Food security and nutrition programme, Benin

From 1990 to 1994, the Benin government and the World Bank planned a pilot project that aimed to improve household food security through production and income-generating activities. Results showed that stocking (reducing losses) and selling food crops promoted access to food in villages, and the small development project--building roads and bridges--increased movement and rendered food more accessible. This pilot project resulted in a 5-year program, which incorporates nutrition in addition to the household food security objectives. The nutrition component of this program aims to reduce malnutrition through education and the empowerment of women to take charge of the problems in their village. Areas where food production does not cover the needs of the population are identified and targeted using national statistical data.