Productivity and Profitability of Maize-Mungbean and Maize-Chili Pepper Relay Intercropping Systems for Income Diversification and Soil Fertility in Southern Benin

Eric C. Legba, Laurence Dossou, Judith Honfoga, Lukas Pawera and Ramasamy Srinivasan ()
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Eric C. Legba: World Vegetable Center, West and Central Africa, Tri Postal, Cotonou 08 BP 0932, Benin
Laurence Dossou: World Vegetable Center, West and Central Africa, Tri Postal, Cotonou 08 BP 0932, Benin
Judith Honfoga: World Vegetable Center, West and Central Africa, Tri Postal, Cotonou 08 BP 0932, Benin
Lukas Pawera: World Vegetable Center, Tainan 74199, Taiwan
Ramasamy Srinivasan: World Vegetable Center, Tainan 74199, Taiwan

Sustainability, 2025, vol. 17, issue 3, 1-21

Abstract: Low vegetable consumption in sub-Saharan Africa partly arises from limited availability across cereal-based zones. A field experiment in southern Benin (April to September 2023) evaluated four maize–chili and five maize–mungbean relay intercropping. Growth and yield data and farmers’ perceptions were analyzed using analysis of variance with the least significant difference test, land equivalent ratio (LER) and monetary indexes. Maize grain yield was statistically similar across patterns, whereas chili and mungbean yields differed significantly. All sowing patterns achieved LER > 1. Pattern (1:1) maize–chili had a modest LER (1.15), while treatment (1:3) had a high LER (1.60) for mungbean–maize. Both patterns showed high actual yield gain and intercropping advantage. Pattern (2:2) for maize–chili and pattern (1:3) for maize–mungbean yielded the greatest gross return (7796.6 USD/ha and 1301.2 USD/ha, respectively). Sole mungbean and all intercropping sowing patterns significantly increased mineralizable carbon. Pattern (1:3) maize-mungbean slightly increased total nitrogen and potassium. Farmers ranked the highest pattern (2:2) for maize–chili and (1:3) for maize–mungbean due to sup erior weed, water, and soil management and increased yields. These findings suggest that diversified maize systems incorporating chili pepper and mungbean offer economic benefits and better soil health in southern Benin.

Keywords: crop diversification; agroecology; sustainable farming; soil health management; Benin (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025
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