TOGO – The Coordination Togolaise des Organisations Paysannes et de Producteurs Agricoles (CTOP) and the Union Tunisienne de l’Agriculture et de la Pêche (UTAP) have inked a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) in a bid to bolster family farming and promoting sustainable development in Togo.
The collaboration, set to run until 2028, is a result of several meetings facilitated by GIZ under the ProComp program, designed to enhance Togo’s private sector competitiveness.
The MoU signing aligns with the conclusion of the United Nations Decade of Family Farming (UNDAF), a global initiative aimed at supporting small-scale farmers worldwide.
Ayéfoumi Olou Adara, Chairperson of CTOP, expressed optimism about the agreement’s potential to enhance the competitiveness of Togolese farmers in the international market.
The focus will be on providing farmers with essential training and financial resources.
CTOP, comprising 550,000 members, including farmers, breeders, fishermen, and processors, with women constituting 30% of its membership, plays a pivotal role in Togo’s agricultural landscape.
The partnership with UTAP is envisioned to contribute to the achievement of the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly in the agricultural sector, as noted by Noureddine Ben Ayed, President of UTAP.
The comprehensive MoU encompasses various areas, such as technical cooperation, capacity building, information exchange, and joint event organization.
Ghanaian fisherfolk seek government support following dam spillage
Meanwhile, in Ghana, fisherfolk in the Volta region have urgently appealed to the government, specifically the Ministry of Fisheries and Aquaculture Development (MoFAD), for relief items to help them cope with the aftermath of the recent spillage of the Akosombo and Kpong dams by the Volta River Authority (VRA).
The spillage, a result of the VRA’s planned discharge, has led to the inundation of the sea with river weeds, adversely impacting the activities of fisherfolk at various landing beaches and affecting their livelihoods.
Torgbui Seth Agbo-Kedey, the Public Relations Officer of the Ghana Canoe Fishermen Council and deputy Volta regional Chief fisherman highlighted the challenges faced by the fisherfolk, including the need for urgent attention and assistance.
During the spillage and its aftermath, focus and aid from authorities were primarily directed to residents of the three Tongu districts, leaving those in the southern part of the region, equally affected by the spillage, without adequate support.
The fisherfolk not only called for immediate attention and assistance but also appealed to the government to subsidize fishing gears, the prices of which have surged recently, posing a threat to their ability to sustain their families.
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