As part of efforts to assess the progress of the Zero Hunger Project in the region, IITA Director of Private Sector Partnerships, Dr Debo Akande, spearheaded a high-level engagement among IITA, AfricaRice, Togo’s Ministry of Agriculture, Village Water Resources, and Rural Development recently.
The meeting also focused on formulating a strategic policy framework to scale its successes through upcoming national and international initiatives, including the World Bank-supported agricultural transformation program.
Dr Akande, supported by experts from AfricaRice and IITA, outlined major strides in the Zero Hunger project’s implementation. One of the most notable achievements was the development of seed certification protocols for cassava, yam, and sweet potato. This development was Togo’s first ever developed protocols for these crops, and it was done in collaboration with the Ministry’s Seed Certification Directorate, Institut Togolais de Recherche Agronomique (ITRA), and Institut de Conseil et d’Appui Technique (ICAT). Capacity development of over 6,000 farmers in cassava and rice seed production contributed to improved productivity and the resilience of the seed system.
Another critical point of discourse was the localization of agricultural mechanization. The mechanization needs assessment conducted under the project to identify a gap in local fabrication capacity. This will prompt IITA and AfricaRice to train ten local fabricators and produce six essential processing machines. As a result, 29 machines, including wet hammer mills, cassava presses, and rice dehullers, were produced and handed over to government officials on 18 March.
Other discussion areas were agricultural products, value addition, and entrepreneurship training of over 3,000 women and youth. The training targeted driving rural entrepreneurship and economic inclusion of women and youth by processing cassava and rice into market-ready products. All these interventions and impacts were well outlined at the FAO-organized Committee of Food Security (CFS) event in Rome in October 2024.
Dr Akande, however, underscored the need to transition from research to adoption to large-scale agricultural transformation. He highlighted the role of public, private, and development sector partnerships, such as finance institutions like the World Bank, CGIAR, particularly IITA and AfricaRice, Togolese research institutions (ITRA), private sector actors, and the agricultural extension system (ICAT), in supporting the agriculture for economic transformation agenda in Togo.
Minister Antoine Lekpa Gbegbeni reaffirmed the government’s commitment to agricultural transformation, emphasizing that future programs must not just focus on livelihood support but acceleration of the national economic growth.
He recognized IITA and AfricaRice’s leadership in technical support for agricultural transformation in Africa and highlighted their roles in mechanization and seed systems. He further reiterated Togo’s goal of reducing food imports by boosting domestic production and accessing export markets. He expressed his commitment to driving a policy framework that will strengthen the agricultural transformation for livelihood and economic development in Togo. As the meeting concluded, the momentum for a policy-driven agricultural transformation in Togo had never been stronger.
The partnership between IITA, AfricaRice, and the Togolese government underscores a shared vision: to institutionalize agricultural innovations, scale mechanization, and create a self-sufficient food system through sound policy frameworks.
With the foundation set, the next phase will focus on integrating these policies into national and international agricultural development agendas, ensuring long-term impact and economic resilience for Togo’s agrifood sector.
Contributed by Oyewale Abioye
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