The MFI Assilassimé in Togo supports the ecological transition of smallholder farmers

In 2017, ADA and the FAO launched a programme to strengthen the capacity of financial institutions in francophone Africa to better serve smallholder farmers. The programme provided coaching, technical assistance and grants to enable the institutions to develop financial and non-financial services tailored to the needs of stakeholders in the agricultural sector. 

Assilassimé, a microfinance institution (MFI) in Togo, benefited from this support. Management, operations managers, credit officers, project managers and agricultural technical advisors received training in agricultural finance and coaching from ADA and the FAO to develop and implement an agricultural finance strategy. The focus was on promoting agroecology with smallholder farmers. 

Agroecology uses farming methods that protect the environment, preserve the soil and encourage sustainable and healthy food production. This approach strengthens the sustainability of agricultural production, improves the living conditions of smallholder farmers and supports the MFI’s financial, social and environmental goals. 

Assilassimé promoted agroecology in three ways: 

Technical training 

Before obtaining agricultural loans, farmers were trained in good agroecological practices by Assilassimé’s agronomists. The MFI also collaborated with the African Centre for the Development of Agro-Ecological Technologies (CADETE farm) to provide interested producers with agroecology training. This training provided them with the knowledge to implement environmentally friendly cultivation techniques such as crop rotation, the use of organic compost and fertilizer and biological pest control.

Support for the production of biological inputs

Assilassimé has provided support for the production of biological inputs such as bokachi (an agroecological product made from bran and rice),neem oil or meal biopesticides, allowing producers to reduce their dependence on chemicals while preserving soil fertility. 

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Mechanization loans 

To address the labour shortage in rural areas and encourage a transition to sustainable agricultural practices, Assilassimé offers mechanization loans to acquire agricultural machinery such as winnowers, tillers and seeders to facilitate agricultural work, increase farm productivity and reduce the workload for farmers. 

Jacques Afetor, former Executive Director of Assilassimé in Lomé: “Farmers […] produced enough cereals [in the past]. But due to the excessive use of chemicals, these cereals were exported and returned because they did not comply with consumer standards. […] So we thought: we should support them with the training and techniques that must be applied to ensure good quality products. Agroecology enables producers to supply healthy products and ensure their yield. […] ADA has agreed to support us in this process by providing us with experts in mechanization and agroecology”. 

Assilassimé’s commitment to promoting agroecology among Togolese smallholder farmers proves that by combining appropriate financial services, specialised training and support for high-quality agricultural inputs, farmers can contribute to the country’s food security while respecting the environment. At the same time, the living conditions for smallholder farmers are improved through more sustainable and profitable production methods.

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