Togo

National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan

Sub-Saharan AfricaApplies 2021–2030Source: Stratégie et Plan d'Action National pour la Biodiversité 2021–2030

Translated from French

1. Overview

Togo's Stratégie et Plan d'Action National pour la Biodiversité 2021–2030 (NBSAP 2021–2030) replaces the previous strategy aligned with the Aichi Targets of the Strategic Plan for Biodiversity 2011–2020. The document was developed with technical and financial support from UNEP under the Early Action Support project for NBSAP revision [§4].

The strategy defines 25 national commitments* organised under three strategic axes†: Strategic Axis I (Preservation and Restoration of Biodiversity, 17 commitments), Strategic Axis II (Sustainable Use of Biodiversity and Benefit Sharing, 5 commitments), and Strategic Axis III (Sustainable Financing of Biodiversity, 3 commitments). The 25 commitments are mapped collectively to all 23 GBF Targets. Five specific objectives support a global objective to contribute to the sustainable conservation of biodiversity and natural ecosystems for the well-being of current and future generations [§99–§100].

*Togo's NBSAP uses the term "national targets" (cibles nationales) for its 25 headline pledges. This page uses "national commitment" to avoid confusion with the 23 GBF Targets adopted at COP15.

†Strategic axes are Togo's thematic organizing structure for the NBSAP. They are not equivalent to the four GBF Goals (A–D), which are the 2050 outcome goals of the Kunming-Montreal Framework.

The NBSAP internalises the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework and addresses Togo's obligations under the Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety and the Nagoya Protocol on Access and Benefit-Sharing [§4]. Total implementation cost is estimated at 116,295 million FCFA over 2021–2030, of which 21,535 million FCFA is currently mobilised and 94,760 million FCFA (~172 million USD) remains to be raised [§110]. Note: the action plan matrix states a total of 136,345 million FCFA [§103]; this discrepancy must be resolved against the primary NBSAP document before publication.

Of Togo's 25 national commitments, one is a measurable commitment — National Commitment 2, which sets a 20% terrestrial protected area coverage threshold by 2030. The remaining 24 are directional aspirations.

Togo's NBSAP establishes a ten-year biodiversity strategy with a 20% protected area target — explicitly below the GBF's 30×30 benchmark — and dedicates an entire strategic axis to sustainable biodiversity financing. The strategy is distinctive for its 117-commune governance architecture, its explicit treatment of digital sequence information as a live financing instrument, and a proposed Project Management Office within the environment ministry to centralise project formulation for the GEF, Green Climate Fund, and Adaptation Fund.

Sources:

  • §4 — Foreword > Introduction
  • §99–§101 — Global Objective, Specific Objectives, Strategic Axes
  • §102 — 3.4. National Targets
  • §103 — 3.5. Action Plan Matrix
  • §110 — 4.3. Resource Mobilisation Strategy

2. Ecological Context

Togo's biodiversity is structured around five ecological zones running north to south. The northern plains (Zone I) support dry forests and thorn savannahs dominated by Leguminosae and Combretaceae; the northern Togo Mountains (Zone II) carry open and dry forests of Isoberlinia spp. and Uapaca togoensis; the central plains (Zone III) host dry forests with a 30-metre canopy of Afzelia, Anogeissus, and Khaya; the southern Togo Mountains (Zone IV) contain the only semi-deciduous forests in the country, composed of Milicia excelsa, Triplochiton scleroxylon, and Terminalia superba; and Zone V hosts coastal savannahs and degraded mangrove formations [§18–§23].

Zone IV is ecologically distinctive as the sole zone harbouring semi-deciduous forests and endemic amphibians (Conraua derooi, Hyperolius torrentis, Hyperolius baumanni, Sclerophrys togoensis). The white-thighed colobus (Colobus vellerosus) now persists in greatly reduced populations confined to Fazao-Malfakassa National Park and some community forest patches [§26].

Land cover change has been substantial. Between 1975 and 2010, semi-deciduous, dry, and open forests declined from 274,800 ha to 190,600 ha; riparian forests from 156,800 ha to 102,800 ha; and wooded savannahs from 4,348,400 ha to 3,170,900 ha. The Southern Benin-Togolese Peneplain recorded "considerable agricultural expansion, resulting in extensive fragmentation of wooded savannahs and open forests" [§24].

Togo records 4,201 animal species and 2,582 spontaneous angiosperm species [§52][§56]. Based on IUCN global assessments — applied nationally in the absence of a national red list — 71 species are classified as threatened: 36 Vulnerable, 13 Endangered, 7 Critically Endangered, and 15 Near Threatened. Togo does not yet have a national red list; the figures derive from global IUCN criteria applied at the national scale [§54]. Species effectively extinct in the wild in Togo include the chimpanzee (Pan troglodytes), African wild dog (Lycaon pictus), grey parrot (Psittacus erithacus), and guitarfish (Pristis pristis and Pristis pectinata) [§54].

The protected area system covers approximately 793,000 hectares — around 8% of terrestrial territory as of 2021 — anchored by three national parks: Fazao-Malfakassa (192,000 ha), Oti-Kéran, and Togodo South. Togodo South forms part of the Mono Delta Transboundary Biosphere Reserve. Beyond state-managed areas, 171 community and sacred forests have been inventoried across 65,719 ha, of which 43 (totalling 47,398.95 ha) have received formal status and a management charter. The governance arrangements for the remaining 128 community forests are not described in the available source material [§38–§39].

Togo has no marine protected area. The continental shelf covers 1,500 km² and is home to 16 documented marine mammal species, including the humpback whale (Megaptera novaeangliae) and Atlantic humpback dolphin (Sousa teuszii), as well as five marine turtle species [§50]. Mangrove formations are described as "today highly degraded" [§51]. The Lomé lagoon system is identified as "one of the most concerning cases of aquatic pollution," though fish caught there are consumed locally despite contamination [§47].

