The African Development Bank’s (AfDB) project to support the employability and integration of young people in growth sectors (PAEIJ-SP) in Togo has helped create 35,000 jobs in agricultural SMEs
Agrokom processes 6,000 tonnes of soybeans a year, generating 3,242 direct jobs and 8,505 temporary posts in its value chain (procurement, processing and distribution). JCAT exports 10,920 tonnes of organic soy to the USA, Germany and China, creating 3,203 direct and 6,931 temporary jobs in the process.
PAEIJ-SP has created a total of 35,000 jobs (14,290 direct and 20,940 temporary), well in excess of the expected 20,000 and particularly benefiting young Togolese.
Michel Komi Koutchena, a first-time entrepreneur in the maize sector, said, “From an initial three hectares, I now have 11 ha under maize. My production has almost quadrupled. My sales mean that I can meet my family's needs and employ 63 people.”
Wadja N’Yemba, president of the Nipa Association in northern Togo, commented, “In the past, we each produced our soybeans, working individually. Then they told us about the launch of a project that would help us. We obtained loans to develop our soybean fields, to form associations and to generate more revenue.”
“This is an exemplar project where the bank has demonstrated its comparative advantage for the promotion of agribusiness SMEs and the employment of young people in Togolese agricultural value chains. This project sets a benchmark for the Togolese government as far as youth employment is concerned,” said Amouzouvi Kokou, project lead for the bank.
