Following the 6th Special Session of the Africa Ministerial Conference on the Environment (AMCEN) supported the establishment of the Africa Ecosystem Based Adaptation for Food Security Assembly (EBAFOSA), its’ Constitution and the outcomes of the process leading to the establishment of the Assembly, as the inclusive pan-African policy framework and implementation platform that brings together key stakeholders and actors along the entire ecosystem-based adaptation-driven agriculture value-chain

With this highest policy recognition by AMCEN countries have a big opportunity to build on the call for these partnerships to implement their INDCs/NDCs as well as ensuring Adaptation Mitigation projects are jointly implemented towards a transition to low-emissions and climate resilient development in order to realize 2030 Agenda for the SDGs and Africa’s Agenda 2063

 Article 7 of the EBAFOSA constitution establishes the structure of EBAFOSA and Country branches are the critical component where impactful activities are undertaken in a country led process. Country branches register local, continental and global actors within the country and facilitate their interactions and mutual partnership to bridge gaps in policy processes, techniques, technology, markets, commercialization, and finance and achieve implementation.

It is against this backdrop that the Togo National Branch hosted by the Jeunes Verts Togo, a national Non-Governmental Organization   was launched on 12^th August 2016, under the theme “Re-shaping Togo’s food security and climate resilience through EBAFOSA”. The launch event under the leadership of the EBAFOSA Togo officials, and the government, academia, the private sector, and the non-governmental, attracted over 150 stakeholders representing multiple sectors from government, academia, NGOs, CSOs, individual professionals & citizens, farmers, resident UN agencies with strong media coverage to enhance awareness across the country.

 The EBAFOSA Togo was officially launched by the Ministers of Environment and Agriculture. In his statement the Minister of Environment highlighted that EBAFOSA is timely and fits into the Vision of Togo and political space. He noted that the government has so many plans and policies and there has been no practical implementation framework and platform to mobilize means of implementation. He therefore lauded the coming of EBAFOSA as timely to help Togo convene both state and non-state actors to implement the SDGs and the Paris Agreement in a manner ensuring both socio-economic development and climate action.

 The minister said that through EBAFOSA, Government Plans will be translated into action especially in the area of energy, food security and climate resilience. He also said that EBAFOSA framework gives Togo the opportunity to fulfil its climate obligations. The minister also lauded the ecosystem based adaptation approach championed within the EBAFOSA framework as a pull together approach that should be embraced across the board.

 On his part, the Minister of Agriculture noted that the coming of EBAFOSA marks a new beginning where talk is shifted to action with everyone brought on board to address food insecurity and create jobs for the youth and spur socio-economic development across Togo. He further observed that the expansion of the agro value chain through harnessing clean energy is the catalyst that will unleash the potential of a sector that is not optimally performing. The ministry fully pledges his support for.

 On her part, the UN resident coordinator Mrs. Khardiata Lo N'Diaye observed that EBAFOSA is a timely implementation platform and framework for Africa and Togo. She made clear that moving from Talk to Action is the only way to address the SDGs and EBAFOSA provides a timely platform. She noted that the inclusively of EBAFOSA bringing together all stakeholders is very innovative and can help address the many issues captured in the SDGs and agenda 2030. The coordinator and her team indicated that EBAFOSA is coming at a time when the UNCT is helping Togo come up with an implementation strategy for the implementation of its SDGs and EBAFOSA will be integrated within this UN framework and used as the framework for Togo.

 She appreciated the innovativeness of EBAFOSA in applying innovation to create opportunities with youths at the center. The coordinator and her team pledged their full support to see EBAFOSA Togo succeed. On their part, Jeunes Verts Togo, the EBAFOSA Togo host institution, underscored that as a youth organization and with the youth constituting a big population in Togo, its couldn't have been any more timely to be the host of EBAFOSA. He noted that engaging Youth in driving the future through EBAFOSA is a practical way to involve them in the solutions processes - creating the jobs they need without destroying the ecosystems and biodiversity. He noted that EBAFOSA is “their baby” and they will nurture it with the youth- the future of Togo and Africa

 The broad participation in the launch, especially cross-cutting policy level, UN and other development partners, academia, individual professionals & citizens, private sector coupled with significant media coverage was a crucial achievement for the EBAFOSA Togo branch. This in ensuring the launch catalyzes progress in the EBAFOSA stakeholder promotion & mobilization and strategic partnership building, the crucial tenets towards EBAFOSA’s mandate of building targeted policy & action solutions for optimized, climate resilient food systems in Togo and Africa.

 With the support of AMCEN  and with the launch of EBAFOSA Togo, the country squarely have a national policy driven niche for its currently rolled out Assembly and national branches of EBAFOSA to domesticate the EBFOSA branches at national level. The uptake into policy will enhanced ensure EBA uptake and integration into national plans, development processes and decision making frameworks in countries easily gain its way.

As next steps, with guidance from the continental secretariat hosted by UNEP and partners, EBAFOSA Togo will embark on activities to ensure the promotional aspects and awareness created by the launch event are leveraged to catalyze expedited progress in implementing the EBAFOSA roll-out strategies. This will be underpinned by multi-stakeholder mobilization & registration across sectors in Togo and fomenting of mutual multi-level, cross-sectorial partnerships towards bridging implementation gaps at both policy and operational level. This is clearly illustrated in Phase two rollout Strategy and Implementation Actions Plan  

 EBAFOSA Togo becomes the 9^th National branch to be launched.

 Congratulations EBAFOSA Togo!