TOGO—Togolese President Faure Gnassingbé has launched the construction of a poultry complex worth 30 billion FCFA (US$49 million) in Avétonou town in a facility that spans 660 hectares, a project aimed at improving poultry production in the region.

According to the Togolese government, the project features several operational units: a poultry feed manufacturing plant with a daily production capacity of 450 tons, a hatching unit projected to yield 1.2 million chicks per week, and a slaughter unit capable of processing up to 10,000 chickens per hour.

The government said that they also plan to produce 50 million chickens annually, a number they want to double in the second phase of the project.

The project will be steered by Porteo Group, a West African logistics and construction company that had previously been granted the tender to reconstruct of the Grand Marché de Lomé (Lomé Grand Market) two years ago.

A portion of the 660 hectares earmarked for the project has been set aside to host the Technical Institute of Agricultural Research (ITRA), the Institute of Alternation and Development Training (IFAD-Avetonou), and the Ecovillage, forming an integrated ecosystem for research, training, and agricultural development.

The Togolese authorities underscore the project’s alignment with their ambition to enhance the country’s food self-sufficiency and position it as a leading player in regional poultry production.

The project is meant to boost poultry farming in the country, helping them achieve their expectations of reaching 53,500 metric tons by 2026.

Togo produced 46,500 metric tons in 2022, reflecting a consistent 4% annual growth rate over the past 55 years.

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