World Bank2014-12-082014-12-082014-10https://hdl.handle.net/10986/20672Benin has made substantial progress over the past decade in reinforcing macroeconomic stability, which has laid the foundation for modest but accelerating growth. After averaging less than 3.7 percent from 2007-2011, GDP growth rose to 5.4 percent in 2012 and reached 5.6 percent in 2013. Growth is expected to remain strong at 5.5 percent in 2014. Benin s enhanced growth performance has been supported by ongoing efficiency improvements at the Port of Cotonou, a vital regional trade hub, which have boosted traffic and cut marginal shipping costs. These developments have been complemented by stronger cotton and non-cotton agricultural production, which have been bolstered by favorable weather conditions and relatively effective management of recent cotton campaigns. The weak connectivity between macroeconomic growth and poverty reduction arises largely from the very modest growth of per capita income. In addition, the highly informal nature of the economy, low and declining productivity, particularly in agriculture, and a lack of economic diversification all contribute to the persistence of poverty in Benin. Agricultural growth has been driven by the expansion of cultivated land rather than by increased productivity. Similarly, the increasing size of the national labor force has made a far larger contribution to GDP than have increases in labor productivity. Growth in the formal, salaried labor market remains constrained, and few high productivity/high wage jobs are being created. Strengthening the links between growth and poverty reduction will require boosting productivity, enhancing the business and investment climate, and promoting formalization. In this context, the Benin Economic Update is designed to provide timely analysis of recent developments and contribute to the ongoing dialogue on sound macroeconomic management and effective poverty reduction.Le Bénin a marqué des progrès sensibles au cours de la dernière décennie en améliorant la stabilité économique, ce qui a jeté les bases d’une croissance certes modeste mais plus rapide. Après avoir affiché une moyenne inférieure à 3,7 % entre 2007 et 2011, la croissance du PIB a augmenté à 5,4 % en 2012 pour atteindre 5,6 % en 2013 et devrait rester vigoureuse, à 5,5 %, en 2014. L’accélération de la croissance a bénéficié des gains d’efficacité du Port de Cotonou, centre nerveux du commerce régional, qui ont contribué à stimuler les échanges et à réduire les coûts d’expédition marginaux. Par ailleurs, des conditions météorologiques favorables et la gestion relativement efficace des récentes campagnes cotonnières ont permis d’accroître la production de coton et d’autres produits agricoles. Le lien ténu entre la croissance macroéconomique et la réduction de la pauvreté s’explique en grande partie par la faible augmentation du revenu par habitant. La croissance agricole a été davantage tirée par l’expansion des terres cultivées que par des gains de productivité. De même, l’augmentation de la population active du pays a beaucoup plus contribué au PIB que l’accroissement de la productivité de la main-d’œuvre. La croissance du secteur salarié structuré reste lente et peu d’emplois hautement productifs et bien rémunérés sont créés. Pour renforcer le lien entre la croissance et la réduction de la pauvreté, il faut accroître la productivité, améliorer le climat