In Togo, many young people once faced tough times in agriculture. Harvested products were piling up with nobody to buy them, and many were losing hope. But some youths, like Yao Toyo, Komi Kanko, Jean Paul Bogley, and Dodji Ognankitan, kept trying. Today their stories show how patience, hard work, and the right support can transform struggles into success.
Yao Toyo is the head of JCAT in Atakpamé. His story is remarkable. “We have a warehouse filled with agricultural products, more than 100 employees busy with their daily tasks,” Toyo said. His venture started from just 1,000 tons of organic soybeans in 2011. But through careful management and support, it grew to 30,000 tons. JCAT now has over 250 workers and profits from the venture have allowed Toyo to venture into fish farming and hotel businesses.
Jean Paul Bogley, an agronomist, founded Synergie d’Action du Millénaire of Togo (SAM Togo) in Notse in 2015. His organic soybean export skyrocketed in a few years, with turnover growing more than 500% by 2022. His success encouraged the setting up of Biopharm in Noepe, 20 kilometers from Lomé. The venture now produces dried fruits for export and has 200 workers and 250 producers. The turnover jumped to 90 million CFA ($150,000) in 2021-2022.
For Komi Kanko, selling small ruminants seemed a tough venture at first. “In 2008, I went around markets in the Kara region to buy small ruminants to sell in Lomé. At first, I nearly gave up due to the struggles I faced.” But today, Komi oversees 44 aggregators who buy and sell ruminants. His business now plans to scale further in the livestock sector.
Meanwhile, Dodji Ognankitan, from Kamina near Atakpamé, started NSCPA in 2016 by trading cereal and processing a small amount of cassava. His venture grew quickly, and by 2022 NSCPA’s network jumped from 174 producers to 3,700. Jobs multiplied with every harvest.
The key to their success, many say, is the Support Project for Youth Employability and Integration in Growth Sectors (PAEIJ-SP). Launched in 2016 by the Togolese government with funding from the African Development Bank (AfDB), this project provided financial resources, training, and a reliable market for agricultural products. The $19.9 million project supported 41 small and medium enterprises, 1,420 young entrepreneurs, and 3,178 groups across agricultural sectors.
Through PAEIJ-SP, over 26 billion CFA ($44 million) in credit flowed into businesses. The project created or supported 68,800 direct and 840,123 seasonal jobs by March 2025. Toyo explained, “This project made it possible for me to grow from a small venture into a large enterprise.” The support came through technical training, financial aid, and securing buyers for their products.
Bogley received PAEIJ-SP funding in 2018. Komi got help the same year to construct a modern business center in Niamtougou. Ognankitan’s processing venture also received financial aid in 2017, allowing him to buy more equipment and employ more people.
The PAEIJ-SP’s success lies in its all-round approach — it not only provided loans but also training, market linkage, and technical expertise. The banks were initially unsure, but now many are investing their own funds alongside PAEIJ-SP. An insider explained, “It’s a proud moment for Togo and the AfDB. We provided young people with viable alternatives to unemployment.” Furthermore, 565 rural women gained literacy skills through the project.
To consolidate these gains, the AfDB approved a follow-up project — PAJEC — in April 2023. It aims to empower 9,278 young businesses, 30% of which will be led by women. The project will also help 12,000 youths and women learn skills to grow their enterprises in sectors that create jobs.
Today, Togo’s agricultural future looks much brighter, thanks to these initiatives. Young people who once were discouraged now own thriving businesses and employ hundreds in their communities.
