Togo, November 2019
CARD working week in Togo on NRDS revision
Earlier, Togo’s NRDS Task Force produced a zero draft of the NRDS-2 document, on which some improvements were recommended by CARD consultant. On the other hand, new orientations regarding strong resolutions by Government of Togo, namely the “500 000 ha offensive”, also require some adjustments of the NRDS-2 objectives. To assist Task Force in the finalizing the NRDS-2 draft towards the validation of Togo’s second generation NRDS strategy, a CARD support mission was organized from 25th to 29th of November 2019.
The projections made by the Togo’s NRDS Task Force on rice production, area and yield objectives, with the aim of achieving rice self-sufficiency by 2030, in the NRDS-2 draft zero, are shown in the map. (Map showing the potential of rice area in Agro pole zones of Togo, totaling approximately 100,000 ha)
Activities and results
In accordance with the Government’s determination to effectively involve provincial stakeholders in developing the NRDS draft, consultation missions were carried out in the provinces. The latest version thus takes into account several of the suggestions and comments made by those provincial actors. Accordingly, the NRDS Task Force proceeded with the second reading of the revised NRDS-2 document. Since Government of Togo has set a target of a surplus area (all rice ecologies combined) of 105,004 ha by 2028, as part of the “500,000 ha offensive” initiative, rice production estimates have been recalculated by the Task Force members. In this regard, the Task force decided to: (i) consider two (2) phases of 5 years each, for the implementation of NRDS-2: 2020-2024 and 2025-2030 and (ii) prioritize the increase in production in lowlands and irrigated areas, on which yields are high with the assumption of double cropping. The Task Force members made further fine-tuning of the NRDS-2 draft zero by incorporating the mutually agreed comments and suggestions received during the working week. An improved version, which will constitute the final version to be submitted for validation by the national stakeholders, will be sent by the focal point to the Task Force members and CARD consultant.
Using the opportunity of this working week; the Task Force also reviewed Rice Subsector Intervention Element Matrix (SIEM) and discussed its use as a tool for analyzing and monitoring Rice sector performance across the various elements in the value chain. By dividing into 3 sub-working groups, the Task Force members have largely completed Togo’s SIEM matrix. A finalized version of the SIEM will be communicated to CARD Secretariat by the focal point.
Results of CARD support to NRDS Task Force works are: (i) revision of the zero-draft of the NRDS-2 document in which the objectives have been revised and the strategy to be adopted is made clear to the Task Force; (ii) strengthening of the national managers’ capacity.
Next steps will be focused on the national validation of the NRDS-2, followed by financial resources mobilization for NRDS-2 implementation.
(The above photo: Task force members working on Rice SIEM matrix)
