Local actors’ perceptions and adaptation strategies in response to agricultural policies on neglected and underutilized species in Benin

Agricultural systems in sub-Saharan Africa continue to face mounting pressures from food insecurity, climate variability, and the erosion of agro-biodiversity. In Benin, neglected and underutilized species (NUS)—including fonio, Bambara groundnut, sesame, and sweet potato—offer significant nutritional, cultural, and ecological benefits, yet they remain largely absent from national agricultural policy priorities. This study examines how actors in the Atacora region engage with this policy gap by analyzing the diversity of NUS cultivated, the institutional treatment of these species, and the ways producers and organizations perceive and adapt to weak policy support. Using an actor-oriented approach and a mixed-methods design, the research combines a review of major agricultural policy instruments with empirical data from 60 semi-structured interviews involving farmers, cooperatives, NGOs, development projects, research institutions, and public agencies. Results show that NUS are sustained primarily through grassroots and NGO-led initiatives, while state institutions contribute little beyond broad diversification rhetoric. Producers’ perceptions of agricultural policies are predominantly uninformed or negative, and organizational actors highlight significant gaps in institutional visibility, program design, and extension support. In response, actors mobilize a combination of endogenous strategies—such as seed exchange networks, collective labor, and local processing—and exogenous measures including training, equipment provision, and certification. The study demonstrates that NUS valorization in Benin emerges from hybrid governance arrangements shaped by policy neglect and strong local agency. It further shows the value of an actor-oriented lens for understanding how agricultural policies are interpreted and transformed within local food systems.