicinity of the biomass gasifiers.
Besides, three major dams supplying 596 GWh are planned to be built on the Ouémé River Basin,
the largest river of the country (DGEau 2013). One of the most visible footprints of climate change
adaptation actions in the energy sector in Benin is the use solar energy both in rural area (mainly
for domestic uses, charge phones, lamps, and others) and in urban areas solar street lamps (Fig. 3).

Figure 3: Solar lamp-street in Cotonou city (left) and Cotonou Military hospital (right)
In December 2017, a 40 billion FCFA (60.5 million Euros) contract was signed between Benin
Government, French Development Agency (AFD), and European Union for the DEFISSOL
project which aims at constructing a 25-megawatt photovoltaic power plant in the municipality of
Pobé located in southeastern Benin (Ambassade de France à Cotonou 2017).
6. Climate change and health
Climate has both direct and indirect effects on human and animal health. Flooding events (Section
3) degrade people living environment and thus (indirectly) amplifies the spread of water-borne
diseases. In 2016, statistics show that 43.1% of the demand for healthcare in Benin was due to
malaria (Ossè et al. 2019). Air-bone diseases like meningitis and acute respiratory infections (ARI)
might also increase.
Until 2010, very little was known about the impacts of climate change on health in Benin. One of
the very first works on the topic were that of Uesbeck et al. (2010) which predicted a decrease in
the spread of malaria in the Sudanian zone (including Benin) for the decade 2041-2050 as a result
of significant reduction in annual rainfall. This finding of Uesbeck et al. (2010) was confirmed by
a recent study of Hounkpè (2020) who investigated the correlation between rainfall variability and
the prevalence of three climate sensitive diseases malaria, diarrhea, and acute respiratory infection
(ARI) in the municipality of Aguégués in southern Benin. It was found a decrease in the prevalence
of malaria (115 to 86 ‰), and ARI (31 to 4 ‰) as a result of a decrease in future rainfall (horizon
2050) compared to the present rainfall conditions (1994-2014) but an increase in the prevalence of
diarrhea from 10 to 25‰.
Recently, a vulnerability study of climate change impacts on health sector has attempted to model
climate change impacts on malaria in three southern Benin cities (Adjohoun, Bonou, and Dangbo).
Relative humidity, temperature and rainfall were found to be the climatic variables influencing
malaria transmission in the three municipalities (Ossè et al. 2019). Unlike the studies of Uesbeck

et al. (2010) and Hounkpè (2020), the works of Ossè et al. (2019) suggest an increase in the
prevalence of malaria in the future (2050) given a strong positive correlation between the number
of mosquito bites, relative humidity and mean temperature (Ossè et al. 2019). More research is
needed to avoid ambiguity.
The findings of the vulnerability study will be integrated in the National Adaptation Plan in
preparation. Besides, the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) has
funded a study for the integration of climate change impacts in Benin National Development Plan
of Health sector (PNDS).
Other adaptation measures include the efforts made to enhance human safety in the face of flooding
events. An example of such adaptation measure is the PAIS project which was implemented to
support flooded populations in the municipality of Abomey-Calavi. The project improved the
sanitary conditions of the flooded populations and raised their awareness about health implications
of climate change.
Climate change could negatively impact plant species used in traditional medicine. The extinction
of these species may have negative impacts for the pharmacopoeia and the populations who rely
on traditional medicine. Further study is required to document the existing and needed adaptation
strategies.
7. Climate change and coastal ecosystems
Benin is coastal country with a coastline of about 125 km made up of 7 segments of which 4
(Grand-Popo, Ouidah, Eastern Cotonou, and Sèmè-kpodji) are the most vulnerable (Thoto 2013).
As a result of longshore drift and sea level rise, the country has lost 2 to 30 m of its littoral every
year between 2011 and 2014 (Degbe et al. 2017). Studies report that in Benin, sea-level rise causes
coastal flooding, loss of human settlements, destruction of road and hotel infrastructures, salt water
intrusion into rivers and aquifers (e.g. Nokoué and Ahémé Lakes, coastal sedimentary basin),
reduction of fishing productivity, and extinction of some species (Dossou and Gléhouenou-Dossou
2009; MEHU 2011; Thoto 2013).
In terms of adaptation, passive and active measures are implemented. Passive measures include
the nourishment of vulnerable areas with sand taken from sand-rich areas and the use of beach-
rocks to cope with coastal erosion (Dossou and Gléhouenou-Dossou 2009). As for active measures,
a project of coastal protection was implemented to protect the most vulnerable areas of Cotonou
coast (Benin’s largest city, and main administrative, and business center). The first phase of the
project run from 2012 to 2014 with the construction of 8 groins. The second phase (2017-2019)
including the construction of 4 additional groins and beach nourishment with dredged sand was

