STDF Togo project: Steering Committee meeting

On 30 November 2021 in Lomé, the Steering Committee (COPIL) of the “Project for the reinforcement of the national phytosanitary control and certification system for fruits and vegetables in Togo” (STDF/PG/375) reviewed activities to date and made plans for 2022.

Officially launched in November 2018, the project was initially scheduled to close on 31 October 2021. However, due to delays caused by the Covid-19 pandemic, the technical implementation period of the project has been extended to 31 October 2022.

The objective of this meeting, led by Mrs Chantal GOTO, President of COPIL, was therefore to assess the project’s activities to date; discuss the current issues facing the fruit and vegetable sector in Togo; define activities for the next six months; and plan priorities for the last year of the project’s technical implementation.

Upcoming activities include:

• Organisation of a public-private meeting
• Training organisation for the DPV (Plant Protection Directorate) on the programming of official controls, inspection procedures, implementing a phytosanitary risk analysis system, etc.
• Training on organic agriculture for the public extension service ICAT
• Support organisation for the association of producers, processors and exporters of vegetables and fruits of Togo (APROTELF), to finalise the sectoral Good Practice Guide for leafy vegetables in Togo; to elaborate a strategic development plan; and to set up a permanent secretariat.
• Organisation of various group training sessions for horticultural companies (via the Fit For Market SPS programme).

The next COPIL meeting will be held in May.

This activity was organised within the framework of the Project for the Strengthening of the National Phytosanitary Control and Certification System for Fruits and Vegetables in Togo, funded by the Standards and Trade Development Facility (STDF) and implemented by COLEACP.