Location
Togo
Topic
Green Economy, Women's Economic Empowerment
Status
Completed
Year
2022
Agriculture is an important lever for the growth of the Togolese economy and contributes about a third of the gross domestic product, providing employment to more than 60% of the population. This reinforces the Government’s ambition 4 of the Roadmap 2020-2025: “Make agriculture a real engine of growth and job creation”. The Ministry of Investment Promotion of Togo requested the technical assistance from the ICR Facility to further develop the Sesame sector through public-private dialogue. The request intends to identify bottlenecks in the value chain, strategic directions for the sector and export opportunities.
The technical assistance aimed to develop the Sesame value-chain through public-private dialogue. It seeked to provide an assessment of the sector, a strategy and an action plan to be develop the sector collaboratively with public and private stakeholders in Togo. Sesame producers, smaller ones in particular, as well other stakeholders with a role in the value chain (public and private) were consulted all along the exercise with a PPD methodology. The study also included a gender angle with recommendations to empower their role.
The ICR Facility has undertaken a comprehensive assessment of the sesame sector, working closely with public and private stakeholders, including small-scale sesame producers. Through the mapping study of the sesame sector, a clear understanding of the current landscape and value chain dynamics has been established. This analysis has formed the basis for developing a competitiveness strategy aimed at enhancing the sector’s performance and maximizing sesame exports in local and international markets.
Concurrently, an action plan has been crafted in collaboration with stakeholders to guide the implementation of strategic initiatives and boost the overall performance of sesame exports. This plan will drive the growth and development of the sesame sector, benefiting all actors involved.
Importantly, the study has also incorporated a gender angle component, recognizing the critical role of women in the sesame value chain. Recommendations have been formulated to empower women and enhance their participation and contributions within the sector. By promoting gender equality and empowering women, the sesame sector can unlock their full potential, driving inclusive growth and creating more opportunities for women in the sector.
The ongoing collaboration between public and private stakeholders, with a focus on small-scale sesame producers, is crucial in ensuring the successful implementation of the strategy and action plan. Together, these efforts aim to create a favorable business environment for the sesame sector in Togo, enabling its growth and contributing to the realization of Togo’s agricultural development goals.
