The Challenge
Togo’s strategic location makes the country a vital transit centre and regional hub for cross-border trade. Togolese agriculture represents a major economic sector, employing 60% of the working population in its value chain. However, acquiring phytosanitary certificates to show a shipment is free of pests and disease in Togo used to be a manual process involving multiple visits to the phytosanitary agency as well as the risk of fraud or loss.
What We Did
The Alliance, through GIZ, and in partnership with the Islamic Centre for Development of Trade (ICDT), supported Togo in adopting the International Plant Protection Convention (IPPC) ePhyto Solution, enabling the exchange of electronic phytosanitary certificates, or ePhytos, with trading partners through a central hub, quickly, accurately and at low cost.
The Impacts
Introducing the IPPC ePhyto Solution in Togo has measurable short and long-term economic benefits for the country and the West African region. Modernising the agricultural sector affords Togo an opportunity to diversify its economy and fully cement its vital role as a central hub within a fast-developing region. Transition to ePhyto will produce time and cost savings for traders, reducing the administrative burden on both public and private sectors and boosting national competitiveness.
Togo
