Effects of the Agro-net Technology on Financial Profitability of Cabbage and Pepper Production in Benin

Aims: Chemical pesticides have been the main option for pest control adopted so far by vegetable growers in Benin, in spite of the health risks involved. In order to reduce such risks, researchers developed insect nets (agro-net technology), as a means of physical pest control. This study aimed to assess the financial profitability of the use of that technology in cabbage and pepper production, so as to advice on its better management and enable greater adoption.

Study Design: Comparison was made of key indicators of resource management and financial profitability of a farm (productivity, profit ratio), among users and non-users of insect nets in the main vegetable production systems in southern Benin.

Place and Duration of Study: Benin’s National Institute of Agricultural Research (INRAB), in collaboration with the Faculty of Agronomic Sciences (FSA), from 2010 to 2011.

Methodology: Stratified and random sampling and a structured questionnaire were used to collect data from 205 farmers (consisting of 20% insect net users and 80% non-users) in Mono and Couffo departments of Benin. Component analysis, K-means, cluster analysis, Student’s T test were used to identify the different vegetable production systems. Crop budgeting was used to evaluate and compare resource management indicators (labor and capital productivity) and profitability indicators (gross revenue, cost of production, net revenue, benefit / cost ratio) between these systems.

Results: Three vegetable production systems were distinguished in the study area: Intensive system, semi-intensive system and extensive system. Only 20% vegetables growers use insect nets; they practice intensive and semi-intensive systems. The technology improved profitability, only for cabbage in the intensive system where the benefit / cost ratio and capital productivity increased slightly by 15.6%. On the contrary, due to large increases in labor costs, pepper production using the nets in intensive and semi-intensive systems led to 42.8% and 25.7% profit reductions. Decreases in labor productivity worth 48.3% and 72.6% were also observed.

Conclusion: Overall the agro-net or insect net technology increased labor costs, while output values did not increase more than proportionally. The study provides evidence that an agricultural technology should substantially reduce labor costs and improve labor productivity before it can be widely adopted by farmers, especially the poor. Technology adaptation to crops’ specific growth requirements is also needed to go beyond existing productivity and profitability advantages.