FAO and the EU alongside producer’s organizations in the Kara region for the launch of the agricultural campaign

It's the start of the agricultural season in northern Togo: the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and the World Food Program (WFP) in collaboration with the Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock and Rural Development (MAEDR), with funding from the European Union (EU), carried out the distribution of seeds and fertilizers to producer organizations (POs) in the Kara region, as a means of launch of the 2024-2025 agricultural campaign.

200 tonnes of certified rice and corn seeds and 2000 tonnes of fertilizer (NPK and urea) are acquired for this purpose, to support 10,000 small producers (including market gardeners) in the Kara and Savannas. This support is part of the “Strengthening food systems for sustainable access of small producers to agricultural inputs (Pro-SADI)” project, which is in its second year of implementation.

“Through this intervention, we want each small producer to be able to benefit from improved seeds and fertilizers to produce and obtain at least on half a hectare, an average yield of at least 2 tonnes/ha compared to 1.5 tonnes/ha currently observed in the area for maize" explains Oyétoundé DJIWA, program manager of the FAO office in Togo during the symbolic ceremony of handing over inputs to producer organizations around school canteens.

“This transformative program affects several dimensions of development. We will no longer seek food from outside to bring it, but we will boost local production to meet the needs of children in schools,” says Dr. Moise BALLO, WFP country director.

For his part, MAEDR chief of staff Dindiogue KONLANI declares: "Hunger can be a direct factor in school dropouts. A situation against which the government is waging war through the national school canteen program. For decades, Means are thus implemented so that students have access to hot meals at school.

During a visit to a school with a school canteen, the EU Ambassador, Joaquim Tasso VILLALONGA appreciated this synergy of action between the WFP and the FAO and congratulated the two United Nations Organizations for this collaboration around school canteens, which promotes local production and consumption, a factor in creating lasting wealth in rural communities.

Results after one year of implementation of Pro-SADI

The global project to support food production and the resilience of food systems in the African, Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) countries of the European Union relied on two partners: the WFP and the FAO in Togo, to support the strengthening of the resilience of

small producers and rural households through two approaches: (i) integrated school feeding based on local production implemented by the WFP and (ii) the strengthening of food systems for sustainable access of small producers to agricultural inputs (Pro-SADI) implemented by FAO. Remember that the two projects were launched simultaneously at the Togo agricultural producer’s forum in Kara in April 2023, in the presence of the Head of State, members of the government and the European Union.

After a year of implementation of Pro-SADI, the following results were capitalized: i) acquisition of 100 tonnes of certified corn seeds and 100 tonnes of certified rice seeds and distribution to 10,000 small producers in the Kara region and savannas; ii) training of 73 phytosanitary and seed inspectors, including 12 women, on the quality control of seeds and inputs; iii) acquisition of 1,500 tonnes of NPK 15 15 15 and 500 tonnes of urea for the 2024-2025 campaign; iv) carrying out several studies on seed management, the inventory of phytosanitary products marketed in Togo for organic production and a guide to the inspection of seed crops and sampling of seed lots.

Christelle SEGBENAME

Communication Officer at FAO in Togo