undertaken to reinforce existing structures. Besides, an early warning system involving Benin
fishery and Ocean Research Institute (IRHOB), the Ministry for the Interior and Public Security
through the National Civil Protection Agency (ANPC) warns costal populations in case of strong
winds and high ocean surface waves. On June 3, 2018 a warning was delivered by the Minister for
the Interior and Public Security, and disseminated through the Medias and social networks. This
effectively enabled the protection of coastal communities. Additionally, Benin is a beneficiary of
the West Africa Costal Areas Programme of the World Bank which aims at building the resilience
of coastal communities in six West African countries.
8. Institutional dimension of adaptation to climate change in Benin
The political commitment of Benin Republic to mitigate and adapt to climate change was taken
with the signature of the Kyoto protocol and the United Nations Framework Convention on
Climate Change in 1994. Since then, three National Communications on Climate Change (in 2001,
2011, 2019) as well as a National Adaptation Programme of Actions (NAPA in 2008) were
elaborated. A National Adaptation Plan (NPA) is currently in preparation. As a result, the new
direction now shared and accepted in Benin is the integration of science-based climate change
information in policies and development plans at the national and municipality levels. In the
meantime, a WhatsApp group was created to serve as a platform for sharing experiences related
to mitigation and adaptation to climate change, and other environmental issues. The group is made
up of officials and professionals from the Directorate in Charge of Environment and Climate
Change (DGEC), climate-sensitive ministries, Benin Meteorological Agency, academicians, and
technical advisors from GIZ.
Recently, Benin Government has signed with the UNDP a 17.5 billion FCA (35 million $)
document project which aims at reinforcing the resilience to climate change
(https://bj.ambafrance.org/La-France-et-l-Union-europeenne-s-engagent-aux-cotes-du-Benin-
pour-construire). To support the actions undertaken so far, in June 2018, Benin Parliament voted
a law on climate change. This law aims at, among others, preventing, protecting, and managing
climate change impacts on the Benin people in the short, medium, and long terms.
9. Benin Civil Society: a giant in adaptation to climate change
Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) are also contributing to the national adaptation efforts
to climate change in Benin. A great deal of projects are implemented to support local populations.
Four examples of such a support are presented below. Firstly, there is a project of Africa4Climate
for which the NGOs GERES (Groupe Energies renouvelables, Environnement et Solidarités) and
IDID (Initiatives pour un Développement Intégré Durable) supported the integration of climate
change in the development plan of six municipalities located in central Benin.

