Dutch Deputy Minister Meets Beneficiaries of SafeVeg Project in Benin

On Thursday, May 26, 2025—coinciding with the Feast of the Ascension—Mr. Steven Collet, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Netherlands, met with dozens of beneficiaries of the SafeVeg Project in Abomey-Calavi, Benin.

The Dutch Deputy Minister handing over a batch of seed kits to a women’s cooperative 2

Dutch Ambassador hands over test seed kits

During his working visit, Mr. Collet and his delegation engaged with a wide range of stakeholders—including vegetable producers, seed enterprise managers, members of women’s farming networks, and local food vendors—who shared inspiring stories about how SafeVeg has impacted their lives.

Madame Victoire, a popular street food vendor from Fidjrossê (a district of Cotonou), shared her journey with Mr. Collet:

“I met the team from Component 2, who promote vegetable consumption in Benin. That chance encounter inspired me to start offering vegetables with the rice dishes I sell. To my surprise, customers who once only ate rice with tomato sauce and meat now happily accept rice with leafy greens.”

Two farmers from Kpomassè and Abomey-Calavi also gave testimonials. With support from CIRAD specialists, they’ve transitioned away from chemical inputs in favor of organic fertilizers and biopesticides, not only improving crop health but also protecting their soil for future generations.

The President of the Association of Seed Producers of Benin praised SafeVeg’s contribution to building capacity among local seed enterprises:

“The project has trained and structured us. It provides us with improved, climate-resilient seeds for multiplication—laying the foundation for stronger local seed systems.”

Thanks to collaboration between SafeVeg, WorldVeg, and government partners, Benin’s Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock and Fisheries has received a strategic Roadmap—a guiding tool for the development of the country’s horticulture subsector.

Private sector actors—including Rijk Zwaan, Holland Greentech, and East-West Seed (Philippines)—also applauded the project for transforming marigold production in Benin, as well as in other project countries: Burkina Faso and Mali.

Representing the media, the President of a major union of Beninese press associations expressed a strong commitment to supporting a national campaign encouraging vegetable consumption across both urban and rural communities.

Spokesperson for a women cooperative welcoming the support they receive from the SafeVeg project

Dr Simon Codjo explanining the work his team does

To conclude the session, Dr. Simon Codjo, lead of Component 6, gave a clear overview of the team’s work on impact assessments and evaluations.

The visit ended on a warm and symbolic note—with the presentation of seed kits to local producer groups, followed by a family photo to mark this memorable occasion.

The SafeVeg project (Safe locally produced vegetables for West Africa’s consumers) is carried out with funding from the European Union and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Netherlands, part of the DeSIRA program, and is implemented by the World Vegetable Center, Centre de coopération internationale en recherche agronomique pour le développement CIRAD and Wageningen University & Research (WUR), and national partners, the Institut National des Recherches Agricoles du Bénin (INRAB, Benin), Institut de l’Environnement et de Recherches Agricoles (INERA, Burkina Faso), and Institut d’Economie Rurale (IER, Mali).