Lomé to host inaugural forum on agroecology and organic agriculture

Agriculture

Tuesday, 31 March 2026 18:13

Lomé to host inaugural forum on agroecology and organic agriculture

(Togo First) - Lomé will host the first edition of the National Forum on Agroecology and Organic Agriculture from April 7 to 9, 2026. The event aims to foster dialogue among public actors, producers, researchers and development partners on the transformation of agricultural systems.

The forum, supported by technical and financial partners including the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) and the European Union (EU), will feature plenary sessions, workshops and exhibition areas. Discussions will focus on food system governance, market access and farm financing.

While agriculture remains a pillar of the Togolese economy, the sector faces several constraints, including soil degradation, climate variability and dependence on chemical inputs, which limit productivity and reduce farmers’ incomes.

The forum follows reforms undertaken since 2021, including the adoption of a national strategy on agroecology and organic agriculture. The aim is to promote production models that are more resilient and less dependent on imports.

Organizers say these approaches address both economic and environmental challenges. "The transformation of our agriculture is no longer an option, but a structural requirement," said Combé Selom Anani, president of the National Association for Organic Agriculture in Togo (ANA-BIO-Togo) and head of the forum’s organizing committee. He added that these practices make it possible "to improve productivity in a sustainable way, restore soil fertility and reduce dependence on imported inputs."

Ayi Renaud Dossavi

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.