Secondly, ACED program (Actions for Environment and Sustainable Development) initiated two
projects; one on Coastal Areas Adaptation to climate change and variability (PACC), and the other
on Artists mobilization to raise Abomey-Calavi local populations’ awareness on climate change
(ARCC). The approach used for the ARCC project is to encourage local artists in composing a
climate change awareness song for wide dissemination. In addition, village assemblies and radio
programs are proposed to disseminate good adaptation actions.
Thirdly, in the municipality of Kérou (northern Benin), a project by Initiatives Climat succeeded
in building the resilience of rice cultivation to climate change through the introduction of strong
winds and floods resistant varieties, and in increasing rice production thanks to the introduction of
resistant varieties such as IR 841.
The last example is that of the Beninese NGO CREDEL (Centre de Recherche et d’Expertise pour
le Développement Local) which in partnership with its Canadian counterpart CRDI (Centre de
Recherche pour le Développement International) is running a project on the development of an
inclusive resilience to climate change and disasters in Benin (DERICC-Bénin in short). The
objective of the project is to improve the capacity of women and other vulnerable groups to climate
change and disasters through the assessment of the efficiency and sustainability of currently
developed strategies and the development and dissemination of new adaptation and automatization
strategies in 08 municipalities located in southern and central Benin (Athiémé, Djougou, Glazoué,
Ouaké, Ouidah, Ouinhi, Savè, and Adja-Ouèrè).
10. Provision and use of climate information services
Climate services can support decision-making processes and improve resilience to climatic shocks
in many sectors as briefly discussed in Sections 3 and 4. In agriculture for instance, climate services
can help farmers to take informed production decisions such as the optimal timing of farming
activities such as sowing or planting and application of fertilizers or pesticides. While many
stakeholders are picking interest in using climate-related information, it is important to note that
providing climate services comes with challenges such as format, timing, costs, etc. Most
importantly, there is limited high-quality and rigorous evidence on how climate information could
be provided to smallholder farmers with a maximum of impact. In the recent years though, few
studies attempted to fill the research gap (e.g. Fafchamps and Minten 2012; Camacho and Conover
2019; Yegbemey 2020)..
Talking about Benin, Yegbemey (2020) tested the potential impact of weather-related information
shared with smallholder farmers via mobile phone Short Message Service (SMS). The study
piloted a theory-based experiment, using a Randomized Controlled Trial (RCT) design. The
experiment involved a treatment group and a control group with randomization at the village level.
Farmers in the treatment group were provided with weather information through mobile phone
SMS. First, the study showed that providing farmers with weather information can help them to

better allocate the production resources and record eventually higher yield and income. This can
be done through several dissemination channels can be used to provide famers with climate
information, including social network of the local communities to the information, communication
and technologies (ICTs). Second, the study showed that farmers in the treatment group record
lower level of labor costs but higher levels of yield and income, implying a positive impact of the
weather information. While these results sound encouraging, awareness on the usefulness,
availability, and accessibility of climate information services is still limited in the country. This a
field where more research is needed to raise population interest for climate change information.
11. Conclusions and recommendations
In Benin, hydroclimate data and local population perceptions are used to document climate change
manifestations and impacts to which various measures are developed and implemented on the
ground to adapt. There is a need to evaluate the effectiveness and sustainability of the decisions
and actions taken so far. Relevant stakeholders (political and administrative authorities, academia,
NGOs, and multilateral and bilateral technical and funding partners) are involved in the national
effort to combat climate change. Agricultural and water resources sectors receive increasing
attention while the other sectors (energy and health sectors) are left behind. This gap should be
filled. In particular for the health sector, a recent vulnerability study to climate change was limited
to malaria and should include other climate-sensitive diseases. An early warning system is also
needed for both the energy and health sectors. Awareness raising on the usefulness, availability,
and accessibility of climate information services seem very important and has the potential to
strengthen and inform climate change adaptation actions across sectors.
Another direction to go now is to bridge between theoretical solutions (suggested by scientists)
and feasible solutions on the ground, and scale up successful climate change adaptation projects.
Young generations must be prepared which implies that climate change be taken in their curricula.
This will require the training of teachers and the design of appropriate schools’ materials.
Likewise, the organization, on a regular basis (e.g. every year), of a national day dedicated to the
adaptation to climate change to discuss lessons learnt, advances and challenges is an avenue to
explore.
It is expected that the National Adaptation Plan in preparation will valued the findings presented
in this chapter.

