Minister of Agriculture expresses confidence in IITA agriculture transformation in Togo

9 May 2023

IITA–CGIAR, under the auspices of the IFAD-funded Zero Hunger Project, has signed an agreement with the Togolese government to boost food security in the country. As an update to this agreement, IITA Business Incubation CEO and the Zero Hunger Project lead, Debo Akande, met with the Togo Minister of Agriculture, Livestock and Rural Development, Antoine Lekpa Gbegbeni the Nigerian Ambassador to Togo in Lome in May 2023.

During the meeting, the Zero Hunger Project lead had a partnership discussion with Minister Gbegbeni on the transformation of Agriculture in the country. He also informed the minister of the implementation of the Zero Hunger Initiative in Togo.

Zero Hunger Project Lead (left) with Nigerian Ambassador to Togo H.E. Adebowale J. Adesina.
Zero Hunger Project Lead (left) with Nigerian Ambassador to Togo H.E. Adebowale J. Adesina.

In his response, the minister said that the country has always desired to see how institutions like IITA could greatly support Togo in achieving food sustenance and support their farmers to move from agriculture as a cultural practice to business.

He added that he is confident that the Zero Hunger Project will provide a good entry for IITA to work with the Ministry of Agriculture of Togo to achieve the above. He expressed interest in working with IITA to improve the country’s seed system and introduce digital agriculture to aid agriculture.

The Zero Hunger Project renews the opportunity to transfer proven agricultural technologies and innovations from IITA and AfricaRice—the main partners in the Zero Hunger Project—to farmers, extension personnel, seed producers, and others in the country.

The project will further strengthen the country’s National Agricultural Research and Innovation Systems, mainly Institut Togolais de Recherches Agronomiques (ITRA) and L’Institut de Conseil et d’Appui Technique (ICAT). And improve the seed system, food production, food security, value addition, nutrition, and marketing of agricultural products in four regions of the country—Kara and Savanah in the north and Maritime and Plateaux in the West.

The Zero Hunger Project is supported by IFAD in Nigeria and Togo.

Contributed by Oyewale Abioye