Togo Unveils €1.7 Million Program to Strengthen Agricultural Resilience

Economic governance

Friday, 10 October 2025 15:45

Togo Unveils €1.7 Million Program to Strengthen Agricultural Resilience

(Togo First) - • The TERSAA II program will invest €1.7 million over three years (2025–2028) to strengthen agricultural resilience in Togo, Benin, and two other countries.
• The initiative will directly support 8,593 producers and processors—half of them women—and indirectly benefit 750,000 people.
• The program aims to extend agroecological practices over 95 additional hectares, train 1,235 producers, and create three quality labels for local products.

Togo has launched the second phase of the Transition of Agricultural and Food Systems in Rural Territories (TERSAA) program to improve climate resilience and promote sustainable agriculture. The three-year initiative, worth €1.7 million, officially began in Lomé on October 9, 2025.

The program is led by Acting for Life (AFL) with financial support from the French Development Agency (AFD), the Air France Foundation, and the Fondation de France. It follows the successful completion of TERSAA I (2021–2025).

TERSAA II targets 8,593 farmers and processors—50% of whom are women—and seeks to indirectly impact around 750,000 people across participating countries. The initiative will expand agroecological practices over 95 new hectares, train 1,235 producers, and develop three local trust labels to boost the visibility and market value of domestic products.

According to Estelle Dandoy, Head of the Food Systems Unit at AFL, this new phase “consolidates the achievements of TERSAA I while improving market access for 31 producer organizations.” She added that the project also “promotes local consumption and strengthens the role of local authorities in managing natural resources sustainably.”

For Ana Quintela of the AFD, the program reflects “an innovative territorial approach that combines sustainability, equity, and competitiveness.” She emphasized that such initiatives can “reinforce local agricultural value chains and support communities’ adaptation to climate change.”

This article was initially published in French by R.E.D

Adapted in English by Ange Jason Quenum

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.