Since gaining independence and transitioning into a market economy, Benin has made significant changes in the governance of the agricultural sector to tackle the challenges. The changes involved experimenting with different approaches reflecting the prevailing ideologies of each period. Despite the implementation of various agricultural policies, an examination of the sector reveals several problems and challenges, raising questions about the effectiveness of these policies. Drawing on existing literature, the objective of this paper is to provide a comprehensive overview of the challenges faced by the agricultural sector in Benin, linking them to historical policy shifts. We explore the performance and outcomes of past and present agricultural policies in Benin, focusing on their ability to achieve intended objectives. Our findings indicate that the key changes observed include aligning agricultural policies with the directives of external powers more than national priorities. More recently, institutional reforms have focused on decentralizing agricultural development and streamlining the institutional landscape, yielding some positive outcomes compared to previous periods. To ensure the successful implementation of reforms, it is crucial to consider the aspirations of all stakeholders and encourage their ownership of agricultural policies.
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