Strengthening fruit and vegetable exports and SPS in Togo

On 27 August, 40 representative of member companies of the Association of Producers, Processors and Exporters of Vegetables and Fruit of Togo (APROTELF) met in Lomé. Those attending the meeting included representatives of horticultural companies, the Plant Protection Directorate and GIZ/ProDRA (the German Development Agency’s Rural Development Programme).

Participants discussed the status of fruit and vegetable exports from Togo. The country primarily exports pineapples, leafy green vegetables and some other local products to Europe. Togo’s fruit and vegetable exports to Europe have more than doubled over the past decade, but remain relatively limited. Boosting the country’s fruit and vegetable exports could have a profound impact on development.

During the meeting, participants also considered ways to raise awareness of the approved and recommended phytosanitary products for the treatment of fruit and vegetables. Since 2018, the Standards and Trade Development Facility (STDF) project has worked to strengthen Togo’s phytosanitary control and certification system for fruit and vegetables. This project is implemented by COLEACP under the guidance of Kadjala KPATCHA, national coordinator for the STDF in Togo.

Progress on the Good Practice Guide for leafy vegetables in Togo, presented on 9 July, was also discussed at the meeting. While it is being supported by COLEACP’s Project to Strengthen the National Phytosanitary Control and Certification System for Fruit and Vegetables in Togo, the guide is being developped – and will be reviewed and validated – by stakeholders including APROTELF, the Plant Protection Directorate, Institute for Technical Advice and Support, the Togolese Institute of Agronomic Research and private sector companies.

This activity was organised within the framework of the project “Strengthening of the phytosanitary control and certification system for the fruit and vegetable sector in Togo”, funded by the Standards and Trade Development Facility (STDF) and implemented by COLEACP.