Exportation of fisheries products to the European Union

In 2009, inspectors of the EU Food and Veterinary Office visited Benin. Today Benin is allowed to export its fish products to the European Union. The ADEFIH project contributed to this success, especially through the acquisition of analytical equipment (chromatograph) for the central sanitary food safety control laboratory , the training of inspectors, the construction of unloading infrastructure along Lake Ahémé, and the registration and control of the fish pirogues on the lake. For Benin’s authorities the project is to be a model for other lakes in the country.

Training of fishermen

800 fishermen from the villages along the shores of Lake Ahémé have been trained in good practices to obtain high-quality fish products. They have also been made aware of the importance of good hygienic practices, of environmental management and of responsible fishing practices.

Awareness

A game was developed to make populations eager to act for a better environment and better living conditions. This game, LUD’ECO, is for youths of 14 and up. It is based on a game that is very popular in Benin. Young people and their coaches turned out to be very enthusiastic about the gaming aspect, which shows that raising awareness through a game works for young people. LUD'ECO was distributed from January 2011 onwards in the project intervention zone and near other bodies of water in southern Benin among NGOs and youth groups involved in environmental education.

Construction of a smokehouse

Traditional fish smoke ovens proved inefficient in capacity and fuel (wood) usage and consequently contributed to the depletion of mangrove and forest covers around the lake. Moreover, women suffered health risks from smoke inhalation, burns and exposure to raw heath.
The ADEFIH project built a pilot smokehouse equipped with Chorkor ovens. These ovens are easy and safe to use. Moreover, they have a high processing capacity, use little fuel wood, result in shorter smoking time and produce high-quality smoked fish.
The pilot smokehouse is a real model that attracts visiting groups of women of neighbouring villages who disseminate the technology to other women who process fish along Lake Ahémé.

Reforestation of the Lake Ahémé watershed

Lake Ahémé is one of the three major water bodies in southern Benin. It is part of the lagoons, a fragile and valuable ecosystem that is home to significant biodiversity. But erosion around the lake is accelerating so it silts up, biodiversity is damaged and poverty is on the rise.
Along with a local NGO, ADEFIH has contributed to the reforestation of more than 107 hectares of watershed with more than 200,000 acacia seedlings. Also restoration of the mangroves contributes, among other activities, to the protection of the environment at Lake Ahémé.

Support to the Development of the Fisheries Sector

• Funding: Belgium, Benin
• Implementation: Belgian development agency (BTC), Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock and Fisheries (MAEP)
• Location: Lake Ahémé, communes of Bopa, Comè and Kpomassè
• Duration: 2007-2011
• Budget: 3.4 million €

• Benin
• Environment & climate