Togo’s leader Faure Gnassingbé has placed food sovereignty at the centre of the country’s agricultural strategy, urging closer cooperation between the state and farmers to boost production and reduce dependence on imports.
Gnassingbé, who serves as President of the Council, last week toured planned agricultural development zones, known as ZAAPs, in the northern prefectures of Dankpen and Binah, where he met producers to review progress and discuss challenges facing the sector.
Speaking to farmers, the president said strengthening agriculture was critical to ensuring that Togo could sustainably feed its population. He stressed that responsibility for transforming the sector must be shared.
“The government alone does not have all the answers. You, agricultural producers, do not have the full solution either,” he said, calling for a coordinated approach between public authorities and rural stakeholders.
The discussions focused on obstacles limiting productivity in key production areas, including access to equipment, organisation of value chains and farmers’ incomes. Both officials and producers agreed that increasing output to meet household needs was a priority.
Gnassingbé said the government’s strategy centres on professionalising ZAAP sites, a policy designed to modernise farming practices while improving living standards in rural communities.
“Beyond food security, it is essential to achieve food sovereignty,” he said. “Imported products are financed by the money of Togolese citizens, which benefits other countries. Our country has the capacity to produce enough to feed its population.”
Food imports account for a significant share of consumption in Togo, leaving the country vulnerable to external price shocks and supply disruptions. Authorities say boosting domestic production is key to protecting household purchasing power and strengthening economic resilience.
As part of the visit, Gnassingbé handed over new agricultural equipment to farmers at the Guérin-Kouka Agricultural Processing Centre, or CTA, in northern Togo. The package included 12 tractors and 12 power tillers, aimed at accelerating mechanisation and raising productivity across the ZAAP sites.
Officials say improved access to machinery will help farmers expand cultivated areas, reduce labour constraints and improve yields, particularly for staple crops.
The president’s tour builds on earlier engagements under the same policy. In June 2023, he visited several ZAAP sites in southern Togo to assess implementation and gather feedback from producers.
The ZAAP programme is a cornerstone of the government’s agricultural reform agenda, which seeks to organise producers into structured zones, facilitate access to inputs and markets, and encourage agro-processing.
Authorities argue that moving beyond subsistence farming toward a more commercial and organised model is essential if agriculture is to play its full role in economic development and job creation.
Agriculture employs a large share of Togo’s workforce and contributes significantly to gross domestic product, but productivity remains low compared with regional and global averages.
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By emphasising food sovereignty, the government is signalling a shift toward reducing reliance on imports while leveraging domestic capacity, officials say.
For farmers in the north, the president’s visit was both symbolic and practical. Producers welcomed the delivery of equipment and said sustained support would be needed to translate policy ambitions into lasting gains.
Gnassingbé said the government would continue to work with farmers to refine the strategy, insisting that only collective effort would allow Togo to meet its food needs and secure its agricultural future.
Background to Togo’s Agriculture
Agriculture remains central to Togo’s economy, employing a majority of the population and underpinning rural livelihoods, yet the sector has struggled for decades with low yields, limited irrigation, weak storage and poor access to finance. These constraints have left the country dependent on imported staples, exposing households to price volatility during global supply shocks.
Since taking office in 2005, Faure Gnassingbé has gradually repositioned agriculture as a strategic priority, linking food production to social stability and economic sovereignty. A key pillar of this shift is the creation of Planned Agricultural Development Zones (ZAAPs), designed to cluster producers, facilitate mechanisation, attract private investment and promote agro-processing close to production areas.
The policy aligns with wider regional efforts to boost intra-African food production and reduce import bills, as population growth and urbanisation accelerate demand. Officials argue that food sovereignty—beyond basic food security—would retain value within the domestic economy, support farmer incomes and create jobs along agricultural value chains.
The renewed focus has intensified since the COVID-19 pandemic and subsequent global price shocks, which exposed vulnerabilities in food supply chains. Authorities say strengthening domestic production is now seen not only as an economic objective, but as a national security imperative.
