Youth Employment for Food Security Improvement (EJASA)
Benin,
ongoing
The EJASA project supports agricultural entrepreneurship and the economic empowerment of rural youth in Northern Benin.
The Youth Employment for Food Security Improvement (EJASA) project aims to create employment opportunities for young people while improving food security in the regions of Alibori and Atacora in northern Benin. The project focuses on climate-resilient agricultural value chains, particularly horticulture, soybean production, and small livestock rearing (poultry and goats), with a strong emphasis on food processing to increase value addition and shelf life.
EJASA is supported by the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands and the European Union. The project is implemented by SNV as the lead implementer, in partnership with Territorial Agricultural Development Agencies (ATDA), the Departmental Directorates of Agriculture, Livestock and Fisheries (DDAEP), the National Employment Agency (ANPE), and several local Beninese NGOs.
Launched in October 2020, EJASA is currently in its second phase (2023–2027), a five-year implementation period with an expanded focus on youth, particularly young women.
The challenge
In northern Benin, rural youth face low employability, limited access to economic opportunities, and high vulnerability to climate shocks. The local economy, which is heavily dependent on agriculture, remains marked by low productivity, difficulties in accessing finance and markets, and persistent food insecurity.
Climate variability, soil degradation, and the instability of agricultural incomes aggravate this situation, weakening household livelihoods and limiting the prospects of integration of young people. In this context, strengthening agricultural entrepreneurship appears to be a strategic lever to sustainably improve the region's economic and food resilience.
The approach
EJASA adopts an integrated approach to youth employment and food system transformation, aiming to increase incomes for young people through improved productivity, climate-resilient practices, and value addition. The integrated approach is based on a combination of three complementary SNV approaches: Sustainable Nutrition for All (SN4A), Youth Entrepreneurship and Employment (YEE), and Inclusive Value Chain Development (IVCD).
The interventions focus on sectors with high economic and nutritional potential market gardening, soybeans, poultry and small ruminants in the departments of Alibori (Banikoara, Kandi, Karimama, Malanville, Ségbana, Gogounou) and Atacora (Matéri, Natitingou, Tanguiéta, Boukoumbé, Cobly, Toucountouna, Kérou, Kouandé and Péhunco)
Ultimately, EJASA aims to contribute to greater economic resilience, improved food availability, and enhanced social stability in northern Benin by positioning young people as key actors in sustainable agricultural development.
Expected results:
Enhancing the employability of young people, allowing them to benefit from commercial and economic opportunities in the agricultural sector;
Supporting young people to adopt more productive and climate-resilient agricultural practices, more efficient processing techniques and establish sustainable trading relationships;
Creating a more favourable and inclusive institutional environment, by lowering entry barriers to agricultural markets for young people and creating opportunities.
In the second phase (2023–2027), EJASA aims to support 12,500 young agri-entrepreneurs, 50% of whom are women.
Key results and indicators
Over the period 2021–2025, the EJASA project recorded significant results:
14,718 people directly affected (6285 men and 8433 women)
621 young people supported in integration and entrepreneurship programmes
14,318 jobs supported or economic opportunities generated
15 municipalities supported in support schemes
1,121 local actors trained or supported (elected officials, municipal executives, technical actors)
15 territories strengthened in the face of climate challenges
28 infrastructures built or rehabilitated to support economic and agricultural activities