Appendix
Appendix 1: List of papers used in this review classified by types
Year of publication
Authors Title
Book
2013
Lawin et al.
Benin. In: West African Agriculture and Climate Change.
2012
Boko et al
Les enjeux du changement climatique au Bénin.
2010
Uesbeck et al
Vector
-
borne and water
-
borne diseases in Benin.
1993
Le Barbé
et
al.
Les ressources en eaux superfic
ielles de la République du
Bénin.
Scholarly article
2020
Yegbemey
Climate Services for Smallholder Farmers Using Mobile
Phones: Evidence from a Pilot Randomised Controlled
Trial in North Benin
2018
Badou et al.
Modelling blue and green water availability under climate
change in the Beninese Basin of the Niger River Basin ,
West Africa
2018
Otieno et al
Enhancing the capacity of local communities to access
crop genetic diversity for climate change adaptation
2017
Degbe et al
Évolution du trait de côte du littoral béninois de 2011 à
2014
2017
Obada et al.
Change in Future Rainfall characteristics in
the Mékrou
Catchment (Benin), from an Ensemble of 3 RCMs (MPI-
REMO, DMI-HIRHAM5 and SMHI-RCA4)
2016
Badou et al.
Evaluation of recent hydro
-
climatic changes in four
tributaries of the Niger River basin (West Africa)
2016
Hounkpè et
al.
Change in Heavy
Rainfall Characteristics over the Ouémé
River Basin, Benin Republic, West Africa
2015
Behanzin et
al.
GIS
-
Based Mapping of Flood Vulnerability and Risk in
the Benin Niger River Valley
2014
Baudoin et al.
Small scale farmers’ vulnerability to climatic c
hanges in
southern Benin: the importance of farmers’ perceptions of
existing institutions
2014
Yegbemey et
al.
Willingness to be informed and to pay for agricultural
extension services in times of climate change: the case of
maize farming in northern Benin, West Africa.
2013
Essou and
Brissette
Climate Change Impacts on the Ouémé River, Benin, West
Africa.
2013
Ogouwalé et
al.
Climate change and water resource availability in the
Okpara Basin in Benin (West Africa): what coping
strategies are available?
2013
Yegbemey et
al.
Farmers’ decisions to adapt to climate change under various
property rights: A case study of maize farming in northern
Benin (West Africa).
2012
Agbossou et
al.
Climate Variability and Implications for maize Production
in Benin : A Stochastic Rainfall Analysis.

2012
Awoye et al
Scientific and Local Knowledge on Climate Change in
Tropical West Africa: Do Farmers’ Perceptions Fit the
Measured Changes?
2012
Sanchez et al.
A countrywide multi
-
ethnic assessment of local
communities’ perception of climate change in Benin
2010
Hounkponou
et al.
Agro
-
meteorological Early Warning to Reduce
Agricultural Vulnerability to Climate Change: The
Experiences of PARBCC in Benin.
Report
2019
Akponikpe et
al.
Etude de Vulnérabilité Sectorielle
face aux changements
climatiques au Bénin Secteur : Agriculture
2019
Ossè et al.
Etude de Vulnérabilité aux changements climatiques du
Secteur Santé au Bénin
2019
Secrétariat
Général du
Gouverneme
nt
Compte rendu du Conseil des Ministres du 18-12-2019
2019
Sintondji et
al.
Etude de Vulnérabilité face aux changements climatiques
du Secteur Ressources en Eau au Bénin
2016 MEEM
Renforcement de la résilience du secteur de l’énergie aux
impacts des changements climatiques au Bénin (PANA
Energie)
2015
Dutch
Sustainability
Unit Climate Change Profile: Benin
2013
Climate
Service
Center Climate fact sheet Benin, Ghana, Togo
2011 MEHU
Deuxieme communication nationale de la republique du
benin sur les changements climatiques
2011
MERPMEDE
R
Plan d’Action
Nation de Gestion Integrée des Ressources
en Eau
2011
World Bank
Inondation au Benin: Rapport d’evaluation des Besoins
Post Catastrophe.
Thesis
2020
Hounkpè
Impacts des changements climatiques sur la morbidité dans
la commune des Aguégués: cas du paludisme, de la diarrhée
et des IRA (infections respiratoires aigües).
2017
Gnihatin
Trend analysis of dry spells in Benin synoptic stations.
2016
Badou
Multi
-
model evaluation of blue and green water availability
under climate change in four non-Sahelian basins of the
Niger River basin
2010
Amoussou
Variabilité pluviométrique et dynamique hydro
-
sédimentaire du bassin-versant du complexe fluvio-
lagunaire Mono-Ahémé-Couffo (Afrique de l’Ouest
2007
Vissin
Impact de la variabilité climatique et de la d
ynamique des
états de surface sur les écoulements du bassin béninois du
fleuve Niger.
1987
Bokonon
-
Ganta Les climats de la région du Golfe du Bénin.

Webpage
2018
Pluspres tv
BENIN / PUGEMU : Les acteurs font le point des acquis
2017
Ambassade
de France à
Cotonou
Construction de la plus grande centrale solaire du Bénin : la
France et l’UE s’engagent auprès du Bénin
2017
Association
Initiatives
Climat/NGO
Production d’un riz plus résilient aux changements
climatiques

12.
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