The International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) has provided a fresh injection of financial support to the Togolese agricultural sector, amounting to $2.4 million (approximately 1.5 billion FCFA).
The funding agreement, aimed at implementing the Project to Support the Promotion of Agroecological Market Gardening in Togo (ProsMAT), was signed in Lomé at the end of last week.
Official Signing Ceremony
The agreement was formally signed by IFAD’s country director, Kabore Jean Pascal, and the chairman of the board of directors of the Togolese Coordination of Farmers’ Organizations and Agricultural Producers (CTOP), Ayéfoumi Olou-Adara, on behalf of Togo, during an official ceremony.
Enhancing Food Security and Sustainable Agricultural Practices
With this funding, Togo will continue its policy of ensuring food security and promoting sustainable agricultural practices.
Specifically, through ProsMAT, CTOP will provide technical support to market gardeners in 16 prefectures across the country’s six agricultural regions, particularly in adopting agroecological production practices.
The goal is to improve vegetable yields and quality while reducing soil and water pollution.
Focus on Post-Harvest Losses and Marketing
The project will also concentrate on initiatives aimed at reducing post-harvest losses and facilitating the marketing of agroecological vegetable products.
Additionally, this funding is expected to support processing units run by women’s cooperatives and youth enterprises involved in the production of agroecological inputs.
Project Duration and Reach
The project is expected to last 40 months and reach nearly 10,000 farmers, 58% of whom are women. It complements other IFAD initiatives in support of Togolese agriculture, including the financing of the “Agricultural Transformation in States in Nigeria and Togolese Regions to Achieve Zero Hunger” project, as reported by TogoFirst.