Togo Allocates CFA19 Billion for Food Security in 2025

Agriculture

Friday, 17 January 2025 08:59

Togo Allocates CFA19 Billion for Food Security in 2025

(Togo First) - In line with its 2025 Finance Law, the Togolese government plans to allocate CFA19 billion for food security and resilience this year. In 2024, Lomé had set aside CFA13 billion for the same purpose.

Antoine Gbégbéni, Minister of Agriculture, said part of the funds would help fight hunger, enhance food security, improve nutrition, and promote sustainable farming practices. The budget will support a seven-year food security plan from 2024 to 2030–a plan approved in July 2023.

Another part of the funds will help transform food systems in line with the government's roadmap for 2020-2025. The National Food Security Agency (ANSAT) will be a key beneficiary, focusing on grain purchasing and storage, and pre-financing for farmers to manage strategic reserves and stabilize their incomes.

Lomé has been encouraging farmers to produce more to meet national demands and reduce reliance on imports. President Faure Gnassingbé emphasized this during the closing of the Agricultural Producers Forum in January 2023, stating: “We must feed ourselves, make a living from our agricultural activities, provide for our own needs and those of our families to better invest in the economic development of the country.”

The new budget announced for food security and resilience makes up 34% of the Ministry of Agriculture’s 2025 budget, standing at CFA56 billion.

Esaïe Edoh

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.