Analysis of the Profitability and Competitiveness of Rabbit Value Chains in Benin

Abstract

Rabbit farming in Benin can offer enormous potential for job and income creation for both rural and urban populations and can provide an alternative to crop production that is now more threatened by the adverse effects of climate change. Unfortunately, useful information on the rabbit meat market as well as on the different value chains and their performance is not available. The objective of this study is to analyze the profitability of the rabbit value chains and their competitiveness in Benin. To achieve this, we surveyed 133 people, including 64 rabbit farmers, 11 merchants, 23 restaurant owners and processors and 35 rabbit consumers. We then analyzed the financial profitability of rabbit production and the competitiveness of different rabbit values. Our results showed that rabbit meat production is not competitive in the southern regions of the country and that marketing and processing make rabbit value chains more competitive.