Resumen de Impact d'un centre cunicole de recherche et d'information sur la recherche et le developpement de la cuniculture au Benin
lnvestigation results published in 1988 showed that despite of favourable conditions for a quick development of the rabbit rearing in Republic of Benin, many actions were still needed to be led in this domain for research, formation and information. To satisfy these obligations, CECURI (Rabbit Research and lnformation Center) was created. lts vocation is the increasing of the knowledge about rabbit as animal production species, the way of its breeding and all its pathology, in order to inprove local production and to extend a rational method for rearing this herbivore, by a very large information. Despite dithering before starting and poor exploitation results, linked to the lake of experience during the first year, CECURI was quickly qualified for the economic and technical management of its demonstration breeding unit. In 1988 the percentage of fertile mating was only 45 % ; it was increase upto 80 % in 1991. During the sama period, the number of youngs per litter at weaning and mortality from weaning to the slaughter age were also improved : 2.8 and 40 % respectively in 1988 and 5.1 and 5 % in 1991. Another way, in spite of short means since the creation, its impacts on research and rabbitries development are fully positiva obvious increasing of the researchers number, intensification of their activities, introduction of the rabbit breeding programme into agricultura! secondary school and university, retrain and advanced training for technicians and rabbit breeders, spray of results oustanding breeders, increasing of the number of small rabbitries around towns and village countries, creation of a Rabbit Breeders Association in Bénin, sensibilization of the financia! partners, holding on March 1992 an african rabbit congress ... etc. However, for a quicker and lasting development of this section, the activities of such a center must be helped by even regional programme timming.
