Anderson W. White

Benin at a glance: agriculture, livelihoods, and pressure on soilsBenin's economy and social structure remain deeply anchored in agriculture, a sector responsible for about one-quarter of the country's GDP and employing most of its rural residents, thereby playing a pivotal role in reducing poverty, strengthening food security, and generating export revenue. Main crops encompass cotton, which stands out as a leading cash crop, along with maize, cassava, yam, cashew, groundnuts, palm oil, millet, and sorghum. Agricultural output is largely driven by smallholder farmers, who generally manage plots of under two hectares.This farming environment confronts escalating strains, including declining soil nutrients,…

Belgium’s dense urban fabric, complex governance across three regions, and strong private sector presence create fertile ground for corporate social responsibility (CSR) to shape more sustainable, inclusive urban mobility. Corporations are shifting from narrow environmental projects to integrated programs that combine fleet decarbonization, mobility-as-a-service partnerships, social procurement and support for social innovators who address accessibility, employment and last-mile delivery challenges. This article explains how Belgian companies are improving urban mobility through CSR, the mechanisms they use to back social innovation, selected cases, measurable outcomes and practical lessons for scaling impact.Context: why corporate action matters in Belgian citiesBelgian urban areas face…