Collines Department

Collines Department emerged from Zou's bifurcation in 1999, inheriting agricultural traditions from the former Dahomey kingdom's heartland. The capital Savalou hosts the SEICB cotton ginnery, one of several processing facilities that keep some value addition within Benin's borders. Cotton farming remains significant—64% of Zou farmers (pre-split) grew the crop—though the central region's share of national production has declined as northern departments expanded.

Sugar production provides distinctive economic character. The SUCOBE refinery near Savé processes cane from a 5,000-hectare plantation irrigated by a man-made reservoir, a rare example of industrial-scale agriculture in Benin. This vertical integration—from irrigated plantation through processing—represents more intensive capital deployment than typical smallholder farming. The model could theoretically scale, but water resources and suitable land constrain replication.

Despite agricultural potential, 47% of Collines residents live in poverty. The department accounts for 18% of national soybean production (second only to Borgou's 46%), suggesting crop diversification beyond cotton. The hilly terrain that gives Collines its name creates varied microclimates and soil types, enabling polyculture that pure cotton zones cannot support. This geographic diversity resembles how topographic variation creates ecological niches, allowing multiple species (or in this case, crops) to coexist within a single region.