Governing digital innovation in livestock systems: institutional gaps and coordination challenges in Benin

Abstract

Digital technologies offer transformative potential for livestock systems by enhancing productivity, resource efficiency, and market access. However, institutional and governance challenges often constrain the adoption of such innovations. This study explores how national policies, legal frameworks, and actor configurations influence the development and use of digital tools in Benin’s livestock sector. A qualitative exploratory design was adopted using Ostrom’s Institutional Analysis and Development (IAD) framework. Data were collected through documentary analysis of key legal instruments and strategic plans and unstructured interviews with a diverse group of stakeholders, including public officials, farmer organizations, NGOs, and agri-tech startups. Thematic coding and triangulation were used to analyze how institutional arrangements influence digital innovation in livestock systems. While Benin has established digital and agricultural policies, they lack specificity for livestock systems. Regulatory voids, fragmented governance, and unclear data protection frameworks undermine stakeholder trust and coordination. Stakeholders operate under divergent logics—bureaucratic, commercial, and advocacy-driven—resulting in isolated pilot projects that are unable to scale or integrate into national systems. Institutional exclusion of farmer voices further limits the relevance and uptake of digital tools. The study highlights that without coherent regulatory frameworks, coordinated governance platforms, and inclusive stakeholder participation, digital innovations in livestock systems are unlikely to achieve systemic impact. Effective digital transformation requires sector-specific policy development, multi-stakeholder engagement, and integration of digital services into extension systems. These institutional reforms are essential for realizing digital agriculture’s potential in supporting resilient and equitable livestock livelihoods.