The curtains fell on Saturday April 13, after three days of work on the 11th edition of the National Forum of Togolese Farmers (FNPT), which is intended as a framework for annual consultation between the Head of State and all the actors of the rural world and agriculture in Togo. This meeting served, once again, as a platform for agricultural development actors to discuss the modalities of transformation of the sector, in accordance with the objectives of the National Development Plan (PND). Recommendations were made to create conditions conducive to the fulfillment of commitments. The work was closed, on behalf of the President of the Republic, by the Head of Government, Komi Selom Klassou. He took the opportunity to animate a frank and enriching debate to enlighten the audience on the vision of the Head of State in favor of the agricultural sector, but also other pillars of economic growth, especially within the framework of the PND. .

For 10 years, the FNPT has become a tradition that offers the country's top managers the opportunity to exchange directly with the various players in the agricultural world on the issues and challenges in terms of innovation in this sector. A highly vital and increasingly market-oriented sector, which constitutes a real foundation for achieving the objectives of the PND, namely, creating more than 500,000 decent jobs for young people and achieving a growth rate of 7.6% by 2022. It is therefore right that the 11th edition, held in Kara, from last Thursday to Saturday, was placed under the theme: "Agricultural transformation poles to enhance the potential in Togo: a new vision expressed by the PND”.

The forum was attended by direct actors in agricultural value chains (producers, processors, traders or exporters, etc.), service providers, financial institutions, technical and financial partners, administrative and customary authorities, NGOs and representatives of civil society and other institutions involved in agricultural development. Like past editions, this annual meeting was coupled with the organization of a mini agricultural fair to promote local products and proven innovative technologies that should contribute to the achievement of the development objectives set in the PND. .

The vision of the Head of State in favor of the agricultural sector

In his speech for the occasion, the head of government welcomed the new dynamic of contractualization, inviting the actors of the agro-industrial world to respect the commitments made. He renewed the government's determination to pursue efforts to make agriculture much more attractive and competitive, in order to remove producers from the sphere of poverty.

For the Minister of Agriculture, Animal Production and Fisheries, Koutéra Bataka, optimizing the performance of the agricultural sector today requires, among other things, the implementation of a certain number of measures, in order to meet to the expectations of actors in the agricultural sector while creating a favorable environment for the promotion of business. In this case, the census of all the actors, the development of the soil fertility map, the establishment of a labeling strategy for Togolese products, the implementation of the support project for the control of water, the operationalization of social coverage for the benefit of the agricultural world, etc. The apotheosis of this 11th agricultural mass which kept all its promises ended with the visit of the stands of the mini agricultural fair on the esplanade of the Kara convention center by the Prime Minister and all the authorities present at this effect.

In addition, the Prime Minister, Komi Selom Klassou, presented decoration medals to certain actors of the agricultural world in recognition of their contributions to the development of Togolese agriculture. Eleven of them were made officers of the Order of Agricultural Merit and 17 honored with the medal of Knight of the Order of Agricultural Merit. Suiting the deed to the word, the head of government handed over 32 motorcycles intended for the prefectural unions of cotton producers and seven (07) for the regional unions

Frank and enriching exchanges

In total, seven conferences followed by debates were animated. They focused on: "The results of the 2018-2019 agricultural campaign, review of the implementation of the recommendations of the 10th edition of the FNPT", "the innovations of the law on the land and state code in connection with land management agriculture", "The digital census of actors in the agricultural sector to improve the service offer to users", "Program contracts and actor contracts". Other communications relate to the “agricultural orientation bill”, the “Technology transfer program for the transformation of Agriculture in Africa (TAAT)”, and the “Agricultural products transfer station project with the development of a value chain”.

In addition, a panel was moderated on the organization and financing of agricultural value chains, through MIFA and investment opportunities within the framework of PND.

Work in committee focused on the sector tables, 14 in number. These are plant (cassava, soybean, corn, rice, cotton, coffee-cocoa, sesame, cashew, shea, fruit and vegetables), animal ( poultry and small ruminants) and the halieutic sectors (fish).

Recommendations for achieving the commitments

This work led to recommendations with a view to creating favorable conditions for the fulfillment of the commitments. Among other things, take steps to strengthen the peaceful management of transhumance, promote local consumption, expand the establishment of ZAAPs with water reservoirs and strengthen efforts to open up production areas. This is to facilitate the flow of products and improve the competitiveness of the various sectors.

At the end of the B to B meetings between actors in the agricultural value chain sharing the same centers of interest and seeking to make them bear fruit, around a hundred contracts were signed, between producers and processors, processors and traders, or with the private sector.