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Togo has a growing community of young people engaged in agriculture, agribusiness, research, environmental protection, entrepreneurship, and rural development. Yet, many young people still face challenges in accessing professional networks, mentorship, capacity-building opportunities, international exposure, and spaces where they can contribute to discussions and decisions shaping the future of agriculture.
The establishment of YPARD Togo comes from the team's shared belief that young people should be active contributors to the transformation of agri-food systems. The Togo team wants to create a community where young people can connect with one another, share knowledge and experiences, access opportunities, develop their skills, and collaborate to address challenges affecting agriculture and food systems in Togo.
Jean-Joseph Fiagan is an agroeconomist currently pursuing a Master's degree in Agricultural Economics and Policy Analysis at the University of Kara, Togo. He holds a Bachelor's degree in Agricultural Economics from the School of Agronomy of the University of Lomé.
His academic and professional interests focus on agricultural policy, climate resilience, sustainable agri-food systems, rural development, and impact evaluation. His experience includes supporting rural development activities at the Ministry of Agriculture in Togo, conducting research on farmers' willingness to adopt sustainable agricultural practices, and working on innovative agricultural production systems during a research programme in Nigeria.
Beyond his academic and professional activities, Jean-Joseph is passionate about youth leadership and community engagement. He served as President of the Association of Agricultural Economics Students (2AEC), where he coordinated academic and professional development activities, supervised student initiatives, and promoted knowledge sharing and collaboration among young people interested in agriculture.
For Jean-Joseph, YPARD represents an opportunity to connect young Togolese with a wider community of young professionals and to create more opportunities for youth participation in agricultural transformation.
"I believe young people should not only be beneficiaries of agricultural transformation, but active contributors to shaping the future of our agri-food systems."
Abigail Ami Attitsogbe is a final-year Agro-economics student at the University of Lomé, Togo, with a strong interest in sustainable agriculture, youth leadership, and agricultural entrepreneurship.
She served as General Treasurer of the Association of Agricultural Economics Students (2AEC) and was previously active within IAAS Togo, contributing to youth engagement and partnerships. She is also currently engaged in project development and resource mobilization activities with GHIYADA Africa, focusing on youth leadership, environmental protection, entrepreneurship, and sustainable development.
Through her experience in partnerships and community initiatives, Abigail has developed a strong commitment to creating opportunities for young people in agriculture and encouraging them to become agents of change within their communities.
For Abigail, YPARD Togo is an opportunity to connect young agricultural actors, promote innovation, and strengthen youth participation in building a more sustainable and inclusive agricultural sector in Togo.
"YPARD Togo can become a space where young people connect, learn from one another, turn ideas into initiatives, and contribute meaningfully to the future of agriculture in Togo."
Eric Gouélé Guézéré is a trained agricultural economist who holds a Bachelor's degree in Agronomy, specializing in Agricultural Economics, obtained in 2025 from the School of Agronomy at the University of Lomé.
His academic training has enabled him to develop skills in the economic analysis of agricultural systems, rural resource management, and the collection and processing of agricultural data. During his final-year internship at Label d'Or in Lomé, he worked on the analysis of shea supply chains in agribusiness companies.
Eric is currently undertaking a professional development internship at the Directorate of Forest Resources within the Ministry of the Environment, Forest Resources, Coastal Protection and Climate Change, where he contributes to activities related to standardization, taxation, and the monitoring of forestry operations.
He was also a founding member and former Deputy General Treasurer of the Association of Agro-Economics Students, where he contributed to the development of the organization, particularly in administrative and financial management. Passionate about design and information technology, he also brings digital and creative skills to his academic and community projects.
Through YPARD Togo, Eric hopes to contribute to creating a space for networking, capacity building, and exchange for young professionals and students in agri-food systems, while strengthening their voices in decisions that affect their future.
"I see YPARD Togo as a platform where young people can strengthen their skills, build meaningful connections, and have a stronger voice in shaping the decisions that affect our agri-food systems."
The team's vision is to build a dynamic, inclusive, and action-oriented community of young people contributing to Togo's agri-food systems.
They want YPARD Togo to bring together students, young professionals, researchers, entrepreneurs, farmers, civil society actors, and development partners. By creating opportunities for dialogue and collaboration, we hope to strengthen connections between young people and the broader agricultural ecosystem.
Their activities will focus particularly on four areas:
The YPARD Togo team see the establishment of YPARD Togo as more than the creation of another youth network. They want to build a community that provides young people with opportunities to connect, learn, collaborate, and lead.
The ambition is to make YPARD Togo a bridge between young Togolese and the regional and global community of young professionals working to transform agri-food systems.
As they begin this journey, they are guided by a shared belief: when young people are connected, empowered, and given the opportunity to lead, they can become powerful drivers of positive change in agri-food systems.
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