Benin

The first-season maize harvest is currently underway in the southern parts of the country and is expected to finish by the end of September. Overall prospects remain average, sustained by generally favourable, near-average cumulative rainfall during crop development. Simultaneously, planting for the second-season maize is progressing in the south under average rainfall conditions, with completion also anticipated by late September. In contrast, the northern provinces have experienced highly irregular rainfall distribution. The region suffered significant moisture deficits at the start of the season in April (with cumulative rainfall roughly 40% to 65% below-average) and again between late June and mid-July (falling 30% to 50% below average). As a result, particularly poor crop and rangeland biomass conditions are evident across northern departments. In Borgou province, specifically, nearly 55% of the active crop area is affected by a greenness anomaly. The provinces of Alibori, Atakora, and Donga are similarly impacted, though to a lesser extent, with 30% to 35% of their active crop areas exhibiting vegetation stress. Persistent insecurity further exacerbates these poor northern crop and rangeland conditions. According to the WFP (Benin Country Brief, August 2026), the resurgence of armed incidents linked to the Sahel crisis continues to worsen Benin's humanitarian situation. This instability primarily impacts the Atacora, Alibori, and Borgou departments, which are currently hosting internally displaced persons alongside refugees and asylum seekers from Burkina Faso, Niger, Togo, and Nigeria.