Report on the Rice Value Chain Strengthening Workshop with a Focus on Women and Youth from Agricultural Innovation Platforms (Lomé, Togo)

Yeo, P.A.; Ndindeng, S.A.; Yergo, W.G.; Labih, A.P.; Soule, B.A.; Arouna, Aminou

Report on the Rice Value Chain Strengthening Workshop with a Focus on Women and Youth from Agricultural Innovation Platforms (Lomé, Togo)

Autores

Editor

Africa Rice Center

Descripción

On August 19, 2024, a workshop bringing together actors from the rice value chain was held at the Mirambeau Hotel in Lomé, Togo. The event brought together 23 participants, including 9 women and 12 youth, representing various segments of the value chain, from seed producers to processors, as well as individual farmers and traders. The main objective was to strengthen the consideration of sustainability challenges and inclusivity in Togo’s rice sector. During the workshop, participants conducted participatory analyses to identify the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats (SWOT) within the rice value chain. The strengths identified included well-organized producer groups, availability of labor, access to land and inputs, and the presence of support institutions and local markets. The main weaknesses concerned the lack of shared skills, insufficient financial and material resources, limited adoption of good agricultural practices, and inadequate storage and processing infrastructure. Opportunities included access to equipment, inputs, financing, technical innovations, and advisory services, while threats encompassed climate change impacts, pests, competition from imported rice, and constraints in accessing land and water resources. The workshop also highlighted the factors limiting the inclusion of women and youth in the rice value chain. These include limited access to land and water, lack of collective farming equipment, insufficient practical training, the effects of climate change, and weak local processing and storage facilities. Moreover, participants identified priority needs and economic opportunities for each value chain segment, such as access to land, water, inputs, collective equipment, and the establishment of marketing and processing platforms. They emphasized the importance of strengthening governance, financial management, production and processing skills, and developing partnerships with local institutions, NGOs, innovation platforms, and financial actors. In conclusion, the workshop enabled participants to gain a better understanding of the challenges and opportunities specific to their sectors. They stressed the need for targeted strengthening of technical, organizational, and financial capacities, as well as the consolidation of collaborative platforms, to ensure the sustainable inclusion of women and youth and to improve the performance and competitiveness of Togo’s rice value chain.