Characterization of urban and peri-urban sheep farming in Southern Benin: implications for food security and sustainability

Abstract

A wide range of sheep production systems exist in and around urban areas of West Africa to meet the growing demand for sheep meat. In southern Benin, sheep farming is increasingly transitioning from traditional practices to more intensive systems. However, the diversity of these intensification pathways and their implications for food security and sustainability remain poorly understood. This study explored these trajectories through a detailed characterization of 100 sheep farms across urban and peri‑urban areas, examining their implication regarding food security and sustainability. Using factorial analysis of mixed data (FAMD) and hierarchical classification of principal components (HCPC), we identified three distinct sheep farm types, differentiated by enclosure type, type of fattening unit, herd structure (proportion of rams), and fattening duration. Urban farms predominantly adopted intensive, market-oriented ram fattening systems with high input use, while peri‑urban farms kept breeding herds with stronger crop–livestock integration. These systems represent distinct pathways of agricultural intensification, namely labor-intensive and capital-intensive approaches, that ensure a consistent supply of sheep meat to urban markets, enhance household incomes, and contribute to the four pillars of food security: availability, access, stability, and utilization. Nonetheless, these systems pose environmental challenges, particularly in terms of limited manure recycling. Policy priorities should therefore focus on promoting local fodder production, strengthening crop–livestock integration, and incorporating manure management into urban waste strategies. A comprehensive sustainability assessment is needed to quantify environmental impacts and guide interventions that align productivity gains with sustainable resource use.