Summary

Togo's accession to the United Nations Convention on Biological Diversity in 1992 in Rio and its ratification in October 1995 offers a new framework for the conservation and management of the country's biological resources.

This provision allowed Togo to prepare, on the one hand, a national monograph document and, on the other hand, a strategy document for the conservation and sustainable use of biological diversity, as recommended by the Convention to all contracting parties.

The objective of the strategy and action plan for the conservation of biological diversity thus developed is to guarantee to present and future generations, rational and sustainable management of resources in order to improve the living conditions of citizens

State of biological

diversity Biodiversity is the living environment that surrounds us: terrestrial ecosystems (forests, savannas, etc.), aquatic ecosystems (rivers, lakes, ponds) Biodiversity is the living environment that surrounds us: terrestrial ecosystems (forests, savannas, etc.), aquatic ecosystems (rivers, lakes, ponds, etc.) , sea), flora and fauna.

Ecosystems Togolese

ecosystems, which are very diverse, include both terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems, which are unfortunately in perpetual deterioration as a result of numerous anthropogenic pressures.

Terrestrial ecosystems consist of semi-deciduous forests, dry forests and open forests, Guinean savannas, Sudanian savannas, gallery and riparian forests.

Aquatic ecosystems consist of river, lake, marine ecosystems and a particular ecosystem (mangroves).

Fluvial ecosystems include river basins including the Volta basin, the Mono basin, the Zio-Haho basin. The flora consists of algae and water lilies and the fauna is rich in various species of fish and crustaceans.

Lake ecosystems include lakes, lagoons, artificial or natural pools, temporary or permanent. The flora consists of algae (poorly known), water lilies, but also invasive plants such as lettuce, water hyacinth and lentils. The wildlife is dominated by fish.

Marine ecosystems consist mainly of sand, with two rocky areas.

Underwater flora is very poorly known, with the exception of algae, of which some beach-rock populations have been the subject of summary inventories for educational purposes. The marine fauna is rich. Migratory species are also encountered, including mammals (Whales, Dolphins, etc.), reptiles (turtles) and birds.

Mangroves are considered to be specific ecosystems in Togo. They are halophilic edaphic formations, typically tropical and exclusively coastal, whose main characteristic is their floristic composition dominated by mangroves. They now cover less than 1000 ha with two mangrove species: Rhizophora racemosa and Avicennia germinans, with which Drepanocarpus lunatus, Pterocarpus santalinoides and Acrostichum aureum are associated. These ecosystems are rich in various fish species.

Species diversity Ecosystem

diversity has encouraged a great variety of flora and fauna.

Flora

The Togolese flora has 3491 terrestrial species and 261 aquatic species representing all the systematic groups currently recorded on the national territory. Viruses have 56 species, Bacteria 55, Cyanophyceae 6, Cyanophyceae 6, Algae 295, Fungi 190, 133 bryophytes, 114 Pteridophytes, 13 Gymnosperms, 13 Gymnosperms, 13 Gymnosperms including only one spontaneous. Angiosperms have 2990 spontaneous and cultivated species whose main families represented are Poaceae, Fabaceae, Cyperaceae, Rubiaceae and Euphorbiaceae. A single plant species, Phyllanthus rouxii (Euphorbiaceae) growing on the ferruginous hills north of Bassar is reported as endemic. Several species are threatened with extinction or are endangered or vulnerable.

However, the Togolese flora is poorly known since several phyla have not been studied. These are Lichens, Higher Fungi, Cyanophyceae, Algae etc. Wildlife



The inventory of Togolese fauna has made it possible to identify 3476 species including 2312 terrestrial species, 1146 aquatic species and 18 domestic terrestrial species (Mammals, Birds); it is also reported that some wild species

(3 Reptiles, 3 species of Fish, 4 species of Molluscs) are also occasionally domesticated.

This fauna consists of Protozoa (57 species), Cnidarians (17 species), Cnidarians (17 species), Platyhelminths (24 species), Nematodes (11 species), Annelids (13 species), Crustaceans (145 species), Insects (145 species), Insects (1493 species), Insects (1493 species), Insects (1493 species), Myriapods (43 species), Myriapods (43 species), Molluscs (177 species), Echinoderms (23 species), Amphibians (39 species), Amphibians (39 species), Amphibians (39 species), Amphibians (39 species), Amphibians (39 species), Amphibians (39 species), Amphibians (39 species), AmReptiles (156 species), Fish (342 species), Birds (708 species), Mammals (228 species).

Four endemic species are reported among the Togolese fauna: among the invertebrates, a Mollusc, the giant snail (Achatina togoensis) in the Adélé massif; among the vertebrates, 3 Amphibians: Conraua derooi in the semi-deciduous forests of Kloto (Plateaux Region), Aubria subsubgillata in Kovié (Maritime Region), Bufo togoensis in the Adélé Massif (Central Region).

Four species of migratory sea turtles frequent the Togolese coast either to lay eggs (Chelonia mydas, Lepidochelys olivacea, Dermochelys coriacea) or for food (Erethmochelys imbricata) or for food (Erethmochelys imbricata).

Dolphins and whales are also present in Togolese marine waters and breed there.

In some pools, crocodiles, hippopotamuses, manatees, protected species are recorded.

The causes of biodiversity loss

Four main causes underlie the loss of biological diversity in Togo. These are anthropogenic causes, legal causes, institutional causes, scientific causes.

Anthropogenic causes

The main anthropogenic causes are population growth, traditional agricultural practices, traditional agricultural practices, bush fires, overexploitation of biological resources, poaching, habitat destruction etc. From these anthropogenic causes, natural causes such as climate change, river siltation, etc. Legal and regulatory causes On the



In legal terms, the causes of the loss of biological diversity are: the sometimes
inappropriateness, inconsistency, inadequacy and lack or
poor application of texts, laws and regulations relating to the management of natural resources.

Institutional causes

Very few qualified agents work in the field of
Togolese biological diversity. It is also unfortunate to note a lack of coordination and
synergy between the technical services that exist in the various sectors and whose
responsibilities are poorly defined.

Scientific causes

There are shortcomings in the knowledge of the elements of Togolese biological diversity, but also a lack of studies on the impact of development projects likely to affect biodiversity.

Measures for the management and conservation of biological diversity

Apart from traditional methods of managing biological diversity (practice of agroforestry, creation of sacred forests, village forests, protection of venerated animals, conservation of agricultural products, etc.) management and conservation are carried out within a legal and institutional framework concerning natural resources in general.

The legal framework

The measures in force are mainly orders, decrees and national laws or international conventions.

National texts

There are general texts, including the Constitution of 14 October 1992, which establishes the right of everyone to a healthy environment and requires the State to ensure the protection of the environment and natural resources. Law No. 88-14 of November 03, 1988 on the Environmental Code, unfortunately not applied due to the lack of implementing texts.

Sectoral texts on the management of flora and fauna, hunting and fishing.

Togolese forest legislation is based on the decree of 5 February 1938 on the organization of the forest regime in Togolese territory. It is following this text that protected areas have been created since colonial periods. In 1990, there were 83 protected areas. Today, most of them are partially or completely invaded by local populations.

International conventions

Togo has signed or ratified several conventions, treaties and agreements relating to the protection of the environment. In 1992, he signed the United Nations Conventions on Combating Desertification, Climate Change and Biological Diversity.

The institutional framework

In addition to the various ministries involved in the field, environmental management is mainly under the responsibility of the Minister of Environment and Forest Resources. These public services are complemented by local authorities.
In addition, several NGOs are involved in the environment in Togo.

Coordination and consultation frameworks have been established for better environmental management. Apart from the National Environmental Action Plan (PNAE), the others are non-functional. These are:

* the Interministerial Commission on the Environment (CIE);
* the National Environment Commission (CNE);
* the Committees for the Protection and Management of the Environment;
* the Local Planning Committees.

The challenges and the major challenge

Challenges

Encourage stakeholders to:

* grasp the importance of biodiversity;
* understand the complex process of biodiversity degradation;
* address the causes of the loss of this biological diversity at a multisectoral level;
* adopt and implement, in a consensual manner, appropriate mechanisms for conservation and sustainable use of biological diversity.

Challenge

The major challenge is to reduce poverty without exhausting the natural resources needed for development.

Strategy



Foundations Conventional

foundations Togo, by ratifying the Convention on Biological Diversity, has committed itself to a new vision for the conservation of biological diversity.

The convention recommends that contracting parties develop national strategies, plans or programmes for the conservation and sustainable use of biological diversity.

Political

foundations Major efforts have been made at the national level to develop a national environmental policy, the National Environmental Action Plan (PNAE), the National Programme to Combat Desertification (PAN) and the national communication on climate change, the National Forest Action Plan (PAFN), the National Forest Action Plan (PAFN), the Traditional Energy Management Strategy (RPTS).

Environmental policy and the PNAE also recommend the development of a strategy for the conservation of biological diversity.

Principles Partnership



The process of conserving biological diversity should be participatory. It will involve national or international stakeholders (sub-regional organizations and donors). Partnership agreements must be defined between national or international partners, whether from the public sector (State and local authorities) or from the private sector (civil society and NGOs), the poor, the rich, women, young people, etc.

Decentralization

In order to allow the co-management of resources, local authorities, local authorities, municipal and prefectural councils, village development committees involved in development ensure the project management of actions initiated in their localities.

Approaches Ecosystem

approach: it is not a question of conserving species, but a complex of ecosystems.

Multisectoral approach: there is now a need for coordination between the various sectors, i.e. between technical departments involved in the management of biodiversity (environment, agriculture, hydraulics, energy, etc.).

Objectives General

objective

The major objective of the strategy is to conserve and rationally exploit biodiversity in order to improve the living conditions and living environment of populations and to guarantee future generations sufficient natural resources in order to ensure the sustainable development of the country.

Strategic guidelines for the conservation of biological diversity

I- Strengthen the capacities of all actors involved in the management of biological diversity.

This capacity building will be carried out at the legal, technical and institutional levels.

II- Preserve representative areas of the various ecosystems in a participatory manner to guarantee their sustainability and maintain their constituent elements.
This will be done by:

* the development of a participatory and concerted management policy for state-owned protected areas,
* the conservation of sensitive ecosystems full of rare, endangered, endemic or commercialized species,
* the ex situ conservation of the genetic resources constituting and characteristics of the ecosystems in which they abound,

III- Ensuring the rational and sustainable use of resources and the sharing of resources equitable roles, responsibilities and benefits arising from the management of biological diversity.

It will be possible through:

* the development of practices aimed at mitigating the impact of policies, programmes, projects and production activities on biological diversity;
* the promotion of incentives to improve the management of biological diversity.

Action Plan

The action plan is based on four priority programs:

* Capacity building program with three components:

Component A: Strengthening legal capacities for the conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity.

Component B: Strengthening the institutional and technical capacities of stakeholders.

Component C: Strengthening national capacities for the characterization and monitoring of biological diversity.

* Program to secure the national conservation system with five components:

Component A: Consolidation of the conservation of priority protected areas within the national protected area system.

Component B: Increase in the representation of Togo's Afromontane ecosystems within the national system of protected areas.

Part C: Increase in the representation of wetland ecosystems in Togo.

Component D: Development of conservation initiatives in rural and urban areas through a network of micro-reserves.

Component E: Sustainable management of natural forest and savannah formations assigned to production and/or protection objectives.

* Ex-situ conservation support program.
* Program to support the sustainable use and equitable sharing of revenues from biological resources.

These programs cannot be carried out in isolation and must rely on what already exists, namely:

* the National Programme of Decentralized Action for Environmental Management (PNADE);
* the project for the rehabilitation of protected areas;
* the regional park project W/ECOPAS.

The implementation of the action plan

Principles

The implementation of the action plan is based on all categories of actors: national (State, technical services), non-governmental (NGOs), civil society (farmers' organizations, socio-professional corporations, local authorities, local authorities, local populations), and international actors (cooperation partners, international organizations, international NGOs).

It will be structured on five levels of intervention: one sub-regional level, four national levels (national, regional, prefectural and local).

The means to be mobilized

The implementation of the action plan will require the mobilization of:

* qualified human resources;
* internal and external financial resources;
* appropriate legal instruments.

Management and Coordination Central or decentralized technical

departments, local authorities, local authorities, NGOs, private and autonomous structures, project structures and others will be required to act as implementing agencies for the various multisectoral and multi-actor actions.

The operational coordination of the implementation of the Action Plan will be carried out by the National Environmental Management Agency when it is in place. Pending its creation, this mission will be carried out by the Coordination Unit of the National Environmental Action Plan on which the coordination of the PNGE is based. It is imperative that the coordination of the Action Plan actively involve actors from other departments directly or indirectly involved in the implementation.

Control, support, advice and monitoring and evaluation at the global level will be provided by the General Secretariat of the Ministry of the Environment and its technical departments.

Implementation period

The action plan lasts 15 years, like the PNGE, and is divided into 3 operational five-year phases. At the end of each of these phases, implementation should be evaluated and the order of priorities updated.

Priority actions

It is recognized that the order of priorities in the implementation of the Action Plan may change. In the immediate future, the operationalization of the Plan will take place through the identification of a program of priority actions for the conservation of biodiversity. This instruction will be carried out with the support of PDF funds, with a request for financing a PDF A having been developed jointly with the action plan.

Follow-up to

the action plan The implementation of the Action Plan will be monitored and reviewed annually by the National Commission on Environment and Sustainable Development.

Summary

Release date	24/02/2016
Contributor	Frédéric Akpamou
Geographical coverage	Togo,
Keywords	Strategy, action plan, thematic studies, capacity building

Togo's accession to the United Nations Convention on Biological Diversity in 1992 in Rio and its ratification in October 1995 offers a new framework for the conservation and management of the country's biological resources.

This provision allowed Togo to prepare, on the one hand, a national monograph document and, on the other hand, a strategy document for the conservation and sustainable use of biological diversity, as recommended by the Convention to all contracting parties.

The objective of the strategy and action plan for the conservation of biological diversity thus developed is to guarantee to present and future generations, rational and sustainable management of resources in order to improve the living conditions of citizens

State of biological

diversity Biodiversity is the living environment that surrounds us: terrestrial ecosystems (forests, savannas, etc.), aquatic ecosystems (rivers, lakes, etc.) Biodiversity is the living environment that surrounds us: terrestrial ecosystems (forests, savannas, etc.), aquatic ecosystems (rivers, lakes, etc.) pools, sea), flora and fauna.

Ecosystems Togolese

ecosystems, which are very diverse, include both terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems, which are unfortunately in perpetual deterioration as a result of numerous anthropogenic pressures.

Terrestrial ecosystems consist of semi-deciduous forests, dry forests and open forests, Guinean savannas, Sudanian savannas, gallery and riparian forests.

Aquatic ecosystems are made up of river, lake, marine ecosystems and a particular ecosystem (mangroves).

Fluvial ecosystems include river basins including the Volta basin, the Mono basin, the Zio-Haho basin. The flora consists of algae and water lilies and the fauna is rich in various species of fish and crustaceans.

Lake ecosystems include lakes, lagoons, artificial or natural pools, temporary or permanent. The flora consists of algae (poorly known), water lilies, but also invasive plants such as lettuce, water hyacinth and lentils. The wildlife is dominated by fish.

Marine ecosystems consist mainly of sand, with two rocky areas.

Underwater flora is very poorly known, with the exception of algae, of which some beach-rock populations have been the subject of summary inventories for educational purposes. The marine fauna is rich. Migratory species are also encountered, including mammals (Whales, Dolphins, etc.), reptiles (turtles) and birds.

Mangroves are considered to be specific ecosystems in Togo. They are halophilic edaphic formations, typically tropical and exclusively coastal, whose main characteristic is their floristic composition dominated by mangroves. They now cover less than 1000 ha with two mangrove species: Rhizophora racemosa and Avicennia germinans, with which Drepanocarpus lunatus, Pterocarpus santalinoides and Acrostichum aureum are associated. These ecosystems are rich in various fish species.

Species diversity Ecosystem

diversity has encouraged a great variety of flora and fauna.

Flora

The Togolese flora has 3491 terrestrial species and 261 aquatic species representing all the systematic groups currently recorded on the national territory. Viruses have 56 species, Bacteria 55, Cyanophyceae 6, Cyanophyceae 6, Algae 295, Fungi 190, 133 bryophytes, 114 Pteridophytes, 13 Gymnosperms, 13 Gymnosperms, 13 Gymnosperms including only one spontaneous. Angiosperms have 2990 spontaneous and cultivated species whose main families represented are Poaceae, Fabaceae, Cyperaceae, Rubiaceae and Euphorbiaceae. A single plant species, Phyllanthus rouxii (Euphorbiaceae) growing on the ferruginous hills north of Bassar is reported as endemic. Several species are threatened with extinction or are endangered or vulnerable.

However, the Togolese flora is poorly known since several phyla have not been studied. These are Lichens, Higher Fungi, Cyanophyceae, Algae etc. Wildlife



The inventory of Togolese fauna has made it possible to identify 3476 species including 2312 terrestrial species, 1146 aquatic species and 18 domestic terrestrial species (Mammals, Birds); it is also reported that some wild species

(3 Reptiles, 3 species of Fish, 4 species of Molluscs) are also occasionally domesticated.

This fauna consists of Protozoa (57 species), Cnidarians (17 species), Cnidarians (17 species), Platyhelminths (24 species), Nematodes (11 species), Annelids (13 species), Crustaceans (145 species), Insects (145 species), Insects (1493 species), Insects (1493 species), Insects (1493 species), Myriapods (43 species), Myriapods (43 species), Molluscs (177 species), Echinoderms (23 species), Amphibians (39 species), Amphibians (39 species), Amphibians (39 species), Amphibians (39 species), Amphibians (39 species), Amphibians (39 species), Amphibians (39 species), AmReptiles (156 species), Fish (342 species), Birds (708 species), Mammals (228 species).

Four endemic species are reported among the Togolese fauna: among the invertebrates, a Mollusc, the giant snail (Achatina togoensis) in the Adélé massif; among the vertebrates, 3 Amphibians: Conraua derooi in the semi-deciduous forests of Kloto (Plateaux Region), Aubria subsubgillata in Kovié (Maritime Region), Bufo togoensis in the Adélé Massif (Central Region).

Four species of migratory sea turtles frequent the Togolese coast either to lay eggs (Chelonia mydas, Lepidochelys olivacea, Dermochelys coriacea) or for food (Erethmochelys imbricata) or for food (Erethmochelys imbricata).

Dolphins and whales are also present in Togolese marine waters and breed there.

In some pools, crocodiles, hippopotamuses, manatees, protected species are recorded.

The causes of biodiversity loss

Four main causes underlie the loss of biological diversity in Togo. These are anthropogenic causes, legal causes, institutional causes, scientific causes.

Anthropogenic causes

The main anthropogenic causes are population growth, traditional agricultural practices, traditional agricultural practices, bush fires, overexploitation of biological resources, poaching, habitat destruction etc. From these anthropogenic causes, natural causes such as climate change, river siltation, etc. Legal and regulatory causes On the



In legal terms, the causes of the loss of biological diversity are: the sometimes
inappropriateness, inconsistency, inadequacy and lack or
poor application of texts, laws and regulations relating to the management of natural resources.

Institutional causes

Very few qualified agents work in the field of
Togolese biological diversity. It is also unfortunate to note a lack of coordination and
synergy between the technical services that exist in the various sectors and whose
responsibilities are poorly defined.

Scientific causes

There are shortcomings in the knowledge of the elements of Togolese biological diversity, but also a lack of studies on the impact of development projects likely to affect biodiversity.

Measures for the management and conservation of biological diversity

Apart from traditional methods of managing biological diversity (practice of agroforestry, creation of sacred forests, village forests, protection of venerated animals, conservation of agricultural products, etc.) management and conservation are carried out within a legal and institutional framework concerning natural resources in general.

The legal framework

The measures in force are mainly orders, decrees and national laws or international conventions.

National texts

There are general texts, including the Constitution of 14 October 1992, which establishes the right of everyone to a healthy environment and requires the State to ensure the protection of the environment and natural resources. Law No. 88-14 of November 03, 1988 on the Environmental Code, unfortunately not applied due to the lack of implementing texts.

Sectoral texts on the management of flora and fauna, hunting and fishing.

Togolese forest legislation is based on the decree of 5 February 1938 on the organization of the forest regime in Togolese territory. It is as a result of this text that protected areas have been created since colonial periods. In 1990, there were 83 protected areas. Today, most of them are partially or completely invaded by local populations.

International conventions

Togo has signed or ratified several conventions, treaties and agreements relating to the protection of the environment. In 1992, he signed the United Nations Conventions on Combating Desertification, Climate Change and Biological Diversity.

The institutional framework

In addition to the various ministries involved in the field, environmental management is mainly under the responsibility of the Minister of Environment and Forest Resources. These public services are complemented by local authorities.
In addition, several NGOs are involved in the environment in Togo.

Coordination and consultation frameworks have been established for better environmental management. Apart from the National Environmental Action Plan (PNAE), the others are non-functional. These are:

* the Interministerial Commission on the Environment (CIE);
* the National Environment Commission (CNE);
* the Committees for the Protection and Management of the Environment;
* the Local Planning Committees.

The challenges and the major challenge

Challenges

Encourage stakeholders to:

* grasp the importance of biodiversity;
* understand the complex process of biodiversity degradation;
* address the causes of the loss of this biological diversity at a multisectoral level;
* adopt and implement, in a consensual manner, appropriate mechanisms for conