In most regions of Togo, where 90% of the economy is based on agricultural and pastoral activities, farmers face major challenges. These include declining soil fertility, limited access to water and finance, the impacts of climate change and, above all, restricted access to seeds and fertilisers, the costs of which remain high.
In order to strengthen the resilience of vulnerable farmers, who often only practise subsistence farming, the West African Food System Resilience Programme (FSRP) in Togo is implementing initiatives aimed at improving the productive capacities of beneficiary farmers. One of the programme's flagship initiatives is the distribution of input kits consisting of improved seeds and fertilisers.
The 2023 agricultural season in the Kéran prefecture (Kara region) has been a turning point for local producers, thanks to the provision of certified seeds and fertilisers. A total of 1,562 farmers, 45% of them women, benefited from this 50% repayable input credit to improve their yields.
Thanks to the distribution of rice and soya seeds and fertilisers, farmers in the Kéran region have been able to plant a total of 400 hectares spread across the region's 9 cantons. This initiative has not only boosted local production, but has also supported the empowerment of women farmers, who make up a large proportion of the beneficiaries. Sambiani Biyina, a soya farmer, explains: "In 2023, I received 20 kg of soya, which enabled me to plant 0.25 ha. At the end of the season, I harvested 450 kg, which I turned into soya cheese for a profit of 200,000 CFA francs. This money enabled me to take care of some family expenses, help my husband build our house, and increase the area to be planted during the 2024 season (0.5ha).
Support for seeds and fertilisers has enabled Kéran farmers to significantly improve their yields. Rice and soya seeds, adapted to local climatic conditions, were chosen for their resistance and production potential. The use of fertilisers has also helped to maximise soil fertility and increase harvests.
Bonalé Kodjo, a rice farmer in Nambou, canton of Pessidé, is married to two women and has four children. He also has 3 nephews to support. "With the support of the FSRP, I received 10 kg of rice seed, 50 kg of NPK and 25 kg of urea. I grow maize, but given the number of family members and the high demand for rice for consumption, I planted 0.25 ha and harvested 600 kg of rice, which I made available to the family.
The 120,000 CFA francs I used to spend on rice each year are now used for other things.
This year, with the 25 kg seed I've put together, I'm going to plant 0.75 ha for consumption and sale next year. The project has really helped me out of my vulnerability.
This initiative has had a positive impact not only on agricultural production, but also on the community as a whole. Increased harvests have led to better availability of food on local markets, reducing dependence on imports and strengthening the region's food resilience.
The fact that 45% of beneficiaries are women highlights the importance of including women in the agricultural sector. This support enables them to play a key role in food production and contribute to the food and nutritional security of their families and communities.
The efforts made in the Kéran prefecture illustrate the importance of targeted support to improve agricultural productivity and strengthen resilience in the face of climatic challenges. By providing essential resources such as seeds and fertilisers, this initiative is helping to build a sustainable agricultural future for the region. These essential inputs enable farmers to grow more resistant and productive varieties, thereby contributing to greater food security and poverty reduction in rural areas, while creating jobs for young people, like Potey Jérémie, a 33-year-old holder of the Baccalaureate who has returned to the village in 2019 to take up farming:
"In 2023, I received 10 kg of rice seed from the FSRP, which I sowed on 0.25 ha. I harvested over 500 kg. I sold some of it, which enabled me to start raising guinea fowl. Thanks to the sale of the rice, I was able to finish building my house. I now live in my own home and no longer rent. The PRSF's support has not only given me a job, but also enabled me to live like a civil servant. I would like to thank the World Bank, ECOWAS and the Ministry of Agriculture for their support.
While continuing to provide advisory support to the beneficiaries of 2023, the distribution of seeds and fertilisers continued this year, with 1,197 beneficiaries, 58% of them women, receiving rice, soya, cowpea and maize seeds in the Kéran prefecture.
