Core area “A world without hunger” Achieving food security and creating opportunities

Agriculture is vital to Togo's economic development, food security and labour market. However, at the moment the agricultural sector is still very traditional – there is little technology involved and the focus is on subsistence farming. Poverty is widespread, especially in Togo's rural areas.

At present, there are only few agricultural products that are processed within Togo. Thus, young people in particular see little prospect of finding a job in rural areas and tend to move to the cities.

From production all the way to marketing

Germany's activities are geared towards improving selected value chains for small and medium-sized processing companies and merchants on a pilot basis (coffee, cocoa, cashew, vegetables, pineapple and other fruit). Tailor-made courses are used to enable farmers to increase their yields through sustainable methods, meet international quality standards, lower their production costs, secure sufficient food for themselves and their families, and make an additional income by selling some of their products. New jobs in rural areas are to be created through the local processing of agricultural products.

New financial products and development of rural roads

At the national level, advice is being provided to the Togolese government on how to improve the environment for agricultural production and for the export of agricultural goods. Moreover, in cooperation with financial service providers, loan programmes are being developed that are tailored to the specific conditions of smallholder agriculture. Through the West African Development Bank (BOAD), for example, microcredit is being provided for smallholder farms.
Financial Cooperation funding is used to repair and improve rural roads in order to provide good access and transport conditions to fields and farms throughout the year. This facilitates quicker and cheaper transport of inputs such as seeds and of harvested products. The focus is on regions where export crops (cotton and coffee) are grown.

A farmer in Togo draws water from a pond to irrigate his fields.

Special Initiative “Transformation of Agricultural and Food Systems”

Togo is one of the countries which the BMZ supports through its Special Initiative “Transformation of Agricultural and Food Systems”, with the purpose of fostering national food security and increasing people's resilience against hunger crises. Moreover, innovation in the agriculture and food sector is helping to increase regional food supplies, boost the incomes of smallholders, and create more employment opportunities. As part of the initiative, a à Green Innovation Centre has been set up in Togo.

Results in the period of 2012 to 2020

Over 80,000 small farmers have received business training. More than two thirds of them have been able to increase their incomes as a result. The share of women in the programme is over 50 per cent. So is the share of young adults.
2,000 permanent jobs and more than 23,000 seasonal jobs have been newly created in the agricultural sector.
Projects have been launched for the rehabilitation and development of transport routes in cotton, coffee and cocoa cultivation areas with a total length of about 600 kilometres.
1,100 loans have been extended to smallholder farmers.
More than 7,700 agricultural producers are able to view up-to-date information on prices on their mobile phones thanks to a digital information system.
60 per cent of Togo's pineapple producers cultivate their fruit on the basis of organic farming principles.
The food situation of nearly 15,000 women and more than 5,000 young children has been improved through the cultivation of nutrient-rich crops.
95 per cent of the 9,000 smallholders who received relevant training are now using new techniques to prevent post-harvest losses, which is contributing towards improved food security.

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