China assists Agriculture Technology Cooperation Project in Kara, Togo

In 2006, the visit of the President of the Togolese Republic, Faure Gnassingbé, to China lead to the signing of a cooperation agreement for agricultural research cooperation in Kara.

After the signing, in June 2006, a team of Chinese experts arrived in Kara to start a research cooperation with the Togolese Agricultural Research Institute (ITRA) on the adaptability of hybrid rice and maize seeds to local pedoclimatic conditions.

The declared objective of the project is to move towards self-sufficiency in Togo by increasing the productivity of farmers, use of Chinese seeds, and new technical routes.

The Chinese team consists of a director, an interpreter and 3 to 4 agronomists in rice, maize, and seed reproduction, chosen for their technical background and experience.

Each member of the team comes for a period of two years, The agreement stipulates that Togo must bear these costs of operation, make the sites available for experiments and accommodation buildings for Chinese personnel, and take charge of the salary of Togolese staff.

The Chinese, for their part, finance the salaries of their experts as well as the equipment and inputs used in the experiments, although the exact amount of financing is unknown. Loan applications and disbursements are still being received and processed as the projects continue to evolve. Ongoing monitoring and evaluation are in place to ensure project continuity.