des affaires et de l’investissement, et promouvoir le développement du secteur formel. Dans ce contexte, le rapport vise à fournir une analyse opportune de l’évolution récente de la situation économique du Bénin et à enrichir le dialogue sur la gestion macroéconomique et la réduction de la pauvreté.en-USCC BY 3.0 IGOACCESS TO EDUCATIONACCESS TO ELECTRICITYACCOUNTABILITY REPORTAGRICULTURAL ACTIVITIESAGRICULTURAL DEVELOPMENTAGRICULTURAL EXPORTSAGRICULTURAL GROWTHAGRICULTURAL INCOMESAGRICULTURAL LANDAGRICULTURAL PRODUCERSAGRICULTURAL PRODUCTIONAGRICULTURAL PRODUCTIVITYAGRICULTURAL SECTORAGRICULTURAL SECTORSAGRICULTURAL WORKFORCEAGRICULTUREANNUAL CHANGEASSETSBETTER FARMING PRACTICESCALORIC INTAKECAPITAL INVESTMENTCASH BASISCENTRAL BANKCHANGES IN POVERTYCOMPARATOR COUNTRIESCOMPETITIVENESSCONFLICTCONSUMER GOODSCONSUMER PRICE INDEXCONSUMER PRICESCONSUMPTION BASKETCONSUMPTION GROWTHCONSUMPTION LEVELSCOTTON PRODUCTIONCREDIT CONSTRAINTSDEBTDEVELOPMENT INDICATORSDISPARITIES BETWEEN REGIONSDOMESTIC CREDITDOMESTIC PRICESDROP IN POVERTYDURABLE GOODSECONOMIC ACTIVITYECONOMIC DIVERSIFICATIONECONOMIC GROWTHECONOMIC LIFEECONOMIC OUTLOOKECONOMIC REFORMSEMPLOYMENT DYNAMICSEMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIESEXCHANGE RATEEXTREME POVERTYFARMERFARMERSFEMALE-HEADED HOUSEHOLDSFINANCIAL INSTITUTIONSFINANCIAL SECTORFISCAL POLICYFOOD PRICEFOOD PRICESGDPGDP PER CAPITAGROWTH PERFORMANCEGROWTH POTENTIALGROWTH RATEGROWTH RATESHEADCOUNT RATIOHEALTH CAREHEALTH INSURANCEHIGH CONCENTRATIONHIGH GROWTHHIGH POVERTYHOUSEHOLD CONSUMPTIONHOUSEHOLD HEADHOUSEHOLD INCOMEHOUSEHOLD SIZEHOUSEHOLD SURVEYSHOUSINGHUMAN DEVELOPMENTHUMAN DEVELOPMENT INDEXIMPACT ON POVERTYIMPACT ON POVERTY REDUCTIONINCIDENCE OF POVERTYINCOMEINCOME DISTRIBUTIONINCOME GROUPSINCOME GROWTHINCOME LEVELSINEFFICIENCYINEQUALITYINFLATIONINFORMAL ECONOMYINFORMAL EMPLOYMENTINFRASTRUCTURE INVESTMENTINVESTMENT CLIMATELABOR FORCELABOR MARKETLAND REFORMLAND TENURELAND TITLINGLIFE EXPECTANCYLIVESTOCK PRODUCTIONLIVING STANDARDSLONG-TERM GROWTHLOW WAGESMACROECONOMIC GROWTHMACROECONOMIC MANAGEMENTMACROECONOMIC PERFORMANCEMACROECONOMIC STABILITYMACROECONOMICSMARGINAL PRODUCTMARGINAL PRODUCTIVITYMARKET FAILURESNATIONAL POVERTYNATIONAL POVERTY HEADCOUNTNATIONAL POVERTY LINENET EXPORTSPER CAPITA EXPENDITUREPER CAPITA GROWTHPER CAPITA INCOMEPOLICY AREASPOLICY CHANGESPOORPOOR HOUSEHOLDPOORER HOUSEHOLDSPOVERTY DYNAMICSPOVERTY HEADCOUNT RATEPOVERTY HEADCOUNT RATESPOVERTY INCIDENCEPOVERTY INDICATORSPOVERTY LEVELSPOVERTY LINEPOVERTY MEASURESPOVERTY RATEPOVERTY RATESPOVERTY REDUCTIONPOVERTY REDUCTION STRATEGYPOVERTY REDUCTION STRATEGY PAPERPOVERTY STATUSPRICE STABILITYPRO-POORPRO-POOR GROWTHPRODUCTION VOLUMESPRODUCTIVE ASSETSPRODUCTIVITY INCREASESPROFIT MARGINSPROPERTY RIGHTSPUBLIC EXPENDITUREPUBLIC INVESTMENTPUBLIC OFFICIALSPUBLIC SECTORPUBLIC WORKSQUALITY OF LIFERAPID GROWTHREAL EXCHANGE RATEREAL GDPREDUCING POVERTYREDUCTION IN POVERTYREFORM PROGRAMREGIONAL DISPARITIESREGIONAL STANDARDSREGIONAL TRADERURALRURAL AREASRURAL DIFFERENCESRURAL HOUSEHOLDSRURAL INFRASTRUCTURERURAL POPULATIONRURAL POPULATIONSSAFEGUARDSSANITATIONSECTOR ACTIVITIESSMALL FARMERSSOCIAL SPENDINGSTRUCTURAL POLICIESSTRUCTURAL REFORMSSUBSISTENCESUSTAINABLE POVERTYSUSTAINABLE POVERTY REDUCTIONTAX REVENUESTOTAL FACTOR PRODUCTIVITYTOTAL OUTPUTTOTAL REVENUETRADE POLICYUNDUE INFLUENCEUNEMPLOYMENTUNEMPLOYMENT RATEURBAN AREASVALUE ADDEDWELFARE IMPROVEMENTSWIDESPREAD POVERTY10.1596/20672