Djamiou Aboudou | September 26, 2024
News Brief
In northwest Togo, Koffi Sedo, a farmer in his fifties, is reviving his degraded two-hectare farm through agroforestry. He grows maize, cassava, beans, and other crops, and has planted albizia, erythrophleum, and moringa trees around and within his farmland. The trees planted on the perimeter of the plot help to reduce erosion from wind and rainwater runoff. The trees planted throughout the farmland help to fertilize the soil with their decomposing leaves. He can also eat or sell their fruits and leaves.
In northwest Togo, about a hundred kilometers from Lomé, the area around Mount Kloto is a beautiful and scenic landscape. Koffi Sedo, a man in his fifties, is inspecting his two-hectare farm. He came to check on the young acacia trees he recently planted. The soil lacks vegetation cover and has a reddish appearance. Mr. Sedo says: “This soil has become depleted due to rainwater runoff. But thanks to these plants, it will be enriched again in a few years.”
Mr. Sedo cultivates maize, cassava, beans, and other crops. He is planting trees on his farm to restore soil fertility and boost yields. He explains that over the years, his land has deteriorated due to water runoff and climate change, leading to decreased agricultural output. In 2013, he chose to plant trees on his farm to rejuvenate the soil. He began purchasing young plants from nurseries, which he plants in the middle or around the edges of his plot.
Mr. Sedo says the trees he plants on the perimeter act as hedges. These trees serve as a natural barrier against wind, rainwater runoff, and landslides on his farm. The trees planted within the plot help fertilize the soil through the decomposition of fallen leaves. He adds that the trees’ roots promote microbial activity, facilitating the release of essential nutrients for plants.
Mr. Sedo is planting albizia, erythrophleum, and moringa trees. He notes that these trees are well-suited to the local climate and require minimal fertilizer. He adds that he prefers these types of trees for their fruits and leaves, which he can either consume or sell for additional income. He says, “The early days were difficult because I had to pay for the young plants. But today, thanks to the income from the trees, I can pay for my plants.”
Alexandre Essowè Pitassa is a forestry engineer and head of the sustainable agriculture and environmental protection division at the Centre d’Action pour le Développement Rural NGO in Togo. The NGO trains farmers in techniques for making fertilizer and pesticides from agricultural by-products and plant debris.
Mr. Pitassa notes that the training included teaching farmers tree planting techniques and row planting to optimize land use. He appreciates Mr. Sedo’s initiative and advises farmers to choose tree species suited to local conditions and to plant them in rows to optimize land use. He also recommends adopting integrated crop management practices, such as agroforestry. In agroforestry, crops are grown alongside trees for beneficial synergy. For example, trees like moringa and cashew provide shade for crops, enhance soil fertility through nutrients released by their roots, and help reduce erosion. This approach not only optimizes space but also decreases the reliance on chemical inputs
For the past year, Mr. Sedo has received technical and financial support from the NGO to strengthen his skills in agroforestry. Through training, he learned how to manage his land to optimize the use of his land, particularly through row planting. He explains that the technique involves planting cereals and vegetables in regular rows in shallow furrows, one to three centimeters deep, dug in straight lines with an appropriate distance between each furrow. The careful spacing of the furrows allows for efficient space management and facilitates crop maintenance, such as weeding and hoeing.
Atsufoe Amegbo is a farmer from the same region who cultivates cereals, including maize and rice. She has also benefited from agroforestry training. She explains that she uses her new skills to plant trees such as moringa and cashew. Mrs. Amegbo has seen a boost in her agricultural yields, particularly maize, on her 1.5-hectare plot. She says: “With agroforestry, my land has become fertile again.”
Mrs. Amegbo explains that planting trees is manual labor and requires physical effort. She says, “It is exhausting for us women.” She notes that accessing water during the dry season to water the trees is difficult. To maintain the young plants during the dry season, she draws water from the community tap every morning.
Maxwell Evenunye Kumessi is the executive director of the Centre d’Action pour le Developpement Rural that has been providing agroforestry training since 2013. The NGO has trained at least 300 people, each of whom receives seedlings at the end of the training session.
Mr. Kumessi hopes that the training project has contributed to restoring soils and local flora while diversifying farmers’ incomes through additional tree products. This, in turn, enhances food security in the region. The farmers hope the same. Mr. Sedo says, “Agroforestry is the key to restoring our land and ensuring a better future for our children.”