Several invasive alien species pose growing threats. Digitaria insularis is spreading through the forest zone with root clumps "very difficult to uproot"; aquatic invasives including Eichhornia natans and Ceratophyllum demersum impede navigation and fishing in pond water bodies [§68]. The foreword to the revised NBSAP states that despite implementation of the previous strategy, "the erosion of habitats and biological diversity continues to increase inexorably" [§4].

Sources:

  • §4 — Foreword > Introduction
  • §18–§23 — Ecological zones I–V
  • §24 — 1.6. Land use dynamics
  • §26 — Semi-deciduous dense forests
  • §38–§39 — Protected areas; Community and sacred forests
  • §47 — The Lomé lagoon system
  • §50–§51 — Marine ecosystems; Mangroves
  • §52 — 2.1.2.1. Wild fauna
  • §54 — 2.1.2.3. Conservation status of Togo's wild fauna
  • §56 — Angiosperms
  • §68 — 2.1.6. Invasive alien or spontaneous species

3. National Commitments and GBF Alignment

The NBSAP defines 25 national commitments across three strategic axes. Of these, one is a measurable commitment; 24 are directional aspirations.

Strategic Axis I — Preservation and Restoration of Biodiversity

National Commitment 1 — Spatial planning Togo commits to integrating biodiversity into spatial territorial planning tools "in order to reduce the loss of areas of high importance for biodiversity, including ecosystems of high ecological integrity" [§102]. The Framework Law on Spatial Planning (Law No. 2016-002, 4 January 2016) provides the legislative base; the national territorial planning scheme is identified as underway but not yet finalised. The ministry responsible for planning holds a central role in public investment programming and biodiversity integration into planning tools. Capacity building on Key Biodiversity Areas identification is planned with the KBA/IUCN Partnership and 30×30 initiative. GBF alignment: GBF Target 1. Measurability: Directional aspiration. No area threshold, reduction benchmark, or implementation deadline specified. Indicators: None specified for this commitment in the results framework.

National Commitment 2 — Protected area coverage Togo commits to increasing the total area of protected areas, nature reserves, and community forests "to at least 20% of terrestrial territory, including marine and coastal zones, particularly in areas of high importance for biodiversity and ecosystem functions and services" [§102]. The current baseline is 8% (2021); the results framework sets an interim milestone of 14% by 2026 and a final target of 20% by 2030 [§104]. The National Office for Protected Areas (ONAP), created by Decree No. 2023-112/PR of 27 October 2023, holds responsibility for sustainable management of protected areas — an institutional strengthening that postdates the 2021 baseline [§83]. The absence of any marine protected area is a named diagnostic gap; the action plan allocates 5,000 million FCFA specifically for MPA creation, though the source material specifies no proposed location, size, ecosystem type, or governance model for this MPA [§103]. A further 15,000 million FCFA is allocated to securing existing protected areas [§103]. GBF alignment: GBF Target 3. Togo's 20% commitment diverges explicitly from the GBF's 30×30 benchmark. Measurability: Measurable commitment. Explicit percentage threshold (20%), dated baseline (8%, 2021), interim milestone (14%, 2026), final target (2030). Indicators: Share of territory dedicated to biodiversity conservation (impact-level indicator: 8% baseline, 14% by 2026, 20% by 2030) [§104].

National Commitment 3 — Species recovery Togo commits to taking "urgent measures to halt human-induced extinction of known threatened species and ensure their recovery and conservation" [§102]. The action plan allocates 10,000 million FCFA for threatened species monitoring and human-wildlife conflict management, and 5,000 million FCFA for species recovery within habitats [§103]. Species already effectively extinct in the wild in Togo — including the chimpanzee, African wild dog, grey parrot, and guitarfish — provide the ecological context for this commitment (see Ecological Context section). GBF alignment: GBF Target 4. Measurability: Directional aspiration. No species count target, recovery percentage, or deadline beyond 2030 is specified. Indicators: Animal species count (baseline: 4,175 in 2021; target: maintain this number) [§104].

National Commitment 4 — Genetic diversity Togo commits to safeguarding and/or restoring genetic diversity within populations of indigenous, wild, and domesticated species, and promoting genetic exchanges between these populations [§102]. The action plan allocates 1,000 million FCFA for promotion of sustainable use of genetic resources for food and agriculture [§103]. GBF alignment: GBF Target 4. Measurability: Directional aspiration. No quantified genetic diversity threshold or baseline metric. Indicators: None specified in the results framework.

National Commitment 5 — Invasive alien species Togo commits to reducing "the incidence of invasive alien species on biodiversity and ecosystem services" [§102]. The action plan includes eradication of invasive alien species in natural ecosystems (500 million FCFA), valorisation of invasive species (500 million FCFA), a research strengthening programme (300 million FCFA), and an alert mechanism for accidental introductions (25 million FCFA) [§103]. GBF alignment: GBF Target 6. Measurability: Directional aspiration. "Reduce" without a defined incidence baseline or reduction target. Indicators: None specified in the results framework.

National Commitment 6 — Pollution reduction Togo commits to reducing "risks linked to pollution and the negative impacts of pollution from all sources, notably pesticides, hazardous chemicals, plastics, and organic effluent discharges" [§102]. The action plan allocates 5,000 million FCFA for hazardous and plastic waste management capacity, 1,000 million FCFA for biopesticide dissemination, and 800 million FCFA for controls on hazardous pesticide importation [§103]. GBF alignment: GBF Target 7. Measurability: Directional aspiration. No pollution load baseline, reduction threshold, or quantified milestone. Indicators: None specified in the results framework.

National Commitment 7 — Climate resilience Togo commits to strengthening "the resilience of ecosystems and biodiversity to the effects of climate change through mitigation, adaptation and natural disaster risk reduction measures" [§102]. Contributing instruments include PALCC+ (Support Programme for Climate Change Mitigation), R4C-Togo (Coastal Communities Climate Resilience), the Ecovillages project, and the National Investment Fund for Climate Change and Sustainable Development (FNICC-DD). An existing vulnerability assessment for protected areas facing climate change is cited as a diagnostic strength. GBF alignment: GBF Target 8. Measurability: Directional aspiration. "Strengthen" without a resilience metric or baseline. Indicators: None specified in the results framework.

