Impact Of Agricultural Market Reforms On Smallholder Farmers In ...

crops are responsible for this increase. In the IFPRI-LARES Small Farmer Survey, respondents
were asked whether their application rates of fertilizer on each crop had increased or decreased
since 1992. For most crops, 40-60 percent of the households report no change, but more
households cite increases than decreases. The largest increase appears in “other vegetables”, where
two-thirds of the growers report higher application rates. Similarly, almost half the piment growers
report greater use of fertilizer. The results also indicate that fertilizer use has increased
substantially on maize, sorghum/millet, groundnuts, piment, “other vegetables,” cotton, and “other
crops.” On the other hand, fertilizer use on manioc and yams appears to have declined (see Table
4.1.68). Because the 1994 devaluation doubled the price of fertilizer while increasing the price of
food crops by a smaller percentage, it is somewhat surprising that fertilization of maize,
groundnuts, and some vegetables has increased. It may be that increased availability, both inside
and outside the cotton system, has offset the impact of higher prices on demand.
Looking at the results by region, fertilizer use appears to have increased in every department except
for Ouémé. The reason for this result is not obvious, although it may be related to changes in
Nigerian policy which have reduced the subsidy rate on fertilizer. This presumably increased the
price of Nigerian fertilizer in neighboring Ouémé (see Table 4.1.69).
The reported changes in fertilizer use do not vary much by sex of the head of household or by
expenditure category. In every household category, the number of crops receiving more fertilizer is
greater than the number receiving less. Because much of the fertilizer in Bénin is available on a
credit-basis through SONAPRA and the groupements villageois, income is less of a constraint than
in other countries.
When asked the reasons for the increase in fertilizer use, a large majority (86 percent) reported that
it was in response to soil degradation. While soil degradation is certainly a factor, there is reason to
question this explanation. It does not take into account that the economics of fertilizing cotton have
improved, nor does it explain why changes in fertilization vary from one crop to another. The main
reason given by respondents for a decrease in fertilizer use was, not surprisingly, the higher price
(69 percent).
Pesticides
Pesticides are used on various crops in Bénin, but they are most commonly used on cotton.
Almost all (97 percent) farmers use pesticides on their cotton, spending an average of 51 thousand
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