Prospects of snap beans (

Background: Vegetables and fruits are highly recommended in diets because of their nutritional importance. Among those, leguminous vegetables are more important, for low-income countries, because of their protein, mineral contents and potential to increase food security and income. In Benin, snap beans ( Methods: A semi-structured interview was conducted with 602 bean producers and traders, randomly selected from 12 major vegetable-producing areas across Benin. Results: The study found a drastic decline in the production of snap beans, with more than 60% abandonment over the last decade. As a consequence, Benin gets supplied through importations, with the highest importation flow coming from Togo (51%), followed by Burkina Faso (25%), and Ghana (12%). Only 13% of the beans traded are locally produced. The leading causes of the decline were pests and diseases that affected the crops' yield and quality, causing the local produce to be less valued than the imported ones. Women are heavily involved in marketing but cannot expand their business due to low production and high importation. Discussion: The study recommends that integrated pest management (IPM) and new varieties with tolerance to major pests and diseases be developed to address market demand and producers trained in agronomic practices.