Magnim Karouwe | February 27, 2025
News Brief
In southern Togo's Klotchomé village, the dry season has left the Asrama forest's once lush vegetation sparse, but its resources continue to support locals. As 70-year-old Kohan Ayaba collects dry wood, she says, "This forest is a blessing for us. It provides us with dead wood for cooking and household use." The community actively manages and protects the forest, reporting illegal activities and adhering to agroforestry practices. The forest, established in 1941, provides firewood, honey, and medicinal plants. Local residents benefit from sustainable practices, earning incentives for tree maintenance and contributing to community development projects while protecting the ecosystem.
It is the dry season in southern Togo, and the sky is hazy over Klotchomé, a village 32 km from Haho prefecture in the Plateaux region. In the Asrama forest, the once-lush vegetation has faded, leaving only a few sparse leaves clinging to the trees. The ground is strewn with dry branches. Among the villagers navigating this landscape is 70-year-old Kohan Ayaba, who remains strong and active in her home of Klotchomé. This morning, she is collecting dry wood in the forest. Mrs. Ayaba says, “This forest is a blessing for us. It provides us with dead wood for cooking and household use.”
In return, Mrs. Ayaba, like other members of the community, participates in managing and protecting this forest to continue benefiting from its resources and services. Mrs. Ayaba explains, “When I was little, I helped and accompanied my parents when the state was reforesting this forest.” Today, she cultivates a two-plot field, growing maize and okra while adhering to the established management rules. Mrs. Ayaba understands the importance of protecting the forest—she reports illegal tree cutting and avoids the practice in her own field. She adds that violators face fines ranging from 50,000 CFA francs ($80 US) to 200,000 CFA francs ($320 US).
Gblèguèdè Assou is the secretary of the village development committee of Klotchomé, and he says that the Asrama forest was established in 1941 with the support of the local community. At the time, villagers contributed labor to create nurseries, carry out reforestation, and ensure the forest’s protection, development, and sustainable use. More than 50 years later, the forest continues to benefit the local population, providing firewood as well as valuable forest products such as honey, fruits, and medicinal plants.
The government forestry office has introduced a participatory management system in collaboration with the community to safeguard biodiversity. Clear guidelines regulate farming within the forest, with local communities practicing an agroforestry method known as Taungya. This approach allows farmers to cultivate non-reforested land while foresters gradually replant the area. As the trees grow, farmers tend to both their crops and the young forest. The government provides financial incentives to those who properly maintain the trees, paying an average of 20,000 CFA francs ($32 US) per hectare.
Kokou Afantchao is the Asrama sector chief for the forestry office and he explains that effective forest management is guided by the rights granted to local communities under Togo’s forest code. These rights include the collection of dead wood and non-timber forest products. However, hunting and the cutting of green wood are strictly prohibited within the classified forest.
To promote sustainable practices, the forestry office has organized awareness campaigns, discussions, and meetings with traditional leaders to emphasize the importance of forest protection. The office has also enlisted community trackers to monitor and report instances of illegal logging.
Through this participatory management approach, the Klotchomé community reaps the rewards of the forest. According to Mr. Afantchao, the village benefits from a microclimate created by the forest, which also protects the village’s residents from floods, erosion, and the destruction of homes during strong winds.
The residents of Klotchomé also benefit from arable land designated for agriculture within the classified forest’s development plan. During seasonal logging operations carried out by the forestry office, temporary jobs are created for the village’s youth.
Additionally, local communities receive a share of the revenues generated from timber harvesting carried out by the government forestry office within the classified Asrama forest. These funds are directed toward social and community development projects, such as building schools and youth centres. The forest also serves as a sacred space for the people of Klotchomé, who have placed sacred objects at key locations within the forest, where they hold ceremonial rites periodically.
The classified Asrama forest spans 1,954 hectares, encompassing both reforested and non-reforested areas. Today, the forest is home to a diverse range of tree species that provide valuable resources and benefits to local communities. These include teak, mahogany, African locust bean, silk cotton tree, and mango, among others.
