Année académique 2022-2023

FACULTE DES SCIENCES

ECONOMIQUES ET DE GESTION
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✔      Intitulé du parcours : Master

✔      Semestre d’évolution : Semestre 1

✔      Code et intitulé de l’enseignement : Anglais économique

✔      Nombre de crédits : 03

✔      Jour, horaire et salle de l’enseignement: 

✔      Enseignant responsable de l’UE : Dr. AWESSO Kpatcha Essobozou

✔      Disponibilité pour recevoir les étudiants (jours, heures, lieu) :

✔      Public-cible : Etudiants en Master planification

✔      Pré-requis : Connaissance en anglais (écrit et parlé)

Objectif général : Ce cours vise à donner des connaissances de base en anglais aux étudiants
de Master Planification, afin de leur permettre un usage facile de la langue.

Objectifs spécifiques: A la fin de ce cours, les étudiants doivent être capables de:

-être familier avec les terminologies professionnelles liées au domaine de l’économie et de la

planification

- développer ses aptitudes professionnelles de rédaction en anglais

- être capable de converser en anglais afin d’être opérationnel sur le marché du travail.

✔      Langue d’enseignement : Anglais

✔      Bref descriptif de l’enseignement: Le cours survole certaines définitions de la

planification et présente certaines raisons pour lesquelles la planification est très importantes
dans les pays en développement. Le cours finit par un bref aperçu sur le PND au Togo.

  ✔      Modalités d’évaluation des apprentissages : Examen écrit

✔ Organisation de l’enseignement
 Objectifs Contenu et activités Méthodes Matériel/
Séances d’enseignement/ap d’enseignement Support
prentissage / pédagogique
apprentissage
Define economic planning, -Mrs. Brbara Wooton BigBlueButton
SESSION I know about its origins and - Herman Levy
What is economic provide various definitions to - Dr. Dalton
planning? the concepts. - Lewis Lorwin
- National Planning See the handout pp
Commission of India- 5-7
- H.D. Dickinson
- To sum up, planning
comprises the following
essential features:

SESSION II Help students know why is -1. Remove the poverty BigBlueButton
Need For Planning in economic planning so and inequalities:
underdeveloped important for underdeveloped 2. Development of
Countries Agriculture and
countries
Industrial Sector:

3. Development of
Infrastructure: See the handout pp
ndustrial Sector: 7-9
-4. To increase the rate
of Economic
Development:
-5. To improve and
Strengthen Market
Mechanism:
-6. Balanced
Development of the
Economy:
-7. Development of
Money and Capital
Markets:
SESSION III Introduce students to some -Democratic Planning: BigBlueButton
Some Defferent types different types of plannings -Decentralized Planning :
of plannings

See the handout pp

10-11

SESSION IV 1-Define and understand - Regional and National BigBlueButton

Some Defferent types Regional and National
of plannings Planning
(Continious) 2- Define and understand
Functional Planning and
Structural Planning
SESSION V: Financial 1-Define and understand
and Physical Planning Financial and Physical
Planning
2- Understand the scope of
their limitations
Planning:
- Functional Planning
and Structural Planning See the handout pp
- Financial Planning 11-12
- Limitations of Financial
Planning
-Financial Planning BigBlueButton
- Limitations of Financial
Planning
- Physical Planning See the handout
- Limitations of Physical Pp 13-14
Planning

Objectives: -1. What is the BigBlueButton

1-Define the development development plan?
plan -2. What is in the plan?
2-Know and understand the -3. How does the plan
 different steps of the affect me?
SESSION VI : elaboration of a development -4. Does the plan affect
The Development Plan plan planning applications?
-5. What is the effect of
zoning? See the handout
-6. What protection can
the development plan pp 15-16
give?
-7. Who makes the plan?
-8. How often is the plan
made?

SESSION VII Know and understand the -9. How does the review BigBlueButton
different steps of the process work?
The Development Plan elaboration of a development -10. How will I know
(Continious) plan when the plan is being
reviewed?
-11. How do I make an
objection or
representation?
-12. Can I see the plan at See the handout pp
any time? 16-17
-13. Can I get copies of
the plan?
-14. Can the plan ever be
contravened?
-15. Should I get
involved in the
development plan?

Session VIII Objectives: BigBlueButton

1-Determine ths main poits of
Togo adopts a new the National Development
national development Plan of Togo
plan (PND 2018-2022) See the handout pp
2-Tell the Head of State’ 18-20
statement upon this National
Development Plan

SESSION IX: Rural Objectives: -Project description BigBlueButton

development and 1-Understand the scope of the - Context
agriculture in Togo project - Objective
2- Understand the context and - Approach See the handout pp
the approach of the project - Results 20-23

SESSION X: An 1-State the inventory of - Green revolution BigBlueButton

overview of agriculture agriculture in Togo - Today and tomorrow...
in Togo: present and 2-Know some crops grown in See the handout pp
future... Togo and their impact on the 24-26
National development

SESSION XI: A look Name some of the agricultural - Food crops BigBlueButton
at some agricultural products of Togo - Corn
products of Togo Rice
Sorghum and millet
Tubers (Yam and See the handout pp
cassava) 26-29
Legumes
Export crops
Cotton
-Coffee and cocoa -
Organic farming
Soybeans
-A few other cash crops
SESSION XII Action 1-Define Family Planning -1- Introduction BigBlueButton
Plan for Repositioning 2-Name two major actions 2-Plan Development
Family Planning in undertaken by the government Process
Togo 2013-2017 in the process of FP 2.1- Collegial Approach
2.2- Factual Approach
2.3- Operational
Approach Focused on See the handout pp
Implementation 30-31

SESSION XIII: 1-Define the author’s main -Introduction BigBlueButton

Community concern in this research work
development and 2- Understand the scope of the -Scoping the issues See the handout pp
participation in Togo: study 31-34
the case of AGAIB
Plateaux
SESSION XIV: Assess and understand the -Institutional framework BigBlueButton
Methodological and methodological and theoretical Central level
theoretical frameworks frameworks of the research Regional level See the handout pp
of the research 34-35

1-Summarize all that has been Answer to the following BigBlueButton

discussed in class
2- Be able to answer some
questions related to the course,
basing on the handout
SESSION XV : Genral
Review
questions
1- What is an economic
planning according to H.
D. Dickinson?
2- Who makes the
development plan and for
whom?
3- Give four (04) needs
for planning in
developing countries. See the handout pp
4- The development plan 35
concerns only the
economic development.
True or False? Justify
with strong arguments.
5- Complete the
sentence: The National
Development Plan of
your country runs
from……to……
6- You have been
appointed by the local
authority of your area to
make a development
plan. Tell how you will
proceed.

✔      Ressources complémentaires :

 Bibliographie
 - Blitzer, C., P. Clark, and L. Taylor (1975). Economy-Wide Models and Development
Planning. New York and London: Oxford University Press.
 - Chowdhury, A. and C. Kirkpatrick (1994). Development Policy and Planning: An
Introduction to Models and Techniques. London: Routledge
  - Kleps, K. (1966) : Economic planning in theory and practice: The experiences of
Western European countries, Intereconomics, ISSN 0020-5346, Verlag Weltarchiv,
Hamburg, Vol. 01, Iss. 10, pp. 18-23
 - Little, I. and J. Mirlees (1974). Project appraisal and planning for developing
countries. London: Heinemann.
 - Squire, L. (1996). Project evaluation in theory and practice. In H. Chenery and T. N.
Srinivasan (Eds.), Handbook of Development Economics, Volume 2 of Handbooks in
Economics 9, Chapter 21, pp. 10931137. Amsterdam: Elsevier.
 - Taylor, L. (1979). Macromodels for Developing Countries. Economic Handbook
Series. New York: Mc-Graw-Hill.
 - Todaro, M. (1971). Development Planning. Nairobi: Oxford University Press.
 - https://www.togofirst.com/en/economic-governance/0708-1376-togo-adopts-a-new-
national-development-plan-pnd-2018-2020

SESSION I: What is economic planning?

Objectives:
1- Define economic planning
2- Explain the National Planning Commission of India
3- Sum up what economic planning is

Economic development has been closely linked with planning. Planning has become a craze
in modern times, especially in under-developed and developing countries. The idea of
planning acquired a tremendous support after the end of World War II when advanced but
disrupted economies had to be rehabilitated and the under developed economies were fired
with the ambition of rapid economic development. The idea of planning was not kindly taken
up in some countries by some people. It was perhaps due to the fact that planning came to be
most actively associated with socialist economies. Hatred of socialism was most actively
transferred to planning too. But such unreasoned opposition to planning has now almost
vanished. Even in capitalist countries, where the economy is governed and directed by
market incentives, planning are being practiced more or less in one or the other sector of the
economy. About 20% of the American economy may be considered as planned because to this
extent current resources are controlled and disposed of by the State. Although the distinction
between planned and the unplanned economy is there, yet planning has been universally
accepted and the planned sector is expanding almost everywhere. For the under developed
countries, desirous of accelerating development, planning is sine qua non of progress. As
Robbins says, “Planning is the grand panacea of our age” It is no longer a forbidden fruit.
The concept of economic planning attracted the attention of most of developing countries
since it’s first experiment made by then soviet union in 1928. Since then it was adopted by
number of countries in various forms. For having enough understanding of the concept, it is
felt essential to study its basic doctine.
It is rather difficult to give a concise definition of economic planning with a fair degree of
precision and acceptability to one and all. Hence different economists have defined economic
planning in a variety of ways by keeping in mind the goals to be achieved and the techniques
for achieving them.
Apart from stating that planning is a method, a technique or a means to an end, the end being
the realization of clearly set targets, we discuss the number of definitions which in their
totality convey the full meaning and content of economic planning.
Mrs. Brbara Wooton defines it as “Economic planning is system in which the market
mechanism is deliberately manipulated with the object of producing a pattern other than
which would have resulted from its own spontaneous activity”.

Herman Levy defines it as “Economic planning means securing a better balance between
demand and supply by conscious and thoughtful control either of production or distribution”.

Dr. Dalton says, “Economic planning in the widest sense is the deliberate direction by
persons in charge of large resources of economic activity towards chosen end”

Lewis Lorwin defines a planned economy “as a scheme of economic organization in which
individual and separate plants, enterprises and industries are treated as coordinate units of one
single system for purpose of utilizing all available resources to achieve for maximum
satisfaction of the people’s needs within a given time”

National Planning Commission of India- “Planning under a democratic system may be

defined as the technical co-ordination, by disinterested experts, of consumption, production ,
investment, trade and income distribution, in accordance with social objectives set by bodies
representative of the nation. Such planning is not only to be considered from the point of view
of economics and the raising of the standard of living but mist include cultural and spiritual
and the human side of life”.

H.D. Dickinson defines economic planning as below: “Economic Planning is the making of
major economic decisions what and how much is to be produced, how, when and where it is
to be produced, and to whom it is to be allocated by the comprehensive survey of the
economic system as whole”.
This is by far the most comprehensive definition as it describes the anatomy of planning. The
planning is done by central authority like state possessing the powers for implementation. It is
to be preceded by a comprehensive survey of economic conditions which will point out the
defects and deficiencies of the prevailing economic system. After this survey, definite goals
are fixed. The manner and timing, quantitative aspects of achieving these goals are then
outlined; finally, the benefits accruing from such action are to be shared for the maximum
satisfaction of the largest number of people through deliberate decision, control and direction.
To sum up, planning comprises the following essential features:

1. Predetermined and well defied objectives or goals.

2. For economic planning deliberate control and direction of the economy by a

central authority, e.g., the state.

3. Optimum utilization of natural resources and capital which may be scarce and labour that
may be abundant.

4. The objectives are to be achieved within a given interval of time – 5 years, 7 years, etc.

5. The performance of the economic functions of increasing production, maximizing

employment and controlling population growth so that production outstrips population
growth.

SESSION II: Need For Planning in underdeveloped countries

Objective: Understand the need for planning in underdeveloped countries

Planning is beneficial for both the developed and underdeveloped countries for the developed
countries to maintain or accelerate growth already achieved and for underdeveloped countries
to overcome poverty and to raise the standard of living. Unless the underdeveloped countries
wake up and follow the planning, they will be left far behind in the race of economic well-
being. The following arguments reveals an urgent need of planning in underdeveloped and
developing countries:
1. Remove the poverty and inequalities:

The economic vicious circle of poverty arising due to low income, low savings and high
propensity to consume, and further lower investment and low capital formation, low
productivity, low income and poverty must be broken and it can be done only by planning.
Planning is like a shot in the arm which enables a sick person to overcome his sickness.
Planning alone can create more jobs and remove the wide spread unemployment and
disguised unemployment which is a common feature of underdeveloped countries. It is the
sovereign remedy for raising national and per capital income, for reducing inequities in
income and wealth, for increasing employment opportunities and for achieving as all round
rapid economic development. It is commonly said that the pendulum has swung too wide in
favor of planning that is cannot swing back against planning.

2. Development of Agriculture and Industrial Sector:

Planning alone can transform an agricultural and primary producing economy into a more
balanced economy with heavy, medium and light industries. Agriculture and industry
stimulate production in each other by creating demand for their products. Development of
agriculture is also essential to supply the raw material to the industrial sector. Economic
planning held in designing the plans of agricultural and industrial sectors of developing
economies.

3. Development of Infrastructure:

Planning alone can help an underdeveloped economy to build up its infrastructure irrigation
and power, transport and communication and schools and hospitals. The establishment of
these social economic overheads is essential for an all-roundharmonious and integrated
development. The private enterprise is guided by profit motive and is not interested in these
items of social gain.

4. To increase the rate of Economic Development:

One of the principle objective of the planning in underdeveloped countries is to increase the
rate of economic development. In the words D.R.Gadgil “Planning for economic development
implies external direction or regulation of economic activity by the planning authority which
in most cases identify with the government of state.” It means planning increases the rate of
capital formation by raising the levels of income, saving and investment. It is only a central
planning authority which can control banking and other credit institutions when these are
under private enterprise they have a tendency to crowd in urban areas. The vast rural areas are
completely neglected and thrown to the wolves, the indigenous money-lender. A planned
economy can revolutionize the economy by providing financial institutions and by mobilizing
savings and investments in the rural areas. Planning alone can remove the imbalance in
foreign trade which is generally unfavorable to the underdeveloped countries that are the
exporters of primary produce and imports of produced goods.

5. To improve and Strengthen Market Mechanism:

The rationale for planning arises in such countries to improve and strengthen the market
mechanism. The market mechanism works imperfectly in underdeveloped countries because
of the ignorance and unfamiliarity with it. A large part of the economy comprises the non-
monetized sector. The product, factor, money and capital markets are not organized properly.
The market mechanism is required to be perfected in underdeveloped countries through
planning.

6. Balanced Development of the Economy:

In the absence of sufficient enterprise and initiative, the planning authority is the only
institution for planning balanced development in the economy. For rapid economic
development, underdeveloped countries require the development of the agricultural and
industrial sectors, the establishment of social and economic overheads, the expansion of the
domestic and foreign trade sectors in a harmonious way. All this requires simultaneous
investment in different sectors which is only possible underdevelopment planning.

7. Development of Money and Capital Markets:

The expansion of the domestic and foreign trade requires not only the development of the
agricultural and industrial sectors along with social and economic overheads but also the
existence of financial institutions. Money and Capital market are underdeveloped countries
are primary stage. This factor acts as an obstacle to the growth of industries and trade. The
planning authority which can control and regulate the domestic and foreign trade in the best
interests of the economy.

SESSION III: Some Defferent types of plannings

Objectives:
1- Discuss some types of planning
2- Understand Functional Planning and Structural Planning

There are various types of Economic Planning. There are so many types of plans as there are
patterns of economic systems. There are some plans which are functional, structural,
Indicative, Democratic and Decentralized planning, Physical planning, Regional and National
Planning. The following are the main types of economic planning.

Democratic Planning:

Individual Freedom is soul of democracy but central control is important in planning.

Therefore democracy and planning were different concepts, yet for the nation’s economic
development plan is implemented with co-operation of peoples. That we say that democratic
planning is one of important types of economic planning in democratic system of
Government.

In democratic planning representatives of peoples control the economy. Economic planning is

being implemented by representatives. Government of a country like India has democratic
form of constitution with a Parliament elected by the people. The decisions regarding
planning are finally taken by the people through Parliament. The technical bodies like the
Planning Commission prepare the draft outline of the Plan which is widely circulated amongst
peoples, economist, social worker, political leaders and consider their advice regarding plan.
Each state considers these plans and prepares its own master plan and all these things are
processed and placed before Parliament. Only when the Parliament approves and votes funds
under various heads, planning is implemented. Thus the party in power can modify, alter and
improve the plan.

The Government takes the opposition into confidence for preparing the plans which would
meet with whole-hearted support and co-operation of people.

Prof. Hike, Mr. Lipmann and other Experts said that, planning didn’t control under
democracy. Their opinion was Democracy and Planning were mutual unrelated concepts, but
democratic government and democratic administration were important part of democratic
planning and people’s role important in democratic planning.

Decentralized Planning:

In Decentralized planning, the central authority only fixes the overall targets of production
and investment, but considerable freedom is given to various bodies like State Government.
On the different levels like state level and district level they fix their own production targets
within national framework. There is freedom to fix the prices and wages. Such types of
planning prevail in Great Britain and France.

In Decentralized planning, the planning authority may endeavour to influence economic

activities indirectly through incentives. Country like India having conflicting interests and
great differences in economic resources and backwardness of the people, a regional
decentralization planning may became inevitable. This type of planning is done for each
region or authority for implementation is delegated to regional authorities like state level,
district level and they carry out the work within the framework of national planning.
Decentralize planning is conceived as a more efficient and more productive in attaining
desired result.

SESSION IV: Some Defferent types of plannings (Continious)

Objectives:
1-Define and understand Regional and National Planning
2- Define and understand Functional Planning and Structural Planning

Regional and National Planning:

A national plan is a plan for the country as a whole, whereas a regional plan comprehends a
particular region. In a vast country like India with a diversity of climate and physical
resources, regional planning, concerned primarily with the economic development of a region,
becomes inevitable. “Every country”, says Zewing, “whose area is large needs a high degree
of regional decentralization”. For each region a separate authority is set up for formulating
and implementing the regional plan. It is really decentralised panning as national planning
represents centralised planning.

Even a regional plan must form an integral part of the national plan and must be carried out
within the framework of the overall plan and be in conformity with its priorities and
objectives. As J.R.Ballerby says, “ A regional plan must conform to the larger.plan”.

The regional plan of course takes into consideration regional potentialities and requirements
and ensures balanced regional development of the country. As Dr. Balkrishna observes,
“Though national planning may achieve the wider territorial balance in respect of economic
progress is not well within its reach. Besides, the unit cost of production will not be at its
minimum unless there is a correct regionalization of industries. Therefore, economic planning
ought to provide for inter-provincial justice and unless this assured, the distributive aspect of
planning cannot be made to function”.

It should be born in mind that, regional planning is not to be designed to secure regional
independence of self-sufficiency of directed to achieve rival claims and local ambitions which
cannot be justified on economic grounds. The object on the other hand, is to secure maximum
efficiency in the utilization of the community’s resources and to diminish regional
inequalities. They are really intended to remedy the regional inequalities which may result
from an overall plan.

Functional Planning and Structural Planning

Planning may be attempted within the existing socioeconomic framework or it may seek to
change the economic structure radically. The former is known as functional planning and the
latter structural planning. Functional planning attempts to modify or improve the existing
structure or repair or rehabilitate it, if it is damaged of disrupted, e.g. Indian economy after the
partition. Functional planning assumes that planning is possible even in a capitalistic economy
whereas advocates of structural planning think that planning and capitalism are incompatible.
Quite respectable opinions have taken sides on this question. For instance Dr. Ludwig Von
Mises is of the view that “planning and capitalism are utterly incompatible” On the other
hand, Professor Landauer holds the opinion that planning and capitalism could be reconciled.
We are inclined to agree with the latter view and hold that even capitalist countries can have
measure of planning and benefit from its progress or eliminate serious imbalances in the
economy. Structural planning is therefore revolutionary, whereas functional planning is
evolutionary. Planning in India so far is functional. Even though the avowed object of Indian
planning is to establish a socialistic pattern of society but no drastic or revolutionary steps
have been taken to change radically the existing economic order. In the U.S.S.R. and China,
on the other hand, planning has been structural because the very structural changes have been
made in those economies. Ultimately in India, too, planning may turn out to be structural as
the Planning Commission observe, “The problem, therefore, is not one of merely rechanneling
economic activity within existing socio-economic framework; rechanneling economic activity
within existing socio-economic frame work; that framework has itself to be remodeled”

The fact is that a country desirous of accelerating economic development may begin with
functional planning and end with structural planning, Country may start with structural
planning and having established a new economic order may have to be content later merely
with functional planning, e.g. in Russia and China Functional and structural planning may go
on side by side in an economy at the same time. When an economy is undergoing rapid
economic development some major economic changes (e.g. change in the Indian land system,
abolition of Zamindari and other land reforms) are inevitable along with minor shake up ( i.e.
Functional Planning) here and there. There will be structural changes in some spheres and
only minor adjustments elsewhere in the economy.

SESSION V: Financial and Physical Planning

Objectives:
1-Define and understand Financial and Physical Planning
2- Understand the scope of their limitations
Financial Planning

The planning is also classified as Functional planning and physical planning. In financial
planning the allocation of resources and measurement of resources is made in terms of money.
Physical planning implies the allocation of resources in terms of men, material and
machinery, which we generally call the natural and human resources. In the first, finance is
the key to economic planning. If sufficient finances are not available, the physical targets of
any plan may be difficult to achieve. The outlay is fixed in terms of money and the estimates
are made regarding the growth of the national income arising out of this outlay in financial
planning. The finances are raised through taxation, savings and borrowings. In financial
planning, a number of balances are worked out. First, efforts are made to establish equilibrium
between the incomes of people-wages of workers, incomes of peasants and others and the
amount of consumer goods which will be available to the population. In the private sector
equilibrium has to be established between the parts of incomes of the population which will
be used for private investment and the amount of investment goods made available to private
investors. Similarly, in the public sector, a balance must be established between funds made
available for investment purposes and the amount of investment goods which will be
produced of imported. In addition to these three balances, balance should be established
between foreign payments and receipts. Thus financial planning consists in securing balance
between demand and supply. The fixing of targets of increase in national income and of
increase in savings and investment rate and thus estimating the growth of income are the
major problems in financial planning.
Limitations of Financial Planning

Financial Planning has many limitations, they are as below:

1. Financial resources are not unlimited. Very heavy taxation may adversely affect the
propensity to save.

2. There is a vast non-monetized sector in underdeveloped economies as the people live on

subsistence level and much of the produce is not brought to the market in such economies.
The monetized sector is small. On account of the imbalance between these two sectors,
shortages in supply are likely to result in an inflationary rise in prices thus upsetting physical
targets.

3. If the shortages in supplies are made up through imports, the problem of balance of
payments will become serious.
4. As Prof. Dobb says “ The problem of industrialization in backward countries is essentially
not financial but a problem of economic organization” and availability of physical resources.

Physical Planning:

In physical planning, on the other hand, an attempt is made to measure development effort in
terms of factor allocations and product yields, so as to maximize income and employment.
Here, we have to maintain physical balances between investments and outputs. Investment
co-efficient are calculated. These co-efficient indicate the amount as well as the composition
of investment in terms of various kinds of goods needed for obtaining a desired increase of
output of a kinds of goods needed for obtaining a desire increase of output of a product. For
example, we may be interested in knowing how much iron, how much coal, how much
electric power are needed in order to produce an additional tone of steel. Obviously the output
of one industry or branch of economy becomes the input for producing the output of another
industry or branch of economy. Thus in physical planning, an overall assessment is made of
the available real resources such as raw materials and manpower and how they are to be
mobilized for avoiding bottlenecks. In short, physical planning concerns itself with physical
targets with regard to agricultural and industrial production and transportation services. On
the other hand financial planning deal with fixing of financial targets of incomes and
investments.

Limitations of Physical Planning:

Financial planning has its own limitations, so also physical planning suffers from certain
drawbacks. The limitations of physical planning may be summarised as below.

1 To estimate the available physical resources, accurate statistical data must be available.
Underdeveloped countries do not have an efficient statistical data collection mechanism.

2 Unexpected shortages of power supply and unexpected failures of harvests may upset the
physical balances between different segments of the economy, unless there are large reserves
stocks, the underdeveloped countries lack in these reserve stocks.

3 When shortages in physical tartest occur, prices rise and control and rationing are
introduced. These cause much hardship to the people.

SESSION VI: The Development Plan

Objectives:
1-Define the development plan
2-Know and understand the different steps of the elaboration of a development plan
This leaflet explains what the development plan is, how it affects you, how it is made and how
you can influence it. This leaflet is intended as a practical guide. It is not a definitive legal
interpretation of planning law. For further information you may consult your local planning
authority.

1. What is the development plan?

The development plan is the main public statement of planning policies for the local
community. It sets out the land use, amenity and development objectives and policies of the
planning authority, usually for a 5 year period. The plan consists of a written statement of
objectives and a map or series of maps.

2. What is in the plan?

The plan includes objectives for: * development and renewal of obsolete areas; * preserving,
improving and extending amenities; * provision of water supplies and sewerage services,
waste recovery and disposal facilities; *zoning of areas for residential, commercial, industrial,
agricultural etc. purposes; * provision of accommodation for travellers; * provision of
services for the community (e,g Creches)
Development plans will also usually include development objectives relating to the control of
use of buildings, community planning, reservation of land, preservation, conservation, etc.

3. How does the plan affect me?

The development plan is a blueprint for the planning and development of your area for at least
the next five years. For example, it sets out where roads, water supplies, sewerage are to be
provided and it zones land for particular purposes (housing, shopping, schools, factories, etc.).
This will affect what type of buildings can be constructed and the use to which land can be
put, It affects many facets of daily economic and social life - where you can live, what
services are available and where developments with job opportunities are to be sited.

4. Does the plan affect planning applications?

All planning applications are measured against the development plan to assess their
conformity with the plan's objectives and development permitted must normally be in
accordance with the plan.

5. What is the effect of zoning?

When land is zoned for a particular type of development in the development plan, this is a
clear indication that a planning permission for this form of development may be obtained.
Zoning may also indicate restrictions on development (eg. a low number of houses per-acre,
certain types of industry only) and permitted development will be limited accordingly.

6. What protection can the development plan give?

The plan may list for preservation particular natural amenities (views, trees, landscape, etc.)
and particular buildings, features or sites of artistic, architectural or historic interest.
Development proposals which might alter or interfere with many of these amenities will be
restricted and works which might otherwise be exempted development will require planning
permission.

7. Who makes the plan?

The making, reviewing and varying of the plan is a function reserved to the elected members
(i.e. Councillors) of the planning authority. It is their duty to adopt the plan with the technical
help of their officials (the Manager, planners, engineers, etc.) and following extensive public
consultation. If the elected members fail to make a plan within the statutory 6 year period, the
Manager must make a plan.

8. How often is the plan made?

The law requires that the planning authorities must commence a review of the plan within
four years and make a new plan every six years.

SESSION VII: The Development Plan (Continious)

Objective: Know and understand the different steps of the elaboration of a development
plan

9. How does the review process work?

The planning authority officials prepare a draft plan, based on a detailed survey and analysis
of the area and on submissions from the public and from public and local bodies. Following
approval of this by the councillors (by majority vote) it is put on public display for at least 10
weeks in the planning authority offices and, possibly local libraries, community halls etc.
Any person may comment on this draft. All comments are taken into consideration by the
councillors, who may change the draft plan based on the Manager's report or their own views.
If the draft is materially altered (i.e. significantly changed), the amendments goon further
public display for at least 4 weeks, during which time fresh public comment may be made on
these changes. Following consideration of any new comments, the plan is formally adopted
by the councillors and becomes the official development plan for the area.

10. How will I know when the plan is being reviewed?

The planning authority is required to publish notice of its intention to review its plan. The
public can comment on the review of the plan. When a draft plan is going on display, the
planning authority puts a notice in a. newspaper circulating in the area stating when and
where the plan can be seen. The owner or occupier of structures or features, or rights of way,
listed in the plan for preservation will be notified personally. The same public notice
requirements apply to any material alteration of the draft plan.

11. How do I make an objection or representation?

Any person, even if not living in the plan area, can make written objections or representations
to the planning authority during the display period. In addition, ratepayers (including persons
who would be ratepayers but for the abolition of domestic and agricultural rates) may request
an opportunity to state their cases orally to a person appointed by the planning authority -
usually an official. These procedures apply equally to public displays of the draft plan and any
changes to it. It is also open to persons to make their views known to their local Councillors if
they so wish. Remember the development plan is your plan and you have a right to a say in
the future planning and development of your locality.

12. Can I see the plan at any time?

When a development plan is formally made the planning authority puts a notice in a locally
circulating newspaper. The development plan is then available for public inspection during
offices hours at the planning authority offices and local libraries and other offices of the local
authority.

13. Can I get copies of the plan?

Yes. Copies of the entire plan or extracts from it may be purchased from the planning
authority at a reasonable cost. As plans differ in size, use of colour, amount and size of maps,
the cost of making copies will differ from area to area. In addition, many plans may be
accessed from the relevant planning authority's website.

14. Can the plan ever be contravened?

The planning authority is obliged to secure the objectives in their development plan. If an
individual planning application proposes development which is not in conformity with the
objectives of the development plan but which would otherwise be in harmony with the proper
planning and development of the area, the planning authority can decide to permit it as a
material contravention of the plan, following public consultation. In this case the planning
authority must publish notice of its intentions in a locally circulating newspaper.
Direct notice is given to the applicant and to any person who has made written objections to
the application. Any person may make objections or representations to the planning authority
within 21 days of the public notice and all these comments must be considered by the
planning authority. In order to pass a resolution to grant permission in such cases three
quaters of all Councillors must vote in favour. If the local authority wishes to undertake
development of its own which would contravene the plan, it must review the plan and follow
the procedures set out at Question 9 above. This review and revision of the development plan
by the planning authority must be carried out in addition to the new public consultation
procedure required for development by local authorities, or, where applicable, consultation
required under Environmental Impact Assessment procedures.

15. Should I get involved in the development plan?

Yes. The development plan is your plan and will affect you numerous ways over its 5 year
lifetime. There are extensive opportunities for public involvement in the plan making and
review process, either personally, through voluntary bodies, such as residents' associations, or
through your elected representatives. The plan is a public document shaped by a local
democratic process. It is an important area of local government where you can help shape
your own locality and make a contribution on behalf of the local community.

SESSION VIII: Togo adopts a new national development plan

(PND 2018-2022)
Objectives:
1-Determine ths main poits of the National Development Plan of Togo
2-Tell the Head of State’ statement upon this National Development Plan
 ECONOMIC GOVERNANCE

(Togo First) - Last Friday during a ministers’ council, Togo’s government adopted a new five-
year roadmap which is the 2018-2020 National Development Plan (PND 2018-2020 in
French). The document will replace the SCAPE which helped the nation initiate deep
economic transformations, such as modernizing infrastructures.

Major projects

The PND aims to make Togo an economic reference in West Africa. It results from a process
that involved key actors of the public administration, private sector, civil society, regional
leaders but also technical and financial partners.

The 5-year program will be used as a guiding reference for government’s actions and all
interactions with Togo’s partners. It will, according to relevant sources, help make the country
a top-class logistics and business hub.

Under its first axis, this new strategy will focus on improving infrastructures and processes at
the Port of Lomé, which is currently the only deep-water port in West Africa, as well as boost
road infrastructures and aviation. Regarding the latter, Asky, which is partners with Ethiopian
Airlines and other major African airlines, is quite active in the sector. Moreover, many
projects are expected in the digital industry. Some will help improve key infrastructures
subsequently raising quality of services provided to users in the sector.

The National Development Plan also aims to make Togo a business and tourism hub and turn
Lomé, which already hosts headquarters of major financial institutions (BOAD, BIDC,
Orabank, Ecobank, African Guarantee Fund), into a top-class business centre in Africa.
Under its second axis, the plan will focus on creating poles for agricultural processing,
manufacturing and mining in various parts of Togo. The following align with this objective:
the agropoles project backed by South Korea, BOAD, AfDB; the industrial parks project; the
national electrification strategy under which the country intends to achieve 50% and 75%
electrification rates by 2020 and 2025 respectively; reviving mining industry, promoting
artisanal entrepreneurship and all sorts of businesses.

Finally, the government’s new action plan seeks to consolidate social development and boost
inclusion mechanisms.

The third axis will focus on improving educational system and professional training, but also
the provision of basic social services (health, water and power), youth employment, financial
inclusion, gender equity, social and environmental protection.

Over five years, the plan will require about $8.3 billion (4,622.2 billion CFA) to make Togo’s
economy more resilient, sustainable, inclusive and robust while creating more jobs and
improving populations’ social welfare.

Target: A 7.6% growth rate and 500,000 direct and decent jobs

With the PND, the government expects economic growth to rise to 7.6% in 2022, from 6.6%
now. This should, according to authorities, create more jobs, redistribute national wealth and
thus significantly reduce poverty and help the country achieve a greater human development
level, mainly by improving access to basic services as mentioned earlier.

In detail, the PND should help provide more than 500,000 people with a stable and decent job.
Meanwhile, as the economy will become more competitive and productive, per capita income
is expected to rise by 9.7% to $670, with a better distribution.

Togo, let’s note, wishes to rise 10 places on the Mo Ibrahim Governance Index which already
identifies the country as the second African nation to have implemented reforms the most
after Côte d’Ivoire in the past 10 years. On World Bank’s Doing Business Index, Togo aims
to rise 10 ranks every year throughout the PND’s implementation period. To this end, the
government created at the end of 2017 the business climate cell (CCA) which coordinates
various reforms that aim to improve Togo’s business climate.

Private sector, greatest contributor  

As said previously, the PND will require $8.3 billion. Private sector will contribute greatly to
this amount; $5.4 billion (CFA2, 999.1 billion) or 65% of the overall projected financing to be
exact. The government will provide remaining 35% ($2.9 billion).

According to the statement released by the minister’s council following the PND’s adoption,
President Faure Gnassingbé “has urged the government to strengthen dialogue with all key
actors of the Togolese society, namely private sector, political actors, syndicates and civil
society organizations, in order to promote a better appropriation of the PND and to ensure
their participation in its implementation and the achievement of desired goals”.

A strong support

Given its quite ambitious nature, the PND is getting supports from various entities. The World
Bank for example is one of those, along with the IMF. Indeed, while the first announced
under its new partnership framework that it will increase its support to Togo to back the PND,
the second, pleased with the roadmap’s finalization, raised the country’s economic outlook in
its latest review. The PNUD also lauded the plan and the International Finance Corporation
(IFC) which is the World Bank’s arm in charge of private sector, with the International Solar
Alliance (ISA) both said Togo’s 2030 electrification strategy, which aligns with the PND, is
quite realistic and “the first of a kind in Africa”. In addition to all these are AfDB and BOAD
which support Togo’s new incentive scheme for agricultural funding (MIFA) in addition to
the agropole creation project.

More partners, such as Afreximbank and China could join current backers once the PND is
effectively on track.

SESSION IX: Rural development and agriculture in Togo

Objectives:
1-Understand the scope of the project
2- Understand the context and the approach of the project

Project description
Title: Rural development including agriculture in Togo
Commissioned by: German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development
(BMZ)
Co-funded by: European Union (EU)
Country: Togo
Lead executing agency: Ministry of Development Planning and Cooperation
Overall term: 2013 to 2023
Context
Togo's economic growth has remained relatively stable in recent years, averaging five per
cent. Nevertheless, many people are affected by unemployment or conditions of low pay.
Although Togo's agricultural sector is poorly structured and underdeveloped, it contributes 40
per cent of the gross domestic product. However, rural areas in particular offer potential in
processing agricultural products. Exports are dominated by primary goods such as cotton,
coffee beans and cocoa beans.

To reduce poverty in rural areas, Togolese policies focus on the structural transformation of
the economy. They aim to develop agricultural production chains with significant
employment and export potential. Although public investment has helped increase food
production in the past, efficient production systems, technical and organisational skills and
innovative business models are still lacking. The market focus, food security and food quality
all need to be improved significantly.

Objective
The economic and technical capacities of actors in selected agricultural value chains have
improved.The target groups are better able to provide for themselves.
Approach
The project is piloting improvements to individual value chains and is cofinanced by the EU.
It is working closely with the Ministries of Agriculture and Industry, cooperatives and
producer associations, as well as with processors and retailers.

It is hoped to reduce transaction and production costs by means of closer cooperation between
smallholders, small and medium-sized processing enterprises and export companies, and at
the same time to increase production in the processing plants. This approach would enable the
smallholders in particular to generate sufficient income. In the long term, it will both create
and safeguard jobs in the processing industry. 
The project supports production for the national and international market as well as for
smallholder self-sufficiency. Together with banks, the project is developing financial services
adapted to the circumstances of small-scale farming. It is also advising the Togolese
Government on ways of improving the general conditions for agriculture overall. The project
supports both investments within the country and exports in order to positively influence
long-term economic growth.
Results

 Self-organisation of the target groups has been strengthened first and foremost in the
trade associations of the pineapple, coffee, cocoa, vegetable/spice and cashew production
chains.
 The project has supported the organisational development of more than 35,000 producers
of vegetables/spice, coffee, cocoa and pineapple. 
 More than 10,000 smallholders have been trained in improved agricultural practices and
entrepreneurship. More than 83 per cent of the participants are demonstrably applying
these new skills, as a result of which their income rose by an average 27 per cent in
2020. 
 Close cooperation with the private sector and participation in international and regional
trade fairs is giving producers access to international markets. 
 Thanks to the promotion of processing enterprises and the creation of new jobs, 26,400
people are now employed in cashew production and 54,000 people in pineapple
production. 
 The project has established environmentally friendly production practices. For example,
95 per cent of the partner companies already apply production methods which are eco-
friendly and adapted to climate change. This figure includes the recent addition of nearly
13,000 organic cocoa producers. 
 More than 4,600 cashew, coffee/cocoa and pineapple producers have been trained in
financial management. Eighty-seven employees of a national microfinance bank have
been trained in agricultural risk assessment. In addition, more than 1,600 producers
received loans between 2017 and 2020.
SESSION X: An overview of agriculture in Togo: present and future...
Objectives:
1-State the inventory of agriculture in Togo
2-Know some crops grown in Togo and their impact on the National development

From https://www.togofirst.com/en/agriculture-panorama/2502-5007-an-overview-of-
agriculture-in-togo-present-and-future Accessed10/12/2021
 

 Tuesday, 25 February 2020 08:55

(Togo First) - Agriculture contributes more than 40% of Togo’s GDP and employs nearly
65% of its active population. Also, arable lands expand over 3.6 million hectares, which is
60% of the Togolese territory. Out of this area, 1.4 million hectares or 41% of the total area
are sown. Given its importance, the sector holds a significant position in the recently
launched national development plan (under the second axis) which runs from 2018 to 2022.

Contrasting with the fact that agriculture is such an important driving force for the economy is
the extremely low level of lending to this sector (2% of bank loans in 2019), and weak
technical support (only 25% of farms receive technical support of monitoring structures), only
16% of the farms use fertilizers, and 89% of the cultivated areas have been using archaic
equipment (hoe and cutlass).
Moreover, yields from one region to another are uneven, with the lowest production area
being the Savanes region - a zone that is exposed to a reduction in forest areas and land
pressure.

Regarding its soil, Togo has relatively rich soils (maize is grown on most of them). Lands in
the Plateaux region are known for being fertile whereas, in Kara, lands are difficult to exploit
due to the region’s rocky geomorphology.
Green revolution
Since 1975 when the country started its green revolution, it has made many efforts to remain
self-sufficient in regards to the food it consumes (a feat it has successfully achieved in recent
years). In this framework, Togo decreased the prevalence of undernourishment to 11.4% in
2014, from 16.5% in 2012. This was achieved through the national programme for
agricultural investment and food security (PNIASA).

Today and tomorrow...

To date, many programmes have been launched to boost the country’s agricultural production.
These are the Agricultural Development Support Programme (PADAT), the Agriculture
Support Project (PASA which concerns husbandry and the vaccination of ruminants), the
West Africa Agricultural Productivity Program (WAAPP-Togo), the Hydro-agricultural
development of the Mono River’s lower valley (PBVM), the Rice Production Development
Project in Kara (PDPR-K). There is also the agropole project which is currently underway in
the Kara region.

Besides improving agricultural output, the government has mustered efforts to modernize the
sector by improving farmers’ access to financing for better production, introducing
agroforestry practices, enhancing agricultural research, mechanization, use of fertilizers,
developing agricultural value chains, and helping agripreneurs emerge.
An example of a key project recently launched in this regard is the Project Supporting Youth
Employment and Insertion in Profitable Sectors (PAEIJ-SP), or the Agricultural Financing
Incentive Mechanism, launched on June 25, 2018. The latter aims to ease access to bank loans
for actors of the agricultural value chain. In 2019, this mechanism granted more than XOF 3.8
billion loans to these actors. Nevertheless, banks still dedicate only 0.3% of their loan
portfolio to the sector, every year. The government for its part wants to increase this figure to
5% by 2027, and reduce interest rate on the loans from 15% to 7.5%, ideally, but this rate
should stabilize at 10.5%.

Also, in order to back the most vulnerable farmers, public authorities have put in place an
annual subsidy ranging between XOF1.5 billion to XOF2 billion for fertilizer acquisition.
Two years ago, they also developed an e-wallet, called AgriPME, for farmers. The platform
which has more than 270,000 users at present allows them to carry out various transactions.
Last but not the least is the government’s very ambitious national development plan (PND
2018-2022). Among others, it aims to significantly boost agricultural output and
agroindustrial transformation in Togo.

SESSION XI: A look at some agricultural products of Togo

 Objective: Name some of the agricultural products of Togo

Food crops
Food crops make up 70% of all of Togo’s agricultural output. They are primarily destined to
local consumption rather than exported. Regardless, they generate substantial, and “safe,”
revenues for farmers, given the permanent demand of the domestic market. They include
mainly grains and tubers. The first, grains, represent 56% of the calorie supply of plant-based
foods consumed in Togo. In 2014-2017 alone, corn represented 51% of grains, followed by
rice (20%), sorghum (17%) and wheat (9%). For tubers, the most consumed is cassava (61.8%
of all tubers) followed by yam (37.8%).

Corn
It is grown by 1.5 million Togolese farmers across four agro-ecological zones, over more than
700,000 hectares (40% of total lands dedicated to food crops). Corn farming has kept
increasing since 1990, in the northern region especially. For the 2018-2019 agricultural
campaign, maize output stood at 886,630 tons.
In addition to being used for household consumption (both in rural and urban areas), it is also
considered as a cash crop. Corn generates an average net income of XOF223,000 per hectare
(latest data), making it the main source of revenue of farms, right after popular cash crops.

 
Rice
Most of Togo’s rice is grown in the Savanes region. For farmers, it is relatively expensive to
cultivate and they struggle against imports from Asia mainly. To reverse this trend, various
projects were recently launched to boost rice production, in the Djagblé plain especially. In
2018, Togo produced 145,000 tons of rice.

Sorghum and millet

Second-most grown grain, in terms of yield, sorghum is quite present in the farms of the Kara
and Savanes regions. It is used mostly to make “tchoukoutchou”, a local drink. It is often
grown together with millet. In terms of annual output, millet is the least popular grain in
Togo. The combined outputs of sorghum and millet was at 303,000 tons in 2018.

Tubers (Yam and cassava)

Yam is mostly cultivated in Kpalimé and Bassar. It is mainly used to make “fufu,” which is a
meal consumed in many West African countries. From 78,100 tons in 2015, Togo’s yam
output rose to 859,000 tons in 2018.
As for cassava, it is produced only in the south (Agoè, Tabligbo, Tsévié, Vogan, Aného). It
can also be used to prepare fufu or be transformed into gari or tapioca. Over the past five
years, the country’s cassava production was around a million tons.

Legumes
Concerning legumes, Togo produces voandzou, beans, and groundnuts. For the latter, while
annual yields were usually around 40,000 tons, they have been decreasing recently due to the
closure of some peanut oil factories. In 2018, the country produced 208,000 tons of beans and
cowpeas.

Export crops
These are mainly cotton, coffee, cocoa, and palm oil. However, since the start of the green
revolution, others like shea nuts, kola, and cashew have also joined this category.

Cotton
Grown essentially in the Plateaux and Savanes regions, this cash crop recorded a major boom
in 2011 and increased slightly the following year. In 2018 however, cotton output stood at
127,500 tons according to the BCEAO (exports to Europe generated more than $11 million).
This year (2019-2020 campaign), cotton exports are expected to exceed 150,000 tons.
Coffee and cocoa
Both crops were introduced to Togo by the Germans during the colonial period. Together,
they contribute 1.2% of the GDP and are grown by around 32,000 farmers.
The first, coffee, is cultivated in the Plateaux region (Kpalimé, Atakpamé, and Badou). Since
1990, Togo’s coffee production has been rising slowly: 11,000 tons in 1998 to 17,000 tons in
2003. Coffee farms cover more than 40,000 hectares. In the first quarters of 2017, 2018, and
2019 respectively, coffee outputs were 1,090 tons, 4,883 tons, and 3,465 tons (while exported
volumes were 476 tons, 2,089 tons, and 2,379 tons in the same periods).

For its part, cocoa is almost solely cultivated in Kpalimé, Atakpamé, and Badou. They are
known as the “triangle de café et de cacao” (the triangle of coffee and cocoa). At the
beginning of the century, about 8,000 tons of the beans were produced, over more than 30,000
ha. In the first quarters of 2017, 2018, and 2019 respectively, cocoa yields stood at 1,326 tons,
1,660 tons, and 2,258 tons (while exports stood at 1,058 tons, 1,278 tons and 4,743 tons).

 
Organic farming
In the ECOWAS, Togo is the largest exporter of organic products to the European Union
(EU). However, only 1% of the country’s arable lands are dedicated to organic farming. Also,
this sector employs only about 40,000 people. It is driven by a strong external demand,
especially for soybeans.

Soybeans
In the past three years, the production of this crop soared from 24,000 tons to 35,000 tons.
The sector employs nearly 300,000 people and soybeans is grown over around 67,000
hectares, which is 38% of the total area on which legumes are grown across the territory.

Togo has one of the best yields in West Africa (3t/ha), with a turnover of XOF6.8 billion.
Leveraging a strong global demand for organic products, it is produced mainly for export.
This year, the country launched the very first regulated campaign and it expects to sell 78,000
tons of soybeans.

A few other cash crops

Besides these cash crops, there is also palm oil (which is grown over around 7,000 ha, for an
output of 61,800 tons in 2017), and pineapple (3,300 tons produced in 2018, generating
XOF1.5 billion in exports the same year).
SESSION XII: Action Plan for Repositioning Family Planning in Togo
2013-2017
Objectives:
1-Define Family Planning
2-Name two major actions undertaken by the government in the process of FP

From: https://fp2030.org/sites/default/files/Togo-National-Plan-for-Repositioning-Family-
Planning-English.pdf Accessed 10/12/2021

1- Introduction

In order to improve the provision of FP services and the health indicators relating thereto,
Togo has been actively engaged in the process of repositioning family planning. The country
participated in a high-level conference on "Population, Family Planning and Development:
the urgency of acting" held on February 8-10, 2011 in Ouagadougou and the Sally Mbour
conference in Senegal on "Civil Society's Commitment to Promoting Family Planning" in
September 2011. Following these conferences, Togo has developed an action plan for
repositioning family planning through a participatory and inclusive process which involved all
key stakeholders in order to seize strategic opportunities. The ten-week exercise saw the
active participation of the government with the involvement of all relevant sectors in a well-
structured process which was implemented for this purpose. It also took into account the most
relevant and recent data, regional differences, the potential impact of each activity, and the
perspectives of all sectors, through the involvement of all stakeholders, including
representatives of the Ministry of Health in the various workshops. This plan, which is the
result of the combined efforts of all stakeholders in the field of health in general, and family
planning in particular, outlines the government's objectives and the implementation process
for the various planned interventions within the context of individual fertility control, in the
quest for more harmonious and balanced development to guarantee wellbeing for everyone.

2- Plan Development Process

The process of developing the national FP relaunch plan was defined by a Steering
Committee involving the government, technical and financial partners and civil society
representatives. The development was organized around two structures, namely the Technical
Committee and the operational team. The operational team was composed of five members as
follows: two representatives of the Ministry of Health, a civil society representative and three
consultants, two from the Futures Group and one consultant from the Futures Institute. This
worked closely with and reported to the Technical Committee. The technical committee was a
Multisectoral Committee which resulted from the merger of two existing committees, namely:
the National Committee for Contraceptive Security and the National Working Group for
Repositioning Family Planning in Togo. It met four (4) times (launch, presentation of the
diagnostic, presentation of the objectives and presentation of the plan). The development of
this plan was based on a collegial, factual and operational approach. Action Plan for
Repositioning Family Planning 2013-2017 8

2.1- Collegial Approach

The plan was carried out within a joint framework that includes all Family Planning
stakeholders: government, technical and financial partners and civil society. The decisions
and arbitrations were validated by all participants. The Regional Health Directors also
contributed to the plan to interpret the targets and activities at a regional level.

2.2- Factual Approach

The status report on the FP situation in the country was based on factual analyzes using
available data recognized as being solid and interviews with FP stakeholders. The actions
selected were those that showed the greatest potential impact given the established objectives.

2.3- Operational Approach Focused on Implementation

The plan includes the costs of each sub-activity, the impact indicators and a monitoring
mechanism to ensure speedy operationalization.

SESSION XIII: Community development and participation in Togo: the

case of AGAIB Plateaux
By Tossou Atchrimi

Objectives:
1-Define the author’s main concern in this research work
2- Understand the scope of the study

From https://journals.openedition.org/factsreports/3623 Accessed 10/12/2021

Introduction

The concept of development can be defined as a series of more or less linear changes, from
traditional to more modern modes of production, from a daily life marked by suffering and
privation to a more comfortable life, made possible by relatively recent progress.
Development highlights the need to maintain or improve people’s quality of life, to guarantee
the sustainability of resources, to reduce differences in standards of living, to promote
community self-sufficiency, and to facilitate the transfer of knowledge or wealth.
In African countries, and in particular in Togo, there are many obstacles that impede the
dynamics of development. The incapacity of the authorities to meet the basic vital needs of
their populations, especially those in rural areas, is clearly evident: inadequate educational
facilities, poor healthcare provision, and dismal levels of access to safe drinking water. In
2006, a national study revealed that only 17% of children aged 11 were enrolled in the last
year of primary school, and that infant mortality was high, at 77 for 1000 births (DGCSN,
2006). Aware of this situation, the government and its international partners put in place
action programs to improve standards of living. During the 1990s, however, and a large part
of the following decade, these projects were doomed to failure by macroeconomic
mismanagement, lack of transparency in the investment of public resources, democratic
deficit, and incompatibility with local realities.

All partnership and development perspectives call for a new organisational ethic, founded on
local community initiatives and participation. New approaches have emerged, with the goal of
putting people at the heart of development and driving home the message that communities
should be the artisans of their own development: self-empowerment for men and women
through local organisations.

The aim of this research is to propose, by starting out from the “AGAIB method”, a better
match between the real socio-economic aspirations of local communities and public
development policies. In terms of democracy and participation, the AGAIB has opted for
transparency in the management of its activities, enabling communities to take control of their
situation through income generating activities and to participate at every step in projects of
which they are the main initiators.

Local democracy—based on the active participation of the beneficiaries and the fulfillment of
the relevant conditions—is a pre-requisite for local community development.

Scoping the issues

From the economic perspective, when we speak of development, we refer to all of the
technical, social, demographic and cultural transformations that accompany growth in
production. It is therefore a concept that reflects the structural and qualitative aspects of
growth. It can—indeed must—be associated with the idea of social and economic progress:
improving living standards, educational levels, and well-being for the entire population
(Rehim‚ 2007).

All of these theoretical proposals rely on factors that often ignore the real needs of
populations and frequently lead to the failure of programs. Another cause of failure is
corruption among some of the actors involved in these initiatives, a phenomenon that is found
in the communities themselves, within peasant groups (Amouzou‚ 2005). “In practice, […] in
Togo, the humanitarian cause has become something of a golden calf, sparking merciless
competition. Denunciation, corruption, political blackmail, clientelism, nepotism,
destabilization campaigns, secret deals and coalitions, anti-competitive agreements,
embezzlement, poaching of staff… it’s all there”. (Atchrimi‚ 2008: 266).

The country’s socio-economic situation is partly to blame for this state of affairs. But
humanitarian practices are also a key factor. The procedures for selecting one NGO, to the
detriment of another, force NGOs to establish their credentials. Once the calls for tenders
have been sent out, each organisation tries to respond by showcasing, in the context of their
projects, anything that the donors might find persuasive. Since nothing can be done without
their financial backing, the criteria on which these arguments are based are given very careful
attention.

To win the brief, specialists, who are sometimes members of institutions, are called in. “The
role attributed to them, by virtue of their knowledge, is not unlike that of a good sales
technician tasked with closing a contract deal. Besides, there is nothing exaggerated about
this comparison: at the end of the day, winning the call for tenders is synonymous with getting
paid” (Atchrimi, ibid.). The competing organisations therefore stress the quality of their
evaluation method, and the professionalism with which it will be applied, so much so that the
figures and statistics—which might ordinarily be thought of as indicators of the results, no
more— substitute for the actual results and even supersede them, becoming an end in their
own right.

In Togo‚ the facts on the ground are that people are suffering, for example, from the lack of
access to drinking water. The problem is more perceptible in rural areas, where hydraulic
installations are few and far between, and most of them are inoperative. The visitor to the
Plateaux region soon realizes that the main priorities for the poorest communities are of three
kinds: access to education, access to healthcare, and access to drinking water. On top of which
comes the need to have access to funding for income generating activities, a consideration
made even more salient by the impact of the food crisis. What is more, these communities are
trained and supervised by the Project so that they can participate more effectively in their own
development. The poor track record of the actions attempted thus far gives even greater
legitimacy to a community’s right to have a say in decisions that affect it.

Participatory development presupposes greater transparency, a larger role for local

organisations, and respect for human rights, which includes efficient and accessible legal
systems. It is about promoting the introduction of an alternative system of management, of
expressing needs, and of implementing projects, by getting the beneficiaries of the programs
to pool their efforts as part of a local dynamic built on the community-based management of
their problems. These initiatives are considered to be innovative; they are the consequences of
the political and economic democratization process on which Togo embarked in 2005. There
are now an increasing number of forums of expression for local actors. The approach we
present here is founded on community participation, which is seen as the process by which
people are empowered to get involved, actively and genuinely, in determining the questions
that concern them, in making decisions about the factors that affect their lives, in formulating
and implementing policies around the planning, design and delivery of services, and in
pursuing the actions undertaken to make change happen.

The experience of the AGAIBs, (Agences d’Appui aux Initiatives de Base—Grassroots

Initiative Support Agencies) offers a prism through which we can arrive at an intelligible
analysis of the contribution made by participatory models to community development. After
years of experience in the practice of participatory local development, it is important to
understand in what way the AGAIB approach has contributed to reducing poverty in certain
areas of Togo’s Plateaux region. This paper sets out to analyze the characteristics of the
AGAIB approach by using the following questions as a starting-point: What are the
components of the organisation’s approach? What is innovative about it, and how does it
contribute to the issue of the sustainable development of local communities in Togo? How
can the authorities appropriate it, with a view to rolling it out nationwide?

Our basic postulate is that the success of community development projects supported by the
AGAIBs is due to the involvement and participation of the beneficiary communities.

SESSION XIV: Methodological and theorical frameworks

Objective: Assess and understand the methodological and theorical frameworks of the
research

Institutional framework

The institutional mechanism for the implementation of the projects is as follows:

Central level

The ProjectOrientation Committee (Comité d’Orientation du Projet, COP), made up of

representatives from the government, the donors and civil society, is chaired by the Minister
of Grassroots Development, Crafts, Youth, and Youth Employment. The Minister of the
Economy and Finance is the senior vice-president, and the Minister delegated to the Prime
Minister with responsibility for Grassroots Development is the deputy vice-president. The
Committee’s role is:

 To facilitate convergence between the micro-projects identified by

communities and sector development plans elaborated at local and national level;

 To facilitate collaboration with all other poverty reduction projects and

programs;

 The Technical Secretariat,made up of a coordinator, an administrative and

financial manager, an internal auditor, a government contract specialist, a
 monitoring and evaluation specialist, and a support staffer. The Secretariat provides
the AGAIB with technical assistance for contracting, financial management, and
disbursements. It also acts as the secretariat for the COP.

Regional level

The AGAIB: made up of a Board of Directors (Conseil d’Administration, CA), a

Coordinator, and a Regional Approval Committee (Comité Régional d’Approbation, CRA) to
which the projects identified by the communities are submitted.

The Board comprises seven members, including three directors from the civil service (the
Regional Director for Development and Planning acts as a statutory member, while the two
others are elected from among the members of the Regional Technical Services), two
directors representing the NGOs active in the region, and two directors representing the
members of civil society and senior figures of moral authority. They elect a president from
among their number.

The Board members are elected by the Annual General Meeting. The Board approves the
program of activities and the provisional accounts drawn up by the Coordinator and monitors
compliance with the project implementation guidelines.

The Coordinator is responsible for the attainment of the objectives and the results expected
from the project at regional level. To this end, he organises coordinates, monitors and
supervises all of the activities. He prepares the Regional Approval Committee meeting,
finalizes contracts, and ensures the physical and financial oversight of the identified projects.

The Regional Approval Committee (CRA) is made up of five members appointed by the
Board from among the members of the General Meeting. Its mandate is to organise the
periodic monitoring of micro-projects. It meets at least once every two months, and is
convened by the Coordinator.

Local level

The Village Development Committee (Comité Villageois de Développement, CVD), made up

at grassroots level, identifies, executes and manages micro-projects for the community. It is
therefore the main executive instrument of the Community Development Program (PDC). The
Village Chief is the Honorary President of the CVD.

Togo has a total of five AGAIBs, covering the country’s different administrative regions. The
first‚ in the Maritime region‚ was set up in 1998. The four others were officially created in
2001. AGAIB-Plateaux effectively became operational in 2008. It provides financial and
technical support for projects in communities with few income-generating activities (IGAs)
and for the construction of community infrastructures.
Its missions notably include the definition of activity policies and strategies; it is also tasked
with monitoring compliance with the procedures manual, approving the work program, and
examining and validating activity reports, as well as the annual accounts presented by the
Coordinator. The AGAIBs also rely on intermediaries, namely the NGOs or independent
consultants who bring their technical know-how to the beneficiary organisations and liaise
with the Coordinator. The decision to study the AGAIB in the Plateaux region was based on
the fact that this is the country’s biggest and most agricultural region, and the one with the
largest number of micro-projects:102 identified out of a total of 395 (DGCSN, 2006)`.

The total amount of the project is 17.2 millions dollars (approx. 7.2 billion CFA francs),
divided up among the 5 AGAIBs on the basis of need. AGAIB-Plateaux’ share for the period
2008-2011 was 2 billion CFA francs (RT, 2008).

SESSION XV: Genral Review

Objectives:

1-Summarize all that has been discussedin class

2- Be able to answer some questions related to the course, basing on the handout