TOGO : Japan donates 3638 tons of white rice
The Togolese government, through the Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock, and Rural Development, received, on February 7, 2024, at the National Food Security Agency of Togo (ANSAT) in Lomé, a shipment of white rice from Japan. It is a donation of 3638 tons, valued at 250 million Japanese Yen, approximately 1.25 billion CFA francs.
This donation of rice from the Land of the Rising Sun is part of the food assistance project called the « Kennedy Round » (KR), which is a component of the United Nations program initiated in the 1960s to develop cooperative relations between developed and developing countries.
Upon receiving the shipment, the Director of Cabinet of the Ministry of Agriculture, Mr. Dindiogue Konlani, explained that the KR food donation is of great importance in the economic, social, and food life of the populations. It helps to reduce the structural deficit in rice experienced by Togo, thus enhancing its availability and, consequently, contributing to improving food and nutritional security, especially for the most vulnerable populations.
This rice will be made available to the populations throughout the national territory at very affordable prices. Furthermore, the counterpart funds will be used to implement socio-economic development projects for the well-being of the Togolese population.
Mr. Dindiogue Konlani mentioned that in recent years, these counterpart funds have enabled the establishment of Planned Agricultural Development Zones (ZAAP), as well as the opening and rehabilitation of rural roads, as part of the implementation of the Togo 2025 government roadmap.
He also noted that Japan has agreed with the ministry to use these KR funds to acquire agricultural equipment to optimize the operation of the ZAAPs already established. In the same vein, he emphasized that the Ministry of Agriculture signed another agreement with Japan last April for the supply of 6000 tons of fertilizer to promote rice cultivation in Togo.
Overall, from 2008 to date, Togo has benefited from 12 KR projects with a financial envelope of 4.91 billion Japanese Yen, approximately 24.5 billion CFA francs, which have enabled the acquisition of a total volume of 114.692 tons of cereals, including 81.849 tons of wheat and 32.843 tons of white rice, made available to the populations at affordable prices.
