The facility will be equipped with advanced machinery to improve timely seed production, increase access to certified rice seeds, and strengthen national food security.
The plant’s inauguration also includes an upcoming juice and dairy blending facility on the same complex, valued worth US$40 million.
The region, already the world’s largest rice importer, is expected to increase its import volumes further as demand for rice continues to outpace local production, driven by rapid population growth, urbanization, and changing consumer preferences toward convenience foods.
The 2026/2027 subsidy expansion reaffirms Benin’s commitment to maintaining agricultural productivity as a cornerstone of its broader economic development strategy.
The collaboration also supports PepsiCo’s broader ambition to implement regenerative, restorative, or protective practices across 10 million acres globally by 2030, and to reduce Scope 3 forest, land, and agriculture greenhouse gas emissions by 30% against a 2022 baseline by 2030.