The goal was clearly to move soybean production from being a subsistence activity to a competitive commercial value chain.
What did the project do differently?
The project treated soybean as a full business ecosystem. Between 2015 and 2019, it carried out a multi-pronged approach to support production, organization, processing, financing and market access, at the same time.
Over 112 tonnes of certified seeds were distributed to over 200 cooperatives and more than 25,000 producers were trained in improved farming techniques. Stakeholders within the sector were organized through cooperatives and the creation of the Togo soybean Council – CIFS-Togo, bringing together producers, processors and exporters. This helped create a more coordinated and export-oriented soybean sector.
How did farmers benefit?
They produced more, earned more and became more connected to markets. With better seeds and farming practices, yields improved, reaching 2 to 3 tonnes per hectare. Production rose from about 24,500 tonnes in 2015 to more than 42,500 tonnes in 2018 and later expanded to around 300,000 tonnes.
For farmers, this was not just about higher volumes. It was about better incomes. Around 68 per cent of producers reported income increases of over 50 per cent, while nearly 90 per cent saw an overall improvement in their economic situation.
What happened to exports?
As a result of the project, soybean became one of Togo’s major exports. Togolese soybean reached markets in Europe, Asia and beyond. By 2020, Togo became the leading exporter of organic soybean to the European Union, ahead of China and India.
Soybean has since become one of Togo’s top 10 export products, showing how a targeted value-chain approach can turn a neglected sector into a national trade success.
How did this affect jobs in the sector?
Jobs were created on a large scale. Employment across the soybean value chain grew from around 10,000 jobs to nearly 300,000, benefiting producers, processors, traders, transporters and service providers.
It was particularly advantageous for women and young people who were among the key beneficiaries, gaining new opportunities across production, processing and trade.
What changed beyond farming?
The sector started attracting investment and, as production grew, local processing capacity also expanded. The stronger soybean base helped attract new agro-industrial investment, including a US$ 25 million investment by Togo Soja to establish a modern facility capable of processing 50,000 metric tonnes of soybean.
This is significant because the following step is not only to export more soybean, but to create greater intrinsic value within Togo.
Why did the transformation work?
Because production, processing, finance, organization and market access were addressed simultaneously. Stronger coordination through interprofessional structures improved governance and helped the sector respond to market opportunities.
The lesson is clear: when value chains are strengthened as integrated systems, the impact is both wider in scale and more sustainable over time.
What is important for the future?
Finance and investment are essential. The project improved access to credit, but long-term growth will depend on sustained financing, stronger processing capacity and continued support for quality, certification and market access.
To keep on growing, the sector needs to move from export success to deeper value added.
Contributed by the Enhanced Integrated Framework.
