Togo

The fourth Agricultural Technologies and innovations Market (MITA), organized by CORAF in partnership with the Togolese Institute for Agricultural Research (ITRA), took place from 21 to 25 October 2024 in Lome, Togo. Under the theme: “Facilitating access to agricultural technologies and innovations for the integrated management of pests, plagues and diseases of plants and animals”, this strategic event brought together key players from the agricultural and research sectors, becoming a platform of choice for the adoption of innovative solutions in West and Central Africa.

MITA 2024 was an opportunity to facilitate constructive exchanges between researchers, innovators, policy-makers and young agricultural entrepreneurs. The aim was to promote innovations capable of enhancing food security in the region. This year’s event was attended by 264 participants, including 84 women and 73 young people, demonstrating the multi-sectoral and inter-generational commitment to more sustainable and resilient agriculture.

This edition was enhanced by two major events: the 1st edition of the West and Central African Youth Summit, focusing on climate-smart agriculture, and the prestigious Abdoulaye Touré Agricultural Innovation Prize. The Youth Summit brought together young people from a wide range of agricultural backgrounds, giving them a platform to exchange views with experts and present their innovations. The Abdoulaye Touré Prize rewarded six young innovators with $10,000 each for their exemplary contributions to the agricultural sector. These initiatives illustrate the ambition to promote young talent as drivers of change in African agriculture.

Of the 67 technologies and innovations shared, 53 attracted particular attention, including 38 crop varieties and 15 agricultural equipment and animal technologies, on display at the ITRA technology park in Davié. These solutions ranged from crop varieties resistant to climatic stresses to tools adapted for the sustainable management of agricultural land and resources.

Four projects by young agro-entrepreneurs were presented in pitch form to a panel of judges made up of representatives from financial institutions and business leaders. Among these, Mr KONDOW Moubarack’s biological insecticide project, designed to combat cocoa mirids, stood out as the best innovation, demonstrating the potential of local solutions to regional agricultural challenges.

By bringing together players from various countries, the MITA once again demonstrated the importance of bilateral, regional and international cooperation in the agricultural sector. The meeting highlighted the role of science, technology and innovation (STI) in strengthening food systems, addressing the key components of food and nutritional security.

The 2024 edition ended on an optimistic note, setting the date for the next edition of MITA, scheduled for 20-24 October 2025 in Mali. The theme of this year’s event will be “Technologies and Innovations for Integrated Soil Management”, and the Abdoulaye Touré Prize and the Youth Summit will once again be part of the programme, underlining the continuity of a promising dynamic for African agriculture.

In short, MITA 2024 was a lever for agricultural transformation in West and Central Africa, strengthening the resilience of food systems through innovation.

The development of the rice sector is part of the agricultural development strategies of West African countries, and Togo in particular. Rice is a staple food for a large proportion of the Togolese population, with annual per capita consumption estimated at 35 kg. Yet the country is facing a major challenge: national production covers only part of its needs, reaching around 165,000 tonnes in 2020, far short of the 450,000 tonnes required. As a result, the country is dependent on imports for around 60% of its rice consumption.

To reverse this trend, the West Africa Food System Resilience Program (FSRP), of which rice is one of the priority commodities, has undertaken an initiative with the Togolese rice trade association to widely disseminate Smart Valleys Technology. This is a lowland management system designed to retain and manage rainwater in fields while reducing fertiliser losses due to flooding, and it can significantly increase harvest yields (more details on Smart Valleys https://bit.ly/3TM17VT).

Recently (from 24 to 29 June 2024), a training session for a pool of 20 endogenous trainers was held to introduce producers to this technology. Each trainer then passed on their knowledge to ten other farmers in twenty villages in the central region of Togo. During these sessions, participants learned not only about the Smart Valleys approach, but also how it works and the advantages it offers for maximising yields from limited areas.

In addition to the training, the farmers received toolkits for developing their plots, including wheelbarrows, boots, ropes, cutters, daba, picks and other equipment needed to put the Smart Valleys method into practice. Abdourahim Milbawa, a young rice farmer from Guérin kouka in the Dankpen prefecture, was one of the beneficiaries of the training, and was quick to share his new skills with other farmers in his locality.

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"When I got back from the training, I quickly got together with my farmer friends to show them this technology, which for me is a real innovation. On my plot of land, I explained how to develop the land while considering the direction of rainwater," says Abdourahim with pride.

Smart Valleys combines proven agricultural techniques with modern technologies to optimise the use of natural resources and increase the productivity of rice fields. The focus is on developing flood valleys by building dykes, canals and drainage systems to control water and improve soil fertility.

One of the major advantages of this technology is the efficient management of water and seed: “Before, I used to sow rice by throwing the seed onto the plain. For one hectare, I needed 50 kg of seed, and the yield was around 3 Tons. With the Smart Valleys Techology, I start with a nursery and do the transplanting in the trays that have been made. I use less seed, around 5 kg per hectare, for a harvest of almost 6 Tons per hectare. It’s beneficial,” explains Abdourahim, happy to have mastered this production technique.

Another site, another experience with Mrs Affi Koutèma, a rice grower in the canton of Yaloumbè in the prefecture of Blitta, in the central region of Togo, 260 km north of the city of Lomé. Like Abdourahim, Mrs Affi is a beneficiary of the training and applies the knowledge she has acquired to an area of 0.25 ha.

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In partnership with two other rice growers, she builds crates, manages rainwater and channels it, as well as planting seeds in rows. She is delighted to point out the changes in the way she produces rice: “Before, I sowed rice by broadcasting and that required 50 kg of seed for 1 hectare and a yield of 2 tonnes.  Today, with the smart valleys, as soon as you build the crates, the rest is easy to do and you use less seed. For one hectare, you use 4 to 5 kg of seed, and you can be sure of harvesting around 6 ha. I would like to sincerely thank the World Bank, ECOWAS and Togo’s Ministry of Agriculture for the multifaceted support provided to producers through FSRP”.

Smart Valleys Technology is part of a wider strategy for sustainable agricultural development in Togo, focusing on local solutions to improve food production and strengthen the resilience of communities in the face of climatic and economic challenges.