Support programme to agricultural and rural training (ProFAR 2)

Context

In Benin, the majority of underemployed individuals – equivalent to low-level employees – are women, people from rural areas, self-employed individuals with low levels of education, and are primarily engaged in the agricultural sector, which remains the main provider of employment (42% of jobs). In this context, the Beninese government has sought to promote access to technical and vocational education and training (TVET) in order to increase the pool of technical and vocational skills necessary for the country’s development.

The intervention in agricultural and rural training is part of a territorial approach to rural development, supporting the national TVET strategy within the framework of the agricultural programme. Benin has adopted a new model of agricultural vocational training, expanding the offer beyond agricultural technical colleges through the creation of vocational agricultural training schools, primarily targeting active farmers and pre-baccalaureate training.

Objectives

The Support programme to agricultural and rural training (ProFAR 2) aims to increase the opportunities for young Beninese people to access decent work in the agricultural and rural sectors, particularly in the territories of northern Benin, by supporting the implementation of qualification programmes geared towards the country’s social and economic development.

ProFAR 2 is a funding supporting the implementation of the National Strategy for Technical and Vocational Education and Training, which aims to:

• build and equip three new agricultural technical colleges and rehabilitate a fourth;
• operationalise an integrated training and integration system geared towards agricultural and rural employment;
• support the emergence of a global and territorial management system for employment and skills.

The programme is developed and implemented by the Agence française de développement (AFD). The contribution of the Luxembourg Cooperation finances ProFAR 2, excluding the construction and equipment of the agricultural technical colleges, which are covered by a credit from AFD.

Beneficiaries

ProFAR 2 targets the entire population of Benin, with a particular focus on young people in the northern territories of the country.

Target geographical area

As part of a nationwide strategy, the programme specifically targets agricultural development poles (ADP) No. 1 and No. 2 in northern Benin:

• ADP 1 is located in the far north-east, along the Niger Valley. This area is characterised by floodplains and low-lying lands, which are well-suited to rice cultivation;
• ADP 2 is the country’s main cotton-producing region and is situated to the south of ADP 1.

Stakeholders

The programme is implemented in partnership with the Agence de développement de l’enseignement technique. The main actors in the sector are the Agence pour la construction des infrastructures du secteur de l’éducation, the NOVEC engineering consultancy, the Institut national d’ingénierie de formation et de renforcement des capacités des formateurs, and the Fonds de développement de la formation professionnelle continue et de l’apprentissage.