National Commitment 8 — Ecosystem services Togo commits to strengthening "nature's contributions to people by taking into account ecosystem functions and services such as air, water and climate regulation, soil health, pollination and disease risk reduction, as well as protection against natural risks and disasters" [§102]. Six specific service categories are named in the commitment text. GBF alignment: GBF Target 11. Measurability: Directional aspiration. "Strengthen" without a valuation baseline or measurement framework. Indicators: None specified in the results framework.

National Commitment 9 — Biodiversity mainstreaming Togo commits to strengthening "the consideration of biodiversity in sectoral policies through a systematic process for assessing biodiversity impact in the development and revision of key sectoral policies including agriculture, forestry, fisheries, tourism, urban planning, transport and energy" [§102]. ANGE (National Agency for Environmental Management) coordinates environmental and social assessments across development activities. The national monitoring committee is mandated to track biodiversity integration across all sectors. GBF alignment: GBF Target 14. Measurability: Directional aspiration. "Strengthen" and "establish a systematic process" — outputs undefined and unquantified. Indicators: None specified in the results framework.

National Commitment 10 — Business and finance disclosure Togo commits to taking "binding legal, administrative or policy measures to ensure the consideration of biodiversity in the planning of development actions by businesses and financial institutions" [§102]. ANGE oversees Environmental and Social Management Plans for development projects. The commitment specifies binding instruments, distinguishing it from voluntary approaches. GBF alignment: GBF Target 15. Measurability: Directional aspiration. No coverage rate, enactment timeline, or compliance threshold. Indicators: None specified in the results framework.

National Commitment 11 — Biosafety Togo commits to strengthening "national capacities in biosafety" [§102]. The Scientific and Technical Committee on Biosafety (CSTB) serves as the permanent institutional framework; revision of the Biosafety Law (Law No. 001-2009) is included in the Togo 2025 legislative reform agenda [§80]. Capacity building on biotechnological risk assessment is budgeted at 50 million FCFA [§103]. GBF alignment: GBF Target 17. Measurability: Directional aspiration. No performance benchmark specified. Indicators: None specified in the results framework.

National Commitment 12 — Biodiversity data Togo commits to strengthening "systems for the collection, management and use of biodiversity data at the national level through mechanisms involving local communities" [§102]. The Directorate of Forest Resources is tasked with establishing a digital data collection platform with quarterly focal point submissions and quality control. Several indicator cells in the results framework contain placeholder values ("xx" or "xxx") for plant species counts and threatened plant species numbers, indicating that these baselines remain to be established [§104]. GBF alignment: GBF Target 21. Measurability: Directional aspiration. No data coverage target, completeness threshold, or community participation metric. Indicators: Animal species count; plant species count (baseline pending).

National Commitment 13 — Participatory management Togo commits to strengthening "participatory and inclusive management and traditional practices for biodiversity conservation" [§102]. Guiding principle (xiv) provides for free, prior and informed consent and recognition of traditional knowledge. Traditional chieftainship is formally assigned a dispute-resolution role in land and biodiversity management conflicts. GBF alignment: GBF Target 22. Measurability: Directional aspiration. "Strengthen" without a representation threshold. (Note: the 25% women's representation figure is a results framework indicator [§104], not embedded in the commitment text itself.) Indicators: Representation of women, youth, and vulnerable persons in communal commissions (results framework target: 25% by 2030).

National Commitment 14 — Gender equality Togo commits to ensuring "gender participation in biodiversity conservation through an approach enabling women, young people and other vulnerable persons to benefit from the same opportunities and capacities to contribute to conservation actions" [§102]. An existing guide for gender integration into biodiversity legal texts and programmes is cited as a diagnostic strength. Capacity building on gender and vulnerable group integration is budgeted at 30 million FCFA [§103]. GBF alignment: GBF Target 23. Measurability: Directional aspiration. The results framework targets 25% women's representation in communal commissions [§104], but this threshold is not embedded in the commitment text. Indicators: 25% representation of women, youth, and vulnerable persons in communal biodiversity management commissions by 2030 [§104].

National Commitment 15 — Ecosystem restoration Togo commits to restoring "priority degraded terrestrial and aquatic ecosystem areas, notably areas of high ecological importance or having value for local communities" [§102]. The action plan allocates 5,000 million FCFA each for wetlands and coastal areas, mountain ecosystems, and degraded terrestrial ecosystems [§103]. PNR2 (National Reforestation Project Phase 2) and GDTE (Sustainable Land and Ecosystem Management) contribute to restoration delivery. No quantified restoration percentage target is set — the source material offers no area percentage, hectarage, or timeframe equivalent to the GBF's 30% restoration benchmark, and the writer should note this gap explicitly. GBF alignment: GBF Target 2. Measurability: Directional aspiration. "Priority areas" is undefined; no percentage, hectarage, or timeframe specified. Indicators: National forest cover rate (baseline: 24.24%; target: 26% by 2030) [§104].

National Commitment 16 — Ecological connectivity Togo commits to restoring "ecological connectivity between protected areas and other conservation zones, in particular essential biological corridors for the movement of species populations" [§102]. The action plan allocates 10,000 million FCFA for creating connectivity between areas of high biodiversity value, 5,500 million FCFA for developing existing ecological corridors, and 500 million FCFA for transboundary corridor management [§103]. GBF alignment: GBF Target 3 (connectivity dimension). Measurability: Directional aspiration. No connectivity metric, corridor length, or landscape-level threshold. Indicators: None specified in the results framework.

National Commitment 17 — Urban biodiversity Togo commits to promoting "green and blue spaces in urban and peri-urban areas by creating zoological parks, public gardens and biodiversity conservation zones to improve citizens' quality of life and promote ecological connectivity" [§102]. The action plan commits 5,000 million FCFA to zoological and zoobotanical parks and arboretums, 1,500 million FCFA for beach and lagoon landscaping, and 500 million FCFA for urban forests and public gardens [§103]. GBF alignment: GBF Target 12. Measurability: Directional aspiration. No coverage area, number of sites, or urban greening percentage. Indicators: None specified in the results framework.

