Minister of Agriculture, Livestock, and Fisheries Roger Dovonou of Benin

Women sit in front of plucked chickens in an open market in Cotonou (File Photo)Agriculture Minister Roger Dovonou says tests from a laboratory in Italy confirmed the virus has struck one farm in the city of Cotonou and another in the town of Adjarra, outside the capital Porto Novo.

Agriculture Minister Roger Dovonou says tests from a laboratory in Italy confirmed the virus has struck one farm in the city of Cotonou and another in the town of Adjarra, outside the capital Porto Novo.

Agriculture Minister Roger Dovonou said the increase is due to the incentives given to the producers by the government.

Agriculture Minister Roger Dovonou said samples from birds had been sent to the World Organization for Animal Health laboratory in Padua, in Italy which had confirmed that they were infected with the deadly H5N1 strain of the virus.

Self-sufficiency Another measure to alleviate high food prices that Benin's government is pushing is food self-sufficiency which agriculture minister Roger Dovonou said would require the more than doubling of current production levels.