AFD opens green funding for Togo’s cocoa cooperatives

Agriculture

Monday, 27 October 2025 13:15

AFD opens green funding for Togo’s cocoa cooperatives

(Togo First) - Fair trade-certified cocoa cooperatives in Togo are now eligible for a new financing mechanism launched under the Équité 3 program, cofinanced by the French Development Agency (AFD) and the French Global Environment Facility (FFEM).

The call for proposals, coordinated by Agronomes et Vétérinaires Sans Frontières (AVSF), seeks to support agroecological transition and combat deforestation within fair trade sectors in West Africa, specifically in Togo, Ghana, and Côte d’Ivoire.

Cooperatives have until November 12, 2025, to submit their concept notes. Each selected project will be eligible for a grant of up to €60,000 for a period of 24 to 36 months.

Eligible activities include “zero-deforestation” traceability, crop diversification, adoption of sustainable processing technologies, and greater inclusion of women and young producers.

According to the call document, at least six cocoa cooperatives and eight cooperatives from other sectors—such as cashew, shea, fruit, and crafts—will be selected. The goal is to strengthen the economic and environmental sustainability of farmers’ organizations and promote replicable regional models.

For Togolese stakeholders, the mechanism offers an opportunity to boost the competitiveness of a small but promising cocoa sector. Although modest in scale and still facing structural challenges like aging plantations, the industry is recovering. Cocoa exports rose by 50% in the 2024–2025 season, reaching 4,400 tons compared with 2,618 tons in 2023–2024.

The country’s new national strategy is geared toward quality, emphasizing organic and fair trade production, local value addition, and market diversification for exports.

REFORMS OVERVIEW

STARTING A BUSINESS (more info)

At the fifteenth position, worldwide, and first in Africa, under the Starting a Business index of the 2020 Doing Business ranking, Togo sustains its reformative dynamics with more reforms….

ENFORCING CONTRACTS (more info)

Compared to some years ago when it was one of the lowest rankers under the Doing Business’ Enforcing Contracts indicator, Togo, leveraging many efforts to improve its business climate, was able to jump significantly on the index in the recent years... .

CONTRACT EXECUTION (more info)

Creation of special chambers of commerce for small debts • Creation of chambers of commerce at the Court of Appeal • Civil and commercial cases now handled by distinct clerks • Establishment of commercial courts in Lomé and Kara • Lawyers and bailiffs now have access to the FORSETI COMMERCIAL platform • A maximum period of 100 days was fixed to settle a commercial dispute .

TRADING ACROSS BORDERS (more info)

In comparison to previous years,Togo has significantly improved its ranking under the“Trading across borders” indicator by adopting multiple reforms that focus mainly on the digitization and reduction in delays, for import and export procedures related to import and export.

In comparison to previous years, Togo has significantly improved its ranking on the “Trading across borders” index by adopting multiple reforms that focus mainly on the digitalization and reduction in delays, for import and export procedures related to import and export.

CONSTRUCTION PERMIT (more info)

After moving from the 133rd to 127th place under the 2020 Doing Business’ construction permit index, Togo intends to reiterate this feat in the coming edition of the global ranking. To this end, it has introduced this year multiple reforms.

GETTING ELECTRICITY (more info)

Over the past two years, Togo’s ranking under the Doing Business’ Getting electricity and water indicator has increased consistently. Owing this performance to multiple reforms aimed at making it easier for businesses to access power and water, Lomé plans to introduce even more reforms this year to keep up its improvements.

REGISTERING A PROPERTY (more info)

Out of all the 'Doing Business’ indicators, Property Registration is where Togo has improved the most since 2018. Indeed, after spending years in the lowest part of this ranking, the country now seeks to beat Rwanda which is the best performer on this index in Africa. To do so, Lomé has been introducing many reforms, with the latest batch implemented this year.

PUBLIC PROCUREMENT (more info)

From professionalization to digitization, through legislative regulations, Togo’s public procurement framework is constantly being modernized. Several reforms have been implemented to improve the sector much to the benefit of the private sector, which is the focus of the National Development Plan.

PAYING TAXES AND DUTIES (more info)

To improve its business environment, Togo introduced some important reforms related to the payment of tax and duties. From the replacement of some taxes to the cancellation of others through exemptions, the country has only one objective: offer the most attractive tax framework to investors and economic operators. To achieve this, the authorities relied on digitization.