Strategic Axis II — Sustainable Use of Biodiversity and Benefit Sharing

National Commitment 18 — Sustainable harvest Togo commits to ensuring "sustainable, safe and legal harvesting and trade of wild species" [§102]. Togo ratified CITES on 23 October 1978; the CITES Scientific Committee is represented on the national monitoring committee. A new law on the protection and trade of endangered wild species is identified as part of the Togo 2025 legislative reform agenda [§80]. A management plan for CITES species and a species identification guide are each allocated 50 million FCFA [§103]. GBF alignment: GBF Target 5. Measurability: Directional aspiration. No harvest volume baseline, trade compliance rate, or species coverage metric. Indicators: None specified in the results framework.

National Commitment 19 — Wild species use Togo commits to promoting "sustainable management and use of wild species to provide social, economic and environmental benefits to populations, in particular vulnerable populations and those most dependent on biodiversity" [§102]. GBF alignment: GBF Target 9. Measurability: Directional aspiration. No beneficiary count, income threshold, or coverage percentage. Indicators: None specified in the results framework.

National Commitment 20 — Sustainable agriculture and forestry Togo commits to ensuring "sustainable management of agricultural, aquacultural, fisheries and forestry zones through practices respectful of biodiversity" [§102]. Traditional agroforestry parklands of néré (Parkia biglobosa), shea (Vitellaria paradoxa), baobab (Adansonia digitata), and rônier palm (Borassus aethiopum) across ecological zones I–III are documented as existing biodiversity-compatible practices [§35]. The action plan includes scaling up agroecology (500 million FCFA) and biodiversity value chain development (100 million FCFA) [§103]. GBF alignment: GBF Target 10. Measurability: Directional aspiration. No area-under-sustainable-management target or adoption rate. Indicators: None specified in the results framework.

National Commitment 21 — Sustainable consumption Togo commits to promoting "responsible and sustainable consumption practices through policy, legislative or regulatory frameworks" [§102]. The commitment focuses on regulatory instrument development rather than specifying quantified consumption reduction targets. GBF alignment: GBF Target 16. Measurability: Directional aspiration. Instrument-focused; no consumption reduction metric. Indicators: None specified in the results framework.

National Commitment 22 — Access and benefit sharing Togo commits to taking "effective legal, policy, administrative and technical measures to ensure the fair and equitable sharing of benefits arising from the use of genetic resources and traditional and associated knowledge" [§102]. Togo ratified the Nagoya Protocol on ABS on 9 February 2016. Capacity building on digital sequence information (DSI) on genetic resources is budgeted at 50 million FCFA, with beneficiaries including local communities, pharmaceutical laboratories, and traditional medicine practitioners [§103]. The Multilateral Benefit-Sharing Fund arising from DSI use is identified as an expected external financing source, placing Togo among a small group of LDC NBSAPs that treat DSI as a live financing instrument rather than a future abstraction [§114]. (Note: the results framework targets 2 genetic resource exploitation permits by 2030 [§104], but this indicator target is not embedded in the commitment text.) GBF alignment: GBF Target 13. Measurability: Directional aspiration. No specific legal milestone or benefit-sharing rate embedded in the commitment. Indicators: Number of genetic resource exploitation permits issued (baseline: 0; target: 2 by 2030) [§104].

Strategic Axis III — Sustainable Financing of Biodiversity

National Commitment 23 — Harmful subsidies Togo commits to reducing "subsidies harmful to biodiversity conservation and use, focusing on those with the greatest negative impacts on biodiversity" [§102]. Capacity building on harmful subsidy identification is budgeted at 45 million FCFA with UNDP/BIOFIN as partner; beneficiary ministries include Economy and Finance, Agriculture, Mines, Energy, and Transport [§103]. The action plan calls for replacement of harmful subsidies with economic incentives favouring conservation. No inventory of existing harmful subsidies or quantified value of harmful subsidies appears in the available source material. GBF alignment: GBF Target 18. Measurability: Directional aspiration. No subsidy inventory baseline, FCFA reduction target, or timeline for reform adoption. Indicators: Financial flows harmful to biodiversity (baseline and target to be established) [§104].

National Commitment 24 — Finance mobilisation Togo commits to significantly increasing "financial resources from all sources, in an effective and timely manner by facilitating access to national, international, public and private resources" [§102]. Total implementation cost is estimated at 116,295 million FCFA; 94,760 million FCFA (~172 million USD) remains to be mobilised (see Finance section for full figures) [§110]. GBF alignment: GBF Target 19. Measurability: Directional aspiration. Budget figures are documented, but the commitment text does not embed a specific annual mobilisation target or funding milestone. Indicators: Financial flows favourable to biodiversity (baseline and target to be established) [§104].

National Commitment 25 — Capacity investment Togo commits to increasing "investment in training and strengthening of scientific, technical and technological capacities related to biodiversity, in particular in ecology, conservation biology and natural resource management" [§102]. The capacity building plan identifies 14 costed training areas; MERF is the responsible structure for all 14, with external support identified for 12 (see Delivery Architecture section). GBF alignment: GBF Target 20. Measurability: Directional aspiration. No investment threshold or training outcome target embedded in the commitment text, despite 14 costed capacity building areas in the action plan. Indicators: None specified in the results framework.

Sources:

  • §35 — Agroforestry parklands
  • §38–§39 — Protected areas; Community and sacred forests
  • §54 — 2.1.2.3. Conservation status of Togo's wild fauna
  • §80 — Legal framework > Legislative texts
  • §83 — 2.2.2.1. Public administration
  • §100–§102 — Specific Objectives; Strategic Axes; 3.4. National Targets
  • §103 — 3.5. Action Plan Matrix
  • §104 — 4.1. Strategy results framework (Table 11)
  • §110 — 4.3. Resource Mobilisation Strategy
  • §114 — 4.3.2. External Financing Sources

4. Delivery Architecture

Institutional Framework

The Ministry of the Environment and Forest Resources (MERF) leads NBSAP implementation. The Directorate of Forest Resources (DRF) serves as the central implementing structure and NBSAP technical secretariat; the Directorate of the Environment (DE) coordinates national environmental preservation policy [§83].

