Papatia Botanical Garden

Papatia Botanical Garden is a botanical garden in Sina-Issire, Northern Benin, spanning protected zones across savanna land. It holds over a hundred woody plant species alongside numerous herbaceous plants that visitors can explore throughout the grounds.

The site was founded in 2001 as the first botanical garden in Northern Benin through collaboration between the Fula community and academic institutions. This early project set the foundation for expanding conservation efforts across the region.

The garden maintains a traditional medicine pharmacy where local plant knowledge and healing practices remain part of community life. Visitors can observe how these practices continue to be used by people living nearby.

The grounds include a tree nursery, ecological sites, and an information center that visitors can explore on foot at their own pace. It helps to allow time to wander through different areas and observe the daily work of plant care happening throughout.

The success of this site led to the creation of twenty additional protected areas linked through a network of community nature reserves. This expansion demonstrates how one garden's growth inspired broader conservation across the landscape.