Sand is a crucial resource for society's development. Among the most exploited sand quarries in the world are the lagoon and wetland sand. Although mechanical sand dredging is the most spread technique, manual and traditional techniques are still widely used in West Africa. The purpose of this paper is twofold: to describe traditional sand dredging (TSD), highlighting the procedure used and the structural organization of this activity, and to evaluate the total economic value of TSD in order to help decision making about wetland management. Therefore, TSD occurring in the coastal lagoon complex of Grand Nokoué (CLCGN) in Benin was investigated. Field surveys indicate that TSD is mainly dominated by men, about 93% of the actors. It required intense physical efforts including diving to the bottom of the lake and removing manually the sand in backed toward the surface of the water. TSD actors are organized in local associations which deliver extraction license and discuss with both the others actors and the local government. The total economic value of the benefits of TSD to the population, estimated using direct market value and replacement cost, was estimated at 2.44 million USD per year for 127,818 m 3 of sand extracted. It is clear that introduction of mechanical sand dredging will increase the amount the sand removed and subsequently will increase some benefits such as reduction of flooding amplitude and mitigation of the filling of the lakes. However, mechanical sand removal will also considerably reduce the profit the local population makes from sand commercialization which currently represents 80% the total economic value of TSD.

In southern Benin, the rapid growth of demographics and the need for fishery products have forced public managers to adopt various management measures in the face of anti-ecological methods used by fishers; however, these strategies are often formulated independent from the context. These measures have not remained without consequence on the daily lives of fishers. This paper examines factors influencing fishers’ individual perceived wellbeing satisfaction using the social-ecological system framework. Data on 205 small-scale fishers’ demographic information, perception of job, and individual wellbeing satisfaction and governance subsystems were collected and analysed by the use of an ordered logistic regression. The results demonstrate that job satisfaction and ownership of water bodies (in contradiction to Ostrom’s advocation for commons management) affected fishers’ individual perceived wellbeing satisfaction. Fishers likely value ownerships, affecting their perceived wellbeing mainly in the South East. The prohibition of certain fishing gear decreases fishers’ individual perceived wellbeing, indicating their attachment to these. Therefore, the question remains as to whether or not the scenarios of eco-sustainability of artisanal fisheries can be managed in the same manner as those related urban dwellers and the public sector. This is in particular reference to the line between urban land property rights, urban dwellers and the state, and property rights on water bodies, fishers, and the state.

Digitalization is an opportunity for African farmers, as it brings several services and innovative technology closer to them. Nowadays, the digital agriculture ecosystem in Africa involves hundreds of start-ups and projects that work toward innovative and sustainable solutions. However, the government policies that need to create a conducive environment do not always keep pace with the digital ecosystems needs. In this article, we review ICT-related policies and their influence on agriculture in thirteen countries from West Africa and six from East Africa. The review was conducted using a mixed-methods approach. We used MCI and EBA ICT index for quantitative analysis on one hand, and on the other hand the content analysis technique Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) was used. The analysis yielded four main conclusions. First, government policies address mainly the areas of infrastructure development, digital finance and access to credit, and data protection. Second, countries with a dedicated ICT for agriculture strategy are scarce in East and West Africa. Third, in-country actions on e-agriculture are scattered with weak coordination and synergy. Fourth, East Africa is farther ahead than West Africa in terms of digital policy enforcement for agriculture on the continent. The findings have implications for policies that are more adapted to farmers’ context and needs.

The estuarian and lagoon areas of southeast Benin are atypical lake territories where private property rights are hereditary from endogenous legal tradition. People live in stilt dwellings and are exclusively dedicated to free-to-access fishing. Consequently, an increasing number of fishers with low respect for the State’s general rules for sustainable fishing contribute to legal pluralism and the tragedy of the commons. Co-management of small-scale fisheries has been advocated to offer various benefits, including improved socio-ecological integration, shared sustainable livelihoods, and adherence to biodiversity objectives. This study aims to assess the factors that influence the willingness of small-scale fishers to adopt property rights co-management options in southeast Benin. The data were collected using the discrete choice experiment method. The results show that 44% of fishers are willing to adopt property rights co-management options. This willingness is determined by their involvement in the co-management committee, access to a subsidy and livelihood diversification options. These fishers are the oldest in the sample and primarily owners of Acadja, a traditional fishing tool made of bush and tree branches planted in the lake. Institutional agreements for co-management establishment, such as subsidies to support small-scale fishers’ livelihood diversification and capacity-building, must be set up to achieve co-management goals.