REPUBLIC OF BENIN

Ministry of Technical Education and Professional Training

Technical education development agency

Beninese Center for Foreign Languages

T
Academic excursion report: visit of Songhaï center in Porto-Novo

Third cohort of the 8th of October 2022

Group n°: 17

Realize by Coordinnator

WANNOU M. Anicet Dr. Casimir Comlan SOEDE

Guides
Mr. Appolinnaire KOLE and Mr. Ghislain TOFFA

September 2022
 Table of contents
Introduction ................................................................................................................................... 3
I. Methodology ........................................................................................................................ 4
II. Historical .............................................................................................................................. 4
III. Vision and Mission of Songhai ...................................................................................... 4p
IV. Different Activities ........................................................................................................... 5
1. Bio-production ................................................................................................................. 5
2. Food Processing ............................................................................................................... 5
3. New technologies ............................................................................................................. 5
4. Crop production................................................................................................................ 5
5. Animal Husbandry ........................................................................................................... 5
6. Renewable Energies ......................................................................................................... 5
7. Bio-consumption .............................................................................................................. 5
8. Zoo ................................................................................................................................... 6
V. Difficulties and solution approach ....................................................................................... 6
Conclusion ..................................................................................................................................... 7
Some pictures ................................................................................................................................ 7
Introduction
The Beninese Center for Foreign Languages (CEBELAE) is an entity of the University of
Abomey-Calavi, whose vocation is training and research in foreign language teaching. Several
learners from different universities around the world come to CEBELAE not only to learn French
or improve it but also to acquire new skills in other languages besides French. Thus, the CEBELAE
was chosen by the Beninese State as part of the upgrading of 662 EPC to the teaching profession
for the benefit of the new modern Agricultural Technical High Schools. In addition to varying
learning and ways of learning, the center organizes educational outings to the Songhaï Center in
Porto-Novo to allow learners to familiarize themselves with the agricultural world and especially
that of entrepreneurship. It is in this context that our outing of October 8, 2022 falls within the
framework of visiting the Songhaï Center of Porto-Novo.
 I. Methodology

On Saturday, October 8, the third cohort of EPCs made their excursion to Songhai center in
Porto-Novo. The big crossroads of the Idigny police station was for the regrouping at 7: 45 am and
the departure was for 7am. Arrived to Porto-Novo, the group was welcomed to the visit room
where the guides gave the contest of creation of the center and the objectives and missions of the
center. After which, the group was divided into two and one group per guide. The visit started at
10:30 am and finished around 11:30 am and we left Songhai center at 1:30 pm.

II. Historical

Songhai Center of Porto-Novo is created by M. Godfrey NZAMUJO. Dominican priest, Doctor

in electronics, microbiology and development sciences, he joins forces with a group of Africans
and friends of Africa, sharing the same vision as him. That of giving Africa back its dignity.
1982-1983 on TV, we only presented images of the famine and the severe drought which
Ethiopia in particular had been hit with; images that only presented Africa as a continent ravaged
by deadly wars, famine, crises, poverty, a continent where hope was not allowed. The university
professor in electronics and computer science in the United States, then arrives in Africa with the
rage and the firm conviction to change things somewhat. Of all the countries he traveled to,
including Nigeria, his country of origin, only Benin fully embraced the initiative and believed in
the success of the project. One hectare of land was granted to him by the government of President
Mathieu Kérékou for the implementation of the project in Ouando. This is how Songhaï was
created in October 1985 in Porto-Novo, borrowing its name from a powerful and flourishing West
African empire of the 15th century. Four years after its creation, Songhaï began to train young
agricultural entrepreneurs. The long cycle training began in Porto-Novo in 1989. The Center tried
to expand on the national territory and in the sub-region: Lokossa-Kinwédji, Parakou, Kétou,
Zangnanado and Savalou. In Nigeria, the Songhaï model center in Amukpè in Delta State in Bunu
Tai in the State of Rivers and in Adani in the State of Enugu.

III. Vision and Mission of Songhai

Songhaï exists to contribute to the development of Africa by creating of green rural towns (a viable
socio-economic development) in the continent, with the practice of integrated agriculture; organic
farming that respects nature and is essentially based on biology production. “No chemicals; we
deal with nature, we study how it works to put us in tune with it, because we want to practice
sustainable agriculture that is profitable, but also be competitive”.
IV. Different Activities
Through our visit, songhaï center intervenes in several activities in agricultural such as:

1. Bio-production
Bio production is produce without depleting the soil or destroying the environment, they connect
agriculture and animal husbandry to which they add fish farming and energy without forgetting
their pact with the living beings who make the earth. For everyone to eat healthy and live better.

2. Food Processing
It is the transformation of agricultural products into food. At Songhai they are: Meat processing
(meat and fish), Pastry (cookies, cake, sandwich, etc), Fruit processing (juice, syrup & jam),
production of soya milk & yogurt.

3. New technologies
Songhai use the new technology in everything that it produce. For example: Techniques of film
mulch &irrigation, effective microorganisms (EM) and biological control, Ceramics (making
water filter, terracotta brick, clay pavers, etc).

4. Crop production
Several crops are produced at Songhai center: Garden / gardening (carrots, lettuce, other...),
Compost / RCW, Agroforestry (grafting, forestry, nurseries, and flower production), Food crops
(rice, maize, soybean, cassava, etc.), Mushrooms.

5. Animal Husbandry
In the department of Animal Husbandry, there are various species of animal: Poultry (Laying hens,
broilers, water poultry (ducks, geese), turkeys and guinea fowls, quails, improved chickens)
Mammals (Pigs, Grass cutters, rabbits, cattle, sheep, goats) and there are also the department of
Animal Nutrition.

6. Renewable Energies
Songhai center make the difference with other center by producing their own energy. Inside this
center there are: Biogas, Solar, Gasifier, Bio fuel (Jatropha oil), Recycling of plastic.
.
7. Bio-consumption
According to the center, capital flight hampers development. To avoid this, they offer marketing
and consumption services for their products (Sales Posts and Restaurants/Accommodations) etc.
 8. Zoo
In Songhai animal park. There were ostriches whose males (black color) and females (white
color) Donkeys and horses.

V. Difficulties and solution approach

The difficulties encountered during this academic excursion are organizational in nature.
Indeed, A high number per group visiting the sections which meant that not everyone was able to
hear and follow the guides. There is also the fact that we are not visiting all the sections of the
site. As solutions, we would like to suggest that for the next times the excursion organization team
take into account the following points: use the speaker for the presentation of Songhai guides and
help them to discover all the sections of the center
Conclusion
This academic excursion allowed us to discover English version in the agricultural
environment. It contributes for our English language level improving cause of the agricultural
vocabulary that we wine from there. It is a stage of discovering of the name of certain agricultural
activities and the integrated system of agricultural production in Benin.

Pictures

Artemisia Yam production

Fish farming Maize growing