The Dairy Industry In Togo: An Assessment

The author spent two months in Togo in 1992 under the auspices of the U.S. Agency for International Development's Language, Culture and Professional Development (LCPD) Program. The purpose of this program is to enhance language skills and cultural understanding, and to provide professional development opportunities. As part of the professional development activities, the author attempted to gain an understanding of the dairy industry in Togo, including sources of supply, prices, consumption, industry structure, and government policies affecting the dairy industry. A literature search in the United States and in Togo yielded very limited and incomplete information, especially about the availability of different types of dairy products, their prices, and distribution channels. Therefore, an attempt was made to collect this type of information. However, the author's visit coincided with a period of political and civil unrest which, in combination with improved but scarcely adequate language skills, curtailed some opportunities for travel and information gathering and limited his ability to pursue certain issues and collect data. Consequently, the information presented is limited in scope. The publication begins with a description of Togo and its agricultural sector, to provide the setting for an assessment of the dairy industry. Conditions in Togo are similar to those in other Sub-Saharan countries.