Impact of Climate Change Adaptation Strategies on Crop Production Efficiency and Farm Income in the Kouandé Region in Northwestern Benin

ABSTRACT Climate change threatens agricultural productivity and rural livelihoods, especially in smallholder systems. This study examines the impact of climate change adaptation strategies on crop production efficiency and farm income in the Kouandé region of northwestern Benin. Using survey data from 792 farm households, we apply advanced econometric techniques, including stochastic frontier methods and endogenous switching regression models. Results show that 58.1% of farmers have low adaptation levels, while only 24.7% exhibit high adaptation. Younger farmers (25–40 years), female‐headed households, and larger households are significantly more likely to adopt adaptation strategies, whereas higher education and limited access to credit constrain adoption. Credit access strongly reduces technical inefficiency (−0.155), while larger farm size increases it (0.360). Greater adaptation intensity improves profitability (−0.137), indicating that stronger adaptive capacity enhances income and resilience. Policies should expand agricultural credit, strengthen practical training, and support women and youth to improve smallholder resilience.