Impacts of water reservoir valorisation on agro-pastoralists’ drought response capacity in Northern and Central Benin

This study analyses the impacts of water reservoir valorisation on the drought response capacity of agro-pastoralists in northern and central Benin, based on a survey of 428 respondents. It relies on the construction of the response capacity index (RCI) and the reservoir valorisation index (RVI), combined with the estimation of a robust two-step regression model. The results indicate a significant improvement in response capacity among beneficiaries, with the RVI exerting a positive and significant effect on the RCI (β = 0.714; p < 0.01). Further analysis shows that risk management knowledge (C2) and access to water infrastructure (C4) account for more than 55% of the cumulative effect. However, impacts vary across activities (agriculture, livestock, aquaculture) and territories, highlighting differentiated vulnerabilities. These findings emphasise the need for integrated and context-specific approaches, combining physical access to water with cognitive, organisational and material capacities to effectively strengthen drought resilience.