The initiative is led by the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Togo (CCI-Togo) which, through this project, wants to play its part in the development of the agricultural sector in an inclusive approach.
A delegation of the CCI-Togo led by its president, Nathalie Bitho visited Friday the site of implantation of the project in the villages of Tokpo, Atikolé, Agbodjokpo, Kotsokopé. These villages are the main beneficiaries.
In addition to the agricultural activity that will be developed, the ‘Sunfarming’ project plans to produce electricity from photovoltaic solar panels on 100 hectares. The electricity produced will be used to power the modern farm.
“It is a multidisciplinary project. 40 hectares will be reserved for the construction of infrastructure such as training schools for young people, hospitals for health care. On 500 hectares will be the production of organic cotton and on 40 other hectares , a platform will house factories for the processing of local products”, confides Nathalie Bitho, president of the special consular delegation of the CCIT.
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The project will take place on the basis of an inclusive approach with local populations. It will be a question of making sure that the 4 villages are the first beneficiaries. The objective is to create jobs for young people with decent incomes.
“It is a great honor that the choice of this project is focused on our municipality. I invite the four villages which will be the first beneficiaries of this project to show discipline concerning the field. This project comes to answer the problem of jobs for young people in our municipality thanks to the various activities that will be developed there”, underlines Koffi Atsou Dzene, mayor of the municipality of Agbélouvé.
The chamber delegation’s field visit aims in particular to ensure the security of the land acquired for the Sunfarming project and, at the same time, to meet local stakeholders.
The local populations on the project site were mobilized to plant young teak plants to mark the boundaries of the vast 1,000-hectare estate.
“The month of June with us in Togo is a month of reforestation. It was also for all those who are there to plant 8000 teak trees all around this area and mark it”, says Nathalie Bitho.
On the spot, the delegation planted teak trees over more than 6km on the edge of the estate. The planting of seedlings will continue in the other villages thanks to the support of forest agents, local residents and local authorities.
The Sunfarming project is part of the vision of state authorities to not only modernize agriculture, create jobs for young people while promoting the inclusive development of grassroots communities.
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Fo Kodjo Akpagana back from Agbélouvé for agridigitale.net
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