Started on January 12, the National Forum of Agricultural Producers (FoPAT) ended on April 20, 2023 in the presidency of the President of the Republic, Faure Gnassingbé who was always close to the peasant world during the works and in the 5 economic regions of the country. . It emerges from this first edition, a positive assessment and a major adhesion of the partners of the country.
Placed under the theme “the structural transformation of Togolese agriculture: challenges and prospects”, the FoPAT focused on several themes such as, among others, agricultural development, facilitation of access to inputs, financing and the market. , land fertility mapping, water control, animal production, skills and capacity building for producers. Discussions carried out in the presence of the number 1 of the Republic. An innovative format that is attracting the attention of development partners: the European Union, the African Development Bank (AfDB), the World Bank, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), the World Food Program (WFP), the Europe team, France and Germany.
Since the first stage in Dapaong, they have committed to further support the government in its new strategy to significantly improve agricultural productivity and strengthen the resilience of the food system. This desire was manifested by the signing of a financing agreement to the tune of 10 million euros between the Togolese government represented by the Minister of Agriculture, Livestock and Rural Development, Antoine Lékpa Gbégbéni, and the European Union by its Ambassador Joaquín Tasso Vilallonga. This new allocation, we are informed, will be devoted to the implementation of two priority projects in collaboration with FAO and WFP. These include the Food Systems Strengthening Project for Sustainable Access of Small Producers to Agricultural Inputs (Pro-SADI) and the Integrated School Feeding Project Based on Local Production in Public Primary Schools in Togo.
FoPAT: An innovative initiative from Togo that appeals to development partners
Started on January 12, the National Forum of Agricultural Producers (FoPAT) ended on April 20, 2023 in the presidency of the President of the Republic, Faure Gnassingbé who was always close to the peasant world during the works and in the 5 economic regions of the country. . It emerges from this first edition, a positive assessment and a major adhesion of the partners of the country.
Placed under the theme “the structural transformation of Togolese agriculture: challenges and prospects”, the FoPAT focused on several themes such as, among others, agricultural development, facilitation of access to inputs, financing and the market. , land fertility mapping, water control, animal production, skills and capacity building for producers. Discussions carried out in the presence of the number 1 of the Republic. An innovative format that is attracting the attention of development partners: the European Union, the African Development Bank (AfDB), the World Bank, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), the World Food Program (WFP), the Europe team, France and Germany.
Since the first stage in Dapaong, they have committed to further support the government in its new strategy to significantly improve agricultural productivity and strengthen the resilience of the food system. This desire was manifested by the signing of a financing agreement to the tune of 10 million euros between the Togolese government represented by the Minister of Agriculture, Livestock and Rural Development, Antoine Lékpa Gbégbéni, and the European Union by its Ambassador Joaquín Tasso Vilallonga. This new allocation, we are informed, will be devoted to the implementation of two priority projects in collaboration with FAO and WFP. These include the Food Systems Strengthening Project for Sustainable Access of Small Producers to Agricultural Inputs (Pro-SADI) and the Integrated School Feeding Project Based on Local Production in Public Primary Schools in Togo.
In addition, the World Bank, through its resident representative, Fily Sissoko, also reaffirmed the institution’s desire to allocate new additional funding to the agricultural sector for the improvement of productivity, in particular with the provision of fertilizers. and support for other projects of the Regional Food Systems Resilience Program (FSRP).
Closer to farming
FoPAT is part of a local approach with actors in the agricultural world, with a view to achieving the objectives of the sector, as set out in the Togo government roadmap (2020-2025). The discussions were interactive with the Head of State. A format appreciated by producers. They were aware of the various initiatives put in place to support Togolese agriculture for its modernization as well as the challenges and prospects.
The President of the Republic encouraged all stakeholders to be more determined for an efficient implementation of the recommendations resulting from the various regional meetings, in order to stimulate a new dynamic in the agricultural sector, the main pillar of the national economy. Faure Gnassingbé also appreciated the mobilization of development partners around the vision of making agriculture a high added value.
Atha Assan