Togo: IFAD provides 1.5 billion FCFA in financial support for agriculture

The International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) is providing new financial support for Togo's agricultural sector to the tune of 2.4 million dollars, or around 1.5 billion FCFA. The financing agreement, which will be used to implement the Projet soutien à la promotion du maraîchage agro écologique paysan au Togo (ProsMAT), was signed at the end of last week in Lomé.

The agreement was initialed by IFAD Country Director Kabore Jean Pascal, on behalf of IFAD, and Ayéfoumi Olou-Adara, Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Coordination togolaise des organisations paysannes et de producteurs agricoles (CTOP), on behalf of Togo, at an official ceremony.Coordination togolaise des organisations paysannes et de producteurs agricoles (CTOP), Ayéfoumi Olou-Adara, on behalf of Togo, at an official ceremony.

With this funding, Togo will pursue its policy of food security and sustainable agricultural practices. Specifically, through ProsMAT, CTOP will provide technical support to market gardeners in 16 prefectures in the country's six agricultural regions, notably in the adoption of agroecological production practices. The aim is to improve vegetable yields and quality, while reducing soil and water pollution.

The project will also focus on initiatives aimed at reducing post-harvest losses, and facilitating the marketing of agroecological market garden produce. The funding will also be used to support processing units run by women's cooperatives and youth enterprises engaged in the production of agroecological inputs.

The project is scheduled to run for 40 months, and will involve some 10,000 farmers, 58% of them women. It joins other IFAD initiatives in favor of Togolese agriculture. These include the financing of the " Agricultural Transformation in Nigerian States and Togolese Regions to Achieve Zero Hunger " project.

Source: www.togofirst.com/