Cereal production in Benin in a view of climate change and energy use

Climate change has become a critical issue affecting every country in the world, including Benin. The results of this scourge pose a serious threat to household food security. Given that maize is a staple cereal in Benin, this research aims to assess the impact of climate change on maize production, with a parallel focus on the efficiency of energy allocation methods used by producers in a context of climate change. To achieve this objective, both primary and secondary data were collected. Secondary data focused on climatic parameters, demographic factors, fertilizer application levels and emissions of environmental pollutants. Analysis of the ARDL and ARIMA models allow us to conclude that CO2 and CH4 emissions from food waste, temperature peaks, rainfall patterns and rural population density exert a significant influence on maize production volumes. Primary data collected from a sample of maize farmers focused on production data, the amount of energy allocated to production in the context of climate change, and the ways in which these energy sources are managed. Analysis of the data showed that, in order to limit the impact of climate change on maize production, farmers opted either for intensification of inputs or for an increase in labor. Moreover, according to the DEA and Tobit models carried out, the efficiency of these models is defined by the socio-economic characteristics of the producers, as well as by the quantities of inputs used in production. In the light of these results, policy frameworks aimed at limiting activities producing high levels of air pollutants, as well as regulating the excessive application of agricultural fertilizers, should be formulated to improve the efficiency of maize farmers.