Four agencies attached to MERF hold specific delivery mandates. The National Office for Protected Areas (ONAP), established by Decree No. 2023-112/PR of 27 October 2023, manages protected areas and promotes participatory management — a governance institution created during the NBSAP revision process itself. The National Agency for Environmental Management (ANGE) coordinates environmental and social assessments and oversees Environmental and Social Management Plans. The National Environment Fund (FNE), established under the Framework Law on the Environment, finances environmental actions. The Office for the Development and Exploitation of Forests (ODEF) manages the national forest estate and supports establishment of community forests [§83].

The National Commission for Sustainable Development (CNDD) (Decree No. 2011-016/PR) provides advisory branches at regional, prefectural, and communal or cantonal levels. Thirteen ministries beyond MERF hold defined biodiversity integration roles, spanning finance, planning, agriculture, water, mines and energy, social action, maritime affairs, research, education, communication, grassroots development, and tourism [§83].

Domestic Legislation

The NBSAP identifies 11 national laws underpinning biodiversity governance. Principal instruments include: the Framework Law on the Environment (Law No. 2008-005, 30 May 2008); the Forestry Code (Law No. 2008-009, 19 June 2008); the Water Code (Law No. 2010-004, 14 June 2010); the Biosafety Law (Law No. 001-2009, 6 January 2009); the Framework Law on Spatial Planning (Law No. 2016-002, 4 January 2016); the Coastline Planning, Protection and Enhancement Law (Law No. 2021-011, 25 May 2021); and the Decentralisation and Local Freedoms Law (Law No. 2007-011, most recently amended by Law No. 2022-011, 4 July 2022) [§80].

Legislative Reform Agenda

The Togo 2025 roadmap (feuille de route Togo 2025) prioritises simultaneous revision of the Framework Law on the Environment, the Forestry Code, and the Biosafety Law, alongside adoption of new laws on the trade of endangered wild species, climate change, and protected areas [§80]. Five legislative instruments are identified as under development; the source material provides no bill numbers, parliamentary calendar, or enactment status.

Active Programmes and Projects

Domestic investment flows through the Public Investment Programme (PIP). Named PIP projects include: PNR2 (National Reforestation Project Phase 2), PNGAP (National Protected Areas Management Project), PBE (Fuelwood Energy Project), PRECAFE2 (Capacity Building for Forestry and Environmental Administration Phase 2), PQAT (Air Quality Monitoring Project in Togo), and the Green Tourism Development Project [§112].

Externally financed projects currently under implementation include WACA, R4C-Togo (coastal climate resilience), PALCC+ (climate change mitigation), GDTE (Sustainable Land and Ecosystem Management), Ecovillages, the Support Project for the Sustainable Management of the Fosse aux Lions Classified Forest, the Green Economy Project, and the Capacity Building Project for the Implementation of the Multilateral System [§114].

Capacity Building Plan

The action plan includes 14 costed capacity building areas, with MERF as the responsible structure for all activities. The largest line items are: procedures for establishing private and community protected areas (150 million FCFA); financing mechanisms and partner requirements (100 million FCFA); marine and coastal biodiversity inventory (60 million FCFA); and species introduction and reintroduction (60 million FCFA). External support is identified for 12 of the 14 areas; named partners include IUCN, WWF, UNDP/BIOFIN, the CBD Secretariat, USAID/WABiLED, the CITES Secretariat, and the ABS Initiative [§103].

Sources:

  • §80 — Legal framework > Legislative texts
  • §81 — Legal framework > Regulatory texts
  • §83 — 2.2.2.1. Public administration
  • §103 — 3.5. Action Plan Matrix
  • §112 — Direct financing through the State budget
  • §114 — 4.3.2. External Financing Sources

Subnational Governance: Togo's 117-Commune Framework

The NBSAP establishes a targeted commune-level governance architecture as a distinct operational layer for NBSAP delivery. The results framework generates four specific numeric outputs at the communal level: establishment of 117 communal biodiversity management commissions by 2030; integration of biodiversity into all 117 communal development plans by 2030; training of 234 communal officials in natural resource management and biodiversity (78 by 2026; 234 by 2030); and 25% representation of women, youth, and vulnerable persons in communal commissions by 2030 [§104].

MERF's decentralised services — regional and prefectural directorates — serve as implementation relays between central directorates and communal structures [§83]. The Decentralisation and Local Freedoms Law (Law No. 2007-011, most recently amended 2022) provides the legal basis for territorial authorities' role in adopting biodiversity protection measures and implementing national forestry policy [§80][§84].

Traditional chieftainship is formally assigned a dispute-resolution role in land and biodiversity management conflicts, supported by cantonal development committees (CCD), village development committees (CVD), and neighbourhood development committees (CDQ) [§84]. The national monitoring committee includes a representative of the umbrella organisation of Togo's communes [§106].

This architecture distinguishes Togo's implementation model: rather than treating communes as passive recipients of national policy, the NBSAP generates specific numeric governance outputs at the communal level — a granularity uncommon in comparable NBSAPs.

Sources:

  • §80 — Legal framework > Legislative texts
  • §83 — 2.2.2.1. Public administration
  • §84 — 2.2.2.2. Decentralised and local structures
  • §104 — 4.1. Strategy results framework (Table 11)
  • §106 — 4.2.1. National Committee for Monitoring the Implementation of the NBSAP

5. Monitoring and Accountability

Governance Structure

Implementation oversight rests with a three-tier M&E architecture: a national monitoring committee, a technical secretariat (DRF), and sectoral focal points [§105].

The National Committee is chaired by the Secretary-General of MERF, with the Director of Forest Resources as rapporteur. Members include directors of MERF's key directorates and agencies; Secretaries-General of twelve line ministries; a representative of the Presidential Unit for Monitoring Priority Projects; a representative of the General Secretariat of the Government; a representative of the umbrella organisation of Togo's communes; a representative of technical and financial partners; representatives of the CITES Scientific Committee and the Scientific and Technical Committee on Biosafety; and representatives of civil society, NGO umbrella organisations, women's organisations, and youth organisations [§106]. The committee meets annually and is mandated to monitor target achievement by sectors and private organisations, track biodiversity integration across all sectors, and provide guidance on the government's biodiversity conservation ambition [§107].

The Technical Secretariat (DRF) designs data collection tools, manages the biodiversity implementation database, mobilises resources, and prepares semi-annual and annual reports. It is responsible for establishing a digital data collection platform from sectoral bodies, conducting quarterly quality control sessions to validate submitted data, and submitting an annual report to the national committee no later than two weeks before its annual meeting. A transitional data collection template is planned for use during the period before the digital platform is operational [§108].

Sectoral focal points designated in all relevant structures centralise data on target achievement and submit collected data quarterly to the technical secretariat. Capacity building sessions are planned for focal points on monitoring tools and reporting frequency [§109].

Results Framework

The results framework (Table 11) is structured across one impact-level indicator, five outcome-level indicators, and 25 national commitment-level output indicators, with baseline values from 2021, interim targets for 2026, and final targets for 2030. Verification sources are predominantly MERF activity reports and the MERF, CHM, and Biodiversity websites [§104].

The impact indicator — share of territory dedicated to biodiversity conservation — tracks the pathway from 8% (2021) to 14% (2026) to 20% (2030). Outcome indicators cover animal species count, national forest cover rate, number of genetic resource exploitation permits, and financial flows both favourable and harmful to biodiversity. Several indicator cells, including plant species counts and threatened plant species numbers, contain placeholder values ("xx" or "xxx"), indicating that these baselines remain to be established; the monitoring framework should not be considered complete at the time of NBSAP adoption [§104].

A permanent national consultation framework on biodiversity, a national biodiversity data collection system involving local communities, and a grievance management mechanism are each targeted for establishment by 2030 [§104].

Sources:

  • §104 — 4.1. Strategy results framework (Table 11)
  • §105 — 4.2. Monitoring and Evaluation Framework
  • §106 — 4.2.1. National Committee
  • §107 — National committee missions
  • §108 — 4.2.2. Technical Secretariat
  • §109 — 4.2.3. Focal Points

6. Finance and Resource Mobilisation

The NBSAP estimates total implementation cost at 116,295 million FCFA over 2021–2030. Of this, 21,535 million FCFA is currently mobilised through ongoing MERF projects; the remaining financing gap is 94,760 million FCFA (~172 million USD) [§110]. Note: the action plan matrix states a total budgeted cost of 136,345 million FCFA [§103]. These figures cannot both be correct; the writer must resolve this discrepancy against the primary NBSAP document before publication.

The strategy dedicates an entire strategic axis (Strategic Axis III) to sustainable financing, containing three national commitments on harmful subsidy reform, resource mobilisation, and capacity investment. This structural choice reflects the diagnostic finding that the 2011–2020 NBSAP was constrained by "the absence of a sustainable financing mechanism dedicated to biodiversity" and the absence of a coordination and reporting system for biodiversity-related resource mobilisation [§87].

Domestic public financing flows through the State budget via the Public Investment Programme (PIP), with contributing projects including PNR2, PNGAP, PBE, PRECAFE2, PQAT, and the Green Tourism Development Project. Special funds identified include FPDAM (mineral activities), FGIRE (integrated water resources management), and FNICC-DD (climate change and sustainable development) [§112]. The NBSAP notes that additional mechanisms may be created to address gaps in protected area surveillance and wildlife resource management [§112].

Private sector financing names cement factories, mining industries, agri-food industries, extractive industries, and private individuals as supplementary sources. No specific amounts, contractual mechanisms, or CSR commitments are detailed in the available source material [§113].

External financing is organised across four tiers: special funds including the Global Biodiversity Framework Fund, the Multilateral Benefit-Sharing Fund arising from DSI use, and coalition initiatives (High Ambition Coalition for Nature, Partnership for Accelerating NBSAP Implementation); multilateral institutions (GEF, GCF, Adaptation Fund, LDCF, SCCF, FAO, UNDP, UNEP, World Bank, IFC, AfDB); sub-regional bodies (BOAD, WAEMU, ECOWAS, CILSS, EBID); and bilateral partners (KfW/GIZ, USAID, FFEM, AFD, EU, EIB, JICA) [§114]. The explicit identification of the Multilateral Benefit-Sharing Fund from DSI as an expected revenue source places Togo among a small group of LDC NBSAPs that treat DSI as a live financing instrument.

Resource mobilisation approach. The NBSAP proposes establishing a Financial Resource Mobilisation Unit with Partners (Project Management Office, PMO) within the ministry responsible for the environment, specifically to formulate bids for the GEF, Green Climate Fund, and Adaptation Fund [§115]. Additional priorities include establishing trust funds, accelerating public-private partnerships, creating reliable baseline data for project preparation, and building institutional capacity for administrative and financial management. A dedicated capacity building action on project formulation for GEF, AF, and GCF is budgeted alongside training on identifying financing harmful to biodiversity (45 million FCFA, UNDP/BIOFIN partner) [§116].

GBF Target 19 (finance mobilisation) receives substantive treatment through a dedicated strategic axis, a quantified financing gap, and a proposed institutional mechanism — the PMO — for closing that gap.

Sources:

  • §3, §87 — Foreword; State of implementation of 2011–2020 NBSAP
  • §102–§103 — National Targets; Action Plan Matrix
  • §110, §112–§116 — Resource Mobilisation Strategy; Financing sources; Mobilisation approach; Capacity building

7. GBF Target Coverage

GBF Target 1 — Spatial Planning

Tier 1 — Addressed. National Commitment 1 maps to GBF Target 1, committing to integrate biodiversity into spatial territorial planning tools to reduce loss of areas of high importance for biodiversity. The Framework Law on Spatial Planning (Law No. 2016-002, 2016) provides the legislative base. The ministry responsible for planning holds a central role in public investment programming and biodiversity integration. The national territorial planning scheme is identified as both underway and absent from the diagnostic — flagged as a named weakness. Capacity building on KBA identification approaches is planned with the KBA/IUCN Partnership and 30×30 initiative.

GBF Target 2 — Ecosystem Restoration

Tier 1 — Addressed. National Commitment 15 commits to restoring priority degraded terrestrial and aquatic ecosystem areas. The action plan allocates 5,000 million FCFA each for wetlands and coastal restoration, mountain ecosystems, and degraded terrestrial ecosystems. PNR2 (National Reforestation Project Phase 2) and GDTE (Sustainable Land and Ecosystem Management) are named delivery instruments. The NBSAP does not set a quantified restoration percentage target; the national forest cover rate tracks from a 24.24% baseline to a 26% target by 2030.

GBF Target 3 — Protected Areas (30×30)

Tier 1 — Addressed. Two national commitments address GBF Target 3. National Commitment 2 — the NBSAP's only measurable commitment — sets a 20% terrestrial coverage target by 2030, against an 8% (2021) baseline and a 14% (2026) interim milestone; this diverges explicitly from the GBF's 30×30 benchmark. National Commitment 16 commits to restoring ecological connectivity, with 10,000 million FCFA allocated for connectivity creation and 5,500 million FCFA for existing corridor development. ONAP, established by Decree No. 2023-112/PR of 27 October 2023, is the dedicated protected area management body. The absence of any marine protected area is a named diagnostic gap; 5,000 million FCFA is allocated for MPA creation, with no proposed location, size, or governance model specified in the source material.

GBF Target 4 — Species Recovery

Tier 1 — Addressed. Two national commitments address GBF Target 4. National Commitment 3 commits to urgent measures to halt human-induced extinction and ensure species recovery; National Commitment 4 commits to safeguarding genetic diversity and promoting genetic exchanges across wild and domesticated species populations. The NBSAP documents 71 threatened species derived from global IUCN assessments applied nationally (Togo has no national red list); species effectively extinct in the wild in Togo include the chimpanzee, African wild dog, grey parrot, and guitarfish. The action plan allocates 10,000 million FCFA for threatened species monitoring and human-wildlife conflict management and 5,000 million FCFA for in-habitat species recovery.

GBF Target 5 — Sustainable Harvest

Tier 1 — Addressed. National Commitment 18 commits to sustainable, safe, and legal harvesting and trade of wild species. Togo ratified CITES on 23 October 1978; the CITES Scientific Committee is represented on the national monitoring committee. A new law on the protection and trade of endangered wild species is part of the Togo 2025 legislative reform agenda. A CITES species management plan and a species identification guide are each allocated 50 million FCFA.

GBF Target 6 — Invasive Alien Species

Tier 1 — Addressed. National Commitment 5 commits to reducing the incidence of invasive alien species. The NBSAP documents specific threats: the terrestrial grass Digitaria insularis spreading through the forest zone; Priva lappulacea newly invasive; and aquatic plants including Eichhornia natans and Ceratophyllum demersum impeding navigation and fishing in pond water bodies. The action plan allocates 500 million FCFA each for eradication and valorisation of invasive species, 300 million FCFA for research, and 25 million FCFA for an alert mechanism for accidental introductions.

GBF Target 7 — Pollution Reduction

Tier 1 — Addressed. National Commitment 6 commits to reducing pollution risks from all sources, explicitly naming pesticides, hazardous chemicals, plastics, and organic effluent discharges. The action plan allocates 5,000 million FCFA for hazardous and plastic waste management capacity, 1,000 million FCFA for biopesticide dissemination, and 800 million FCFA for controls on hazardous pesticide importation. Togo has ratified MARPOL (1985), the London Convention (2014), and the Stockholm, Rotterdam, Minamata, and Basel conventions. The Air Quality Monitoring Project (PQAT) is a named contributing investment.

GBF Target 8 — Climate and Biodiversity

Tier 1 — Addressed. National Commitment 7 commits to strengthening ecosystem and biodiversity resilience to climate change through mitigation, adaptation, and natural disaster risk reduction measures — integrating disaster risk reduction alongside climate response. Togo ratified the UNFCCC (1995) and the Paris Agreement (2017). Contributing instruments include PALCC+, R4C-Togo, and the Ecovillages project. An existing vulnerability assessment for protected areas in relation to climate change is cited as a diagnostic strength. Relevant financing mechanisms include FNICC-DD, GCF, Adaptation Fund, and LDCF.

GBF Target 9 — Wild Species Use

Tier 1 — Addressed. National Commitment 19 commits to promoting sustainable management and use of wild species to provide social, economic, and environmental benefits, explicitly naming vulnerable populations and those most dependent on biodiversity as intended beneficiaries. Detailed action plan entries for this commitment were not available in the extracted source material.

GBF Target 10 — Agriculture and Forestry

Tier 1 — Addressed. National Commitment 20 commits to sustainable management of agricultural, aquacultural, fisheries, and forestry zones through biodiversity-respectful practices. Traditional agroforestry parklands of néré, shea, baobab, and rônier palm across ecological zones I–III are documented as existing biodiversity-compatible practices. The action plan includes scaling up agroecology (500 million FCFA) and biodiversity value chain development (100 million FCFA). The ministry responsible for agriculture holds defined roles in conservation and sustainable use of genetic resources for food and agriculture.

GBF Target 11 — Ecosystem Services (NbS)

Tier 1 — Addressed. National Commitment 8 commits to strengthening nature's contributions to people across six named service categories: air, water and climate regulation; soil health; pollination; disease risk reduction; and protection against natural disasters. The NBSAP classifies ecosystem services into four types (provisioning, regulating, supporting, and cultural). No valuation baseline or measurement framework for nature's contributions is specified.

GBF Target 12 — Urban Biodiversity

Tier 1 — Addressed. National Commitment 17 commits to promoting green and blue spaces in urban and peri-urban areas through creation of zoological parks, public gardens, and biodiversity conservation zones. The action plan allocates 5,000 million FCFA for zoological and zoobotanical parks and arboretums, 1,500 million FCFA for beach and lagoon landscaping, and 500 million FCFA for urban forests and public gardens. The commitment explicitly links urban green and blue spaces to ecological connectivity, not solely to amenity or quality of life.

GBF Target 13 — Genetic Resources / ABS

Tier 1 — Addressed. National Commitment 22 commits to effective measures ensuring fair and equitable benefit sharing from use of genetic resources and traditional knowledge. Togo ratified the Nagoya Protocol on 9 February 2016. DSI on genetic resources is explicitly addressed in a 50 million FCFA capacity building action, with beneficiaries including local communities, pharmaceutical laboratories, and traditional medicine practitioners. The Multilateral Benefit-Sharing Fund from DSI is listed as an expected external financing source. The results framework targets 2 genetic resource exploitation permits by 2030.

GBF Target 14 — Mainstreaming

Tier 1 — Addressed. National Commitment 9 commits to establishing a systematic process for biodiversity impact assessment in the development and revision of sectoral policies, naming seven sectors: agriculture, forestry, fisheries, tourism, urban planning, transport, and energy. ANGE coordinates environmental and social assessments across development activities. The national monitoring committee is mandated to track biodiversity mainstreaming across all sectors. The diagnostic notes biodiversity integration into communal development plans and most sectoral planning documents as a strength, while weak synergy between sectoral programmes is identified as a weakness.

GBF Target 15 — Business Disclosure

Tier 1 — Addressed. National Commitment 10 commits to binding legal, administrative, or policy measures to ensure biodiversity consideration in development planning by businesses and financial institutions — explicitly naming both categories and specifying binding rather than voluntary instruments. ANGE oversees Environmental and Social Management Plans for development projects. The private sector (cement, mining, agri-food, extractive industries) is identified as a supplementary financing source in the resource mobilisation strategy.

GBF Target 16 — Sustainable Consumption

Tier 1 — Addressed. National Commitment 21 commits to promoting responsible and sustainable consumption practices through policy, legislative, or regulatory frameworks. The commitment focuses on regulatory instrument development; no quantified consumption reduction metric equivalent to the GBF benchmark is included. Alignment with Agenda 2063's sustainable consumption and production priorities is noted.

GBF Target 17 — Biosafety

Tier 1 — Addressed. National Commitment 11 commits to strengthening national biosafety capacities. Togo ratified the Cartagena Protocol (2 July 2004) and the Nagoya-Kuala Lumpur Supplementary Protocol on Liability and Redress (9 February 2016). The Biosafety Law (Law No. 001-2009) and ECOWAS Regulation No. C/REG.04/09/2020 on biotechnological risk prevention provide the national and regional legal framework. The CSTB (Scientific and Technical Committee on Biosafety) is the permanent institutional framework, represented on the national monitoring committee. Revision of the Biosafety Law is included in the Togo 2025 reform agenda. Biotechnological risk assessment capacity building is budgeted at 50 million FCFA.

GBF Target 18 — Harmful Subsidies

Tier 1 — Addressed. National Commitment 23 commits to reducing subsidies harmful to biodiversity, focusing on those with the greatest negative impacts. A reform plan for progressive subsidy elimination and replacement with conservation incentives is included in the action plan. Capacity building on subsidy identification is budgeted at 45 million FCFA with UNDP/BIOFIN as partner; beneficiary ministries — Agriculture, Mines, Energy, Transport — indicate the sectors where harmful subsidies are expected. No inventory of existing harmful subsidies or quantified estimate of their value appears in the available source material.

GBF Target 19 — Finance Mobilisation

Tier 1 — Addressed. National Commitment 24 commits to significantly increasing financial resources from all sources. The NBSAP provides a quantified budget: 116,295 million FCFA total, 21,535 million FCFA currently mobilised, 94,760 million FCFA (~172 million USD) gap. A proposed PMO (Project Management Office) within the environment ministry would centralise project formulation for the GEF, GCF, and Adaptation Fund. Togo is party to the High Ambition Coalition for Nature and the Partnership for Accelerating NBSAP Implementation. The Multilateral Benefit-Sharing Fund from DSI is among identified financing sources. GBF Target 19 receives substantive treatment in a dedicated strategic axis.

GBF Target 20 — Capacity and Technology

Tier 1 — Addressed. National Commitment 25 commits to increasing investment in biodiversity-related scientific, technical, and technological capacity, particularly in ecology, conservation biology, and natural resource management. The capacity building plan identifies 14 training areas with individual budgets and named partners; the largest item is procedures for establishing private and community protected areas (150 million FCFA). MERF is the responsible structure for all 14 activities; external support is identified for 12.

GBF Target 21 — Data and Information

Tier 1 — Addressed. National Commitment 12 commits to strengthening biodiversity data collection, management, and use through mechanisms involving local communities. The DRF technical secretariat is tasked with establishing a digital data collection platform, conducting quarterly quality control sessions, and compiling annual implementation reports. Focal points in all relevant structures submit data quarterly. The national biodiversity monograph is targeted for revision. Multiple indicator baseline cells in the results framework contain placeholder values, indicating that the monitoring infrastructure is still being established at the time of NBSAP adoption.

GBF Target 22 — Inclusive Participation

Tier 1 — Addressed. National Commitment 13 commits to strengthening participatory and inclusive management and traditional practices for biodiversity conservation. Guiding principle (xiv) provides explicitly for free, prior and informed consent and recognition of traditional knowledge, innovations, worldviews, values, and practices. Women's and youth organisations are formally represented on the national monitoring committee. The previous NBSAP's experience with strong community engagement is cited as a foundation for the current approach.

GBF Target 23 — Gender Equality

Tier 1 — Addressed. National Commitment 14 commits to ensuring gender participation in biodiversity conservation, extending explicitly to women, youth, and other vulnerable persons. An existing guide for gender integration into biodiversity legal texts and programmes is cited as a diagnostic strength. The results framework targets 25% representation of women, youth, and vulnerable persons in communal biodiversity management commissions by 2030. The ministry responsible for social action and promotion of women holds formal responsibility for integrating gender into biodiversity conservation policies. Gender integration capacity building (30 million FCFA) is one of only two training areas not requiring external support.

Translated from French