ECOWAS Agricultural Policy Review Highlights Progress Amidst Challenges
The twelfth meeting of the Strategic Orientation Committee of the ECOWAS Regional Agency for Agriculture and Food (RAAF) convened on 2 May 2025 in Lomé, Togo, to review the agency’s 2024 activities and financial execution.
The session, a critical governance forum, aimed to assess RAAF’s progress in coordinating agricultural projects across West Africa under the Regional Agricultural Policy (ECOWAP).
Key outcomes of the meeting included the appraisal of the 2024 activity report, the 2025 budget, and the financial performance for the year.
Despite the ongoing security challenges in the Sahel region and the recent withdrawal of Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger from ECOWAS, RAAF managed to achieve a commendable physical implementation rate of 72% and a financial rate of 75%, resulting in an overall implementation rate of 74%.
ECOWAS Commissioner for Economic Affairs and Agriculture, Mrs Massandjé Touré-Litsé, acknowledged the difficult context but assured that regional authorities are actively seeking solutions to overcome these hurdles.
The Steering Committee’s guidance continues to play a pivotal role in driving forward agricultural development in the region, ensuring resilience and sustainability in West Africa’s agricultural sector.
