Togo is overhauling its soil data management system in a push to modernize agriculture and bolster food security. The effort, which concluded with a three-day workshop in Lomé, is part of a broader strategy to move beyond outdated soil fertility maps and inefficient fertilizer use that have long plagued the nation’s farming sector.
The workshop, held from June 17-19, brought together government officials, technical experts, and development partners to strengthen the country’s capacity for managing soil information. The initiative centers on improving FertiTogo, an interactive digital platform designed to provide precise recommendations for crop fertilization.
The effort is a collaboration between Togo’s Ministry of Agriculture, the Institut Togolais de Recherche Agronomique (ITRA), and the Regional Hub for Fertilizer and Soil Health for West Africa and the Sahel. It aims to tackle significant challenges, including widespread soil degradation, by ensuring farmers have access to accurate, up-to-date data.
A key goal is to enable site-specific nutrient recommendations, a practice expected to increase agricultural productivity and promote more sustainable farming. The workshop also focused on assessing Togo’s technical and human capacity, as well as its laboratory infrastructure, to support these ambitious goals.
The initiative draws inspiration from a framework developed by CABI and ISRIC – World Soil Information, which has been successfully deployed in Zambia, Ghana, and Kenya. By tailoring this model to its specific needs, Togo hopes to lead the way in adopting data-driven agricultural practices to secure its food future.
