Benin: training in sustainable soil management

COLEAD organised a collective training course on ‘Sustainable soil management’ for the partner clusters of the DEFIA programme within the framework of the Support for the agro-ecological transition of the pineapple sector in Benin project.

The training brought together a dozen participants from seven organisations, all of whom were farm managers, company executives or technicians responsible for supervising producers. The participants received training on:

• Assessment of soil properties and determination of key elements of soil fertility
• Identification of practices that can cause soil degradation and reduced fertility
• Recommended practices to preserve or restore soil fertility.

During the training, participants also made a field visit to the pineapple field to observe and experiment with soil fertility assessment methods. Feedback from participants about their expectations and the usefulness of the training was positive.

The objective of the project is to facilitate the initiation of a process of agro-ecological transition towards a sustainable production system for the pineapple sector. To this end, COLEAD provides Beninese operators with qualified service providers in key areas such as agroecological practices, soil fertility preservation and restoration, crop associations, and more.

This training was organised within the framework of the project to support the agro-ecological transition of the pineapple sector in Benin, financed by ENABEL through its Programme for the Development of Entrepreneurship in Agricultural Sectors (DEFIA) and implemented by COLEAD.