Togo

Seventy-five producers from farmers' organisations, including twenty-five women, members of the Fresh Cassava Innovation Platform (PIMF), received training on good cassava cultivation practices with the support of the West Africa Food System Resilience Programme (FSRP).

Held from 26 to 29 August, this session enabled participants to strengthen their skills across the entire technical process, from variety selection to pest management and the application of best farming practices. This support illustrates the FSRP's commitment to providing concrete and sustainable support to actors in agricultural value chains, as highlighted by Mr Ognankitan Koffi Dodji, President of the PIMF: "I commend the FSRP for this exceptional support. In the coming days, we will follow up with producers to ensure that they are effectively putting what they have learned into practice and following the technical guidelines."

This initiative goes beyond the simple transfer of technical knowledge. It also constitutes an act of solidarity and shared responsibility towards producers, according to the participants: "Today, we have learned a lot about cassava cultivation. Even as experienced producers, we have understood that certain practices were reducing our yields. Thanks to this training, we are leaving with solid knowledge that we will pass on to our peers."

The workshop, organised in two waves to encourage interaction and better assimilation of the content, was led by Dr Elikem SEGBEFIA, Head of the Cassava Programme at the Togolese Institute of Agricultural Research (ITRA), in collaboration with Mr Ognankitan Koffi Dodji, President of the PIMF.

As part of the implementation of the West Africa Food System Resilience Programme, 60 motor cultivators and accessories were purchased for agricultural cooperatives operating in the Planned Agricultural Development Zones (ZAAP) targeted in the Savanes, Kara and Centrale regions.

This action is part of the support for the implementation of the Emergency Programme for Strengthening Community Resilience and Security (PURS).

In order to optimise the use and management of this equipment, the FSRP has undertaken to strengthen
the capacities of 45 technical advisors in agricultural business management (CTGEA) in the cantons concerned to monitor the management of these motor cultivators by the beneficiaries.

The aim was to equip agricultural advisers in the cantons where the cooperatives benefiting from the motor cultivators are based with best practices for the use and monitoring of motor cultivators. These CTGEA will be responsible for supervising the use, maintenance and management of this equipment within the respective cooperatives of the beneficiaries.

The training was held at the National Agricultural Training Institute (INFA in Tové) from 22 August to 5 September 2025. Two sessions were organised, each bringing together 
22 and 23 participants, trained by INFA specialists in agricultural mechanisation.

Adopting an approach combining theory and practice, the training covered several modules, including: (i) preventive and corrective maintenance of motor cultivators, (ii) the basics 
of managing a mechanised agricultural services business, (iii) practical work including driving motor cultivators, hitching and unhitching, and carrying out mechanised agricultural work.

This training is a key step in ensuring the effective and sustainable use 
of the agricultural equipment provided. It contributes to strengthening the technical autonomy of cooperatives and ensuring the sustainability of investments made under the FSRP.

Organised as a prelude to the training of rotary tiller operators, this 
capacity-building session marks an essential preparatory phase. It aims to equip local equipment management bodies with the skills necessary to effectively supervise the use of motor cultivators, with a view to sustainable and concerted management in the service of rural development.

In the villages and prefectures of Togo, a quiet revolution is underway: healthier food for children and a better future for women.

Specialising in the production of infant flour enriched with moringa, néré or orange-fleshed sweet potato (PDCO), seventeen (17) women's cereal processing cooperatives have just received their health certificates and labelled packaging thanks to the support of the Food System Resilience Programme in West Africa (FSRP-TOGO).

These processing units were set up by the project with the aim of helping to combat malnutrition, offering better quality products at lower cost to the most vulnerable sections of the population and, above all, strengthening the economic empowerment of rural women, as highlighted by the president of the Motoag-Man cooperative in Dapaong: "With these new labelled packages and health certification, we will be able to sell more and improve our living conditions. It's an opportunity to move out of the informal sector."

For Elikplim, a cooperative based in Nyamassila, this recognition opens the way to new prospects full of hope and opportunity: "With these certificates, we now have proof that our flour is safe and meets standards. We can now take our flour to the Order of Malta hospital in Elavagnon, which is a large health centre." There is similar enthusiasm in Kpalimé, where the head of FEMME SOLIDARITE highlights the transformative impact of the programme: "Thanks to the support of the project, we have learned to improve our hygiene and processing practices. This certificate is a source of pride for all the women in our cooperative, who see their work being valued. Receiving this certificate and packaging is a victory for all of us."

As a reminder, the path to certification was rigorous. First, 720 women from 60 cooperatives were trained in good production and hygiene practices. Then, close monitoring enabled the selection of the 30 best processing units, 17 of which had their products validated by the National Institute of Hygiene (INH), following analyses carried out on samples taken by the Togolese Institute of Agricultural Research (ITRA).

In addition to certification, the cooperatives receive support to improve the presentation and distribution of their flours. More than 30,000 labelled packages have been purchased and distributed. This new packaging aims to improve the visibility of the products in pharmacies, supermarkets and health centres, places that have been largely inaccessible to these producers until now.

To mark the occasion, a joint CTOP-FSRP-ITRA mission travelled across the country's six agricultural regions from 19 to 25 August 2025 to officially present the certificates and packaging to the beneficiary cooperatives.

This project is part of the FSRP-TOGO strategy to promote nutritionally smart agriculture while strengthening food security and women's empowerment.

In Yanda, a town located 280 km northeast of Lomé, a reforestation operation was launched as part of the implementation of Integrated Landscape Management (ILM), promoted by the West Africa Food System Resilience Programme (FSRP).

A total of 4,100 certified fruit trees, including baobabs (grafted and ungrafted), tamarinds (grafted and ungrafted), nérés and jujubes, were planted at the pilot sites of Nakpatongou (Kpendjal Ouest), Mangokoura (Plaine de Mô) and Badin (East Mono), located in the FSRP's GIP areas. These plantations cover an area of at least 41 hectares.

This initiative, led by the Ministry of Agriculture, Village Hydraulics and Rural Development, in collaboration with the Ministry of Environment and Forest Resources, is fully in line with the implementation of the Togo 2025 government roadmap. It contributes to national efforts to combat climate change in line with the Government's strategic priorities for rural development, food security and sustainable management of natural resources.

The success of the operation is based on an exemplary participatory approach: local authorities, NGO partners and, above all, the beneficiary rural communities have been fully involved in identifying sites and are now committed to maintaining the plants.

The testimony of Kodjo ODJILO, chief of the village of Yanda, illustrates this commitment: "As soon as we were made aware of the benefits of reforestation, I immediately mobilised my community. And as they say, charity begins at home: I have personally committed to ensuring the maintenance of the plants," he said with conviction.

Beyond the environmental issue, the initiative also opens up economic opportunities, particularly for women. Mrs. Agnès, a beneficiary of the project, confides: "Thanks to these trees, we will be able to produce tamarind juice, sell the leaves, seeds and baobab flour, and even néré fruit. This represents a real economic boost for us. We are grateful to the FSRP. "

The official launch, held in Yanda on 28 August 2025, was attended by a delegation comprising the representative of the governor of the Plateaux region and the Senate, representatives of the ministers of agriculture and the environment, the secretary general of the East-Mono prefecture, the mayor of the Est-Mono 2 commune, the regional director of agriculture, the FSRP's deputy operational coordinator, and other local authorities who raised awareness among the beneficiary community about the benefits of agroforestry and the importance of reforestation, and above all emphasised the need to monitor and maintain the plants.

Through this concrete action, the FSRP is illustrating its vision of making the agroecological transition an opportunity to improve the resilience of communities while creating wealth in rural households.

When animal housing does not meet technical standards, especially biosecurity standards, this leads to high livestock mortality and low animal growth. Housing is therefore the primary factor in successful livestock farming.

In our rural areas, the construction of adequate sheepfolds and chicken coops is struggling to become common practice among farmers, whose activities are limited to family production.

Based on these findings and in view of the difficulties encountered by livestock farmers in rural areas, the West Africa Food System Resilience Programme (FSRP - TOGO) provides support for the construction of infrastructure (BTA/PTA) suitable for animals and support for breeding stock of poultry and small ruminants to livestock farmers in order to improve the level of production of livestock units.

Unlike open-air livestock farming systems, this is an improved traditional system where animals (local chickens and small ruminants) are raised in better-designed habitats built with local materials and adapted to climatic conditions. Traditional improved sheepfolds (BTA) and traditional improved chicken coops (PTA) are the result of endogenous know-how and technical innovations that reduce the risk of disease and predation in livestock farms.

These structures, built with shared costs by the FSRP with a contribution from the beneficiary, combine respect for the environment, animal welfare and economic efficiency, while taking into account the sustainability of the livestock unit.

To date, 400 livestock farming households have been supported through the construction of 176 improved traditional sheep pens (BTA) and 224 improved traditional chicken coops (PTA) in the Savanes region, with a gradual expansion underway to the Kara and Centrale regions, gradually consolidating a more resilient and sustainable livestock farming model.

Additional support in the form of breeding stock. In addition to sheepfolds and chicken coops, breeding stock for poultry and small ruminants are provided to livestock farmers to improve animal performance. A total of 315 breeding stock of guinea fowl have been acquired for 45 guinea fowl farmers in the Savanes region. 179 farmers in the same region received 215 roosters and 1,075 hens. 484 sheep and 220 goats were also purchased for 121 sheep farmers and 55 goat farmers to optimise the animals' growth, fertility and disease resistance.

True success stories: beneficiaries have their say

My name is DINDIOGUE Yalkbir , and I live in the canton of Bonbouaka.
Some time ago, I was fortunate enough to receive support from the FSRP. They gave me four goats (three males and one female) and helped me build my sheepfold in exchange for a small contribution to help with water, sand and construction work.

At the time, I only had three goats of my own. But thanks to the animals I received from the FSRP, my herd is gradually growing: I now have twelve (12) goats, some of which were born to the FSRP goats. In the past, I kept my animals in the family home. But with the support of the project, I now have my own building dedicated to livestock farming. With the support of ICAT agents, I am also able to manage my business better.

Thanks to this, I have been able to sell a few animals to restart my business, pay off my debts and also support my husband a little. This project has really helped me.

"In Tabinmong, poultry farming has changed my life"

I am a poultry farmer and seller in Tabinmong, in the savannah region.

Thanks to the FSRP, I was able to build a modern, well-equipped chicken coop. The FSRP provided me with everything I needed to get started: breeding hens, a rooster, waterers, feeders, and the chicken coop itself, which I helped to build including sand, water and cement for the manufacture of breeze blocks for the construction of the building. It's an experience I remember fondly, because it marked a real turning point in my business.

Before that, I was working with the means at my disposal, with no real shelter for the poultry. During the rainy season, water seeped in everywhere, making farming very difficult. Thanks to the FSRP's support, I was able to restart my business and produce up to 300 birds, most of which were sold. At the moment, I am raising more than 100 adult birds and around 150 chicks. Today, I can honestly say that my life has improved significantly. I have been able to start building my house, buy fertiliser for my field and, above all, provide for my family. I really live better than before! he concluded.

In Togo, rice plays an increasingly important role in people's diets and is a strategic issue for national food security. Despite favourable agro-ecological potential and strong local demand, rice yields remain low overall. This situation is largely due to two major constraints: insufficient control over land management, particularly in lowland areas and irrigated perimeters, and the difficulty of access to quality inputs (certified seeds and fertilizers). These factors considerably limit the productivity of producers, reduce the profitability of farms and hinder the emergence of this value chain. Faced with these challenges, rethinking agricultural development policies and strengthening mechanisms for distributing climate-smart agricultural inputs appear to be essential levers for sustainably boosting the rice sector in Togo.

To reverse this trend, the FSRP Togo has not only acquired and distributed inputs (improved seeds and fertilisers) but has also strengthened the capacity of rice growers in lowland management techniques and equipped them with intelligent ploughing equipment (power tillers).

By combining investment in equipment with institutional support, FSRP Togo is helping to make the rice sector a genuine lever for rural growth. Thanks to the distribution to date of 342.54 tonnes of certified rice seed and 2,569.05 tonnes of fertiliser (NPK 15 15 15 and urea) in the form of input credit, repayable in kind, to 34,254 rice growers, including 21,717 women (63.40%), the positive effects are beginning to be felt. The main results are an increase in average yields of between 5% and 8% per hectare and a 16% improvement in farmers' incomes. These encouraging results are the fruit of mechanisms put in place not only to improve farmers' access to agricultural inputs, but also to facilitate production monitoring, the collection of paddy rice at harvest and the marketing of surplus production by farmers. With this in mind, partnership agreements have been signed with several rice mills in Togo, such as the Tône rice mill in the Savanes region, which, thanks to this agreement, has increased its stock from 800 tonnes in 2020 to 2,000 tonnes in 2024, with the number of aggregated producers rising from 1,700 to 16,800 thanks to support from the FSRP.

In order to professionalise farming practices and promote sustainable land management (SLM) approaches, 640 rice farmers, including 59 women, have been trained in Smart Valleys, a low-cost, participatory approach aimed at improving rainwater retention and management to increase yields and crop resilience in the face of climate change. To facilitate the work of the trained farmers, the FSRP provided them with work kits for drawing up the plans and laying out the plots.

Decisive support from the FSRP for the establishment of Togo's National Rice Observatory (ONR-T)

Togo took another decisive step forward with the establishment of the National Section of the National Rice Observatory in December 2024. This initiative is part of a regional initiative supported by ECOWAS, aimed at improving governance, coordination and management of the rice sector in the country.

Thanks to the active collaboration of partner organisations and players in the value chain, the creation of this national body marks a turning point in the structuring of the sector.

The Togo National Rice Observatory (ONR-T) aims to coordinate investment in the rice sector, inform political decisions, collect regular data and communicate on the development of the rice value chain. Its objectives are to monitor and evaluate the production, processing and marketing of rice in Togo to improve performance; to facilitate coordination between public and private players and non-governmental organisations in order to develop partnerships and joint strategies to structure the sector; and to promote innovation and modern technologies to improve the productivity of rice farms, among other things. As for the outlook, it remains the operationalisation of the national section and the mobilisation of resources for the implementation of activities, the development and execution of the action plan and the resource mobilisation plan, the development and implementation of major projects for the structural transformation of the sector in line with regional prescriptions.

Rice growers play a fundamental role at the base of the sector. Thanks to increasing technical support, training in good farming practices and the introduction of high-yield certified seed, these producers are seeing a marked improvement in their performance, as this beneficiary can testify: "I am SOWARE Amina. I benefited from the FSRP project, a bag and a half of fertiliser and 10 kg of rice seed that I grew on 0.25 hectares. Personally, I used to harvest no more than 5 bags of paddy rice from 0.25 hectares. But with the seeds that the project gave me, this year I harvested 9 bags of 100 kilos from the same area. Thanks to this good harvest, I sold the surplus to support the family financially and resume my tontine and my business, which I had left for lack of funds. I also have a stock at home for the family's consumption".

The Tône rice mill, before the arrival of the FSRP, had groups that delivered paddy for annual processing. Since 2020, with the increase in demand for local rice on the national market, the mill has been unable to meet demand with its stock, estimated at 800 tonnes of paddy per year. Other difficulties were linked to the limited stock, including difficulties in obtaining credit from banks. Today, with the support of the FSRP, our area of intervention, which was limited to Barkoissi, covers the entire savannah region and extends as far as Kanté in the Kara region. We have gone from 1,700 producers to 16,800 aggregate producers, an increase that has had a considerable impact on the quantity of raw materials to be mobilised, which has risen from 800 tonnes to 2,000 tonnes of paddy. In addition to these impacts, thanks to the FSRP we have discovered areas with high paddy rice production, whose producers will be included in the list of Tone Rice producers", she confided. In terms of jobs created, the rice mill has gone from 32 to 73 people. In processing, the number of jobs has risen from 12 to 23, and the number of women sorters from 20 to 50," she concludes.

By acting on several links in the value chain, from the development of agricultural land to access to quality inputs and capacity building for stakeholders, the FSRP is playing an active role in the modernisation and competitiveness of the Togolese rice industry.

The development of commercial partnerships with processors and distributors has enabled producers to enhance the value of their production. By structuring relations between producers and rice mills within a transparent and equitable framework, it becomes possible to ensure a better distribution of margins, access more stable and remunerative distribution channels and boost the local economy. On the marketing front, in addition to the Tone rice mill, three other rice mills have benefited from PRSP support for product marketing. These are the Binah, Notsè and Sotouboua rice mills. Market contracts have been signed with producers to guarantee the sale of their products. Thanks to this support, a total of 24,178 producers have been able to market their produce to date.

In addition to contractualization, which secures sales to producers, players in the rice value chain have received various forms of support to improve their marketing in value chains, including capacity building on market access under the FTAA, training for women and young traders on cross-border trade, customs procedures and other regulatory requirements of the Abidjan-Lagos Corridor. These players have also been supported in their participation in various markets, at the Lomé International Agriculture and Food Fair (SIALO), and at various fairs promoting local products to promote trade in their products.

Several other initiatives have been supported by the FSRP in partnership with the Ministry of Trade and the High Authority for Quality and the Environment (HAUQE). These included the development of a certification programme for priority Togolese agri-food products, including rice, for the HAUQE, to help companies become more competitive and have easier access to markets. The programme has also supported the compilation of Togo's foreign trade statistics on products targeted by the WAEMU, ECOWAS and FTAA markets, as well as the compilation of a directory of exporters and potential exporters of agri-food products to put them in touch with buyers in the ECOWAS region.

In Togo, 52 young poultry sector promoters have just enhanced their technical skills to better manage their farms and ensure the success of their projects. The training took place from 2 to 6 June 2025 at the Institut de Formation Agricole (INFA) in Tové, with the support  to the West Africa Food System Resilience Programme (FSRP) in partnership with the Centre Régional d'Excellence sur les Sciences Aviaires (CERSA).

Faced with a growing demand for eggs, meat and chicks, poultry farming is emerging as a profitable activity, accessible to young people in both rural and urban areas. But to succeed, farmers must overcome a number of technical and financial difficulties.

This training course was set up to meet these challenges. Over the course of five days, participants were trained in key areas: poultry feed, husbandry, animal health and the formulation of balanced rations.

"I've been rearing broilers for six years, and this course opened my eyes to a lot of aspects I didn't know about. There were about fifty of us, and each of us had our own method, but here we learnt about good practice", confides Kaina Ayéki, a participant from the maritime region.

The poultry feed manufacturers, known as provendiers, also benefited from technical support. They learned about the feed manufacturing process, quality standards and the biosafety measures needed to avoid contamination.

"I thought I had a good grasp of feed production, but I learned a lot. Visiting the INFA's feed mill made me realise the shortcomings of my old practices, especially in terms of biosafety", explains KOYI Pascale, a feed miller.

Led by CERSA experts under the supervision of Professor Kokou TONA, the centre's director, the   strengthened CERSA's position as a key player in the development of the poultry industry in West Africa.

This reinforcement is part of sub-component 3.2 of the FSRP, dedicated to the development of strategic value chains. It benefited 52 young poultry farmers, including 14 women: 31 local poultry farmers, 17 modern poultry farmers and 4 feed producers.

On 7 May 2025, a joint mission from the World Bank and Dutch Cooperation, major financial partners of the Food System Resilience Programme in West Africa (FSRP), made a field visit to the Central and Plateaux regions in Togo. Three cooperatives that have benefited from FSRP support, in the form of training and equipment donations, were visited in Yaloumbè (Central region), Nyamassila (Plateaux-Est region) and Kpélé Tutu.
In Yaloumbè, a 13-member cooperative specialised in rice production has been trained in Smart Valleys technology, developed by AfricaRice and promoted by the FSRP in Togo. After a year of experimentation, the farmers highlighted the advantages of this approach, including optimised water management thanks to the development of basins in the lowlands, a significant reduction in the number of seed used (1 kg/ha compared with 3 kg/ha previously) and a tripling of yields, from 1.5 tonnes to 5 tonnes per hectare. However, the discussions highlighted several constraints, including the lack of permanent access to water due to the absence of an irrigation system.
In Nyamassila, the women's cooperative specialised in the processing of enriched flours made from moringa and néré benefited from training organised by the FSRP in 2023 on techniques for processing local flours. Thanks to this support, the members of the cooperative have begun to improve their living conditions by becoming real entrepreneurs, now supplying these enriched products to the local hospital and to the elderly.
The 85-member Kpélé Tutu cooperative is dedicated to producing compost and biopesticides, and is actively helping to boost agricultural productivity in the Planned Agricultural Development Zone (ZAAP) in the Plateaux-Est region. The cooperators, trained in the manufacture of these biological inputs, use a large-capacity composter to transform organic waste (plant leaves, peelings, garden waste, etc.) into compost, a natural fertiliser that is particularly beneficial for market garden crops and maize.
Discussions between members of the World Bank mission, comprising Ms Ashwini Sebastian, Regional FSRP Task Team Leader, and Mr Nouhoun Traoré, FSRP Co-TTL at the World Bank Office in Togo, and the Dutch cooperation team, comprising Mr Jeroen Rijniers and Mr Dominic van Asseldonk, and beneficiaries revealed the initial positive impact of the programme's interventions on the living conditions of the target populations. However, the discussions also highlighted additional needs, particularly in terms of irrigation, agri-food processing and storage.
This joint mission was part of the activities to monitor and review the results of the FSRP, financed by the World Bank's International Development Association (IDA), with additional financial support from the Netherlands Cooperation through the Global Agriculture and Food Security Programme (GAFSP).
Discussions continued on 8 May 2025 in Lomé with representatives of the FSRP coordination regional institutions within ECOWAS, CILSS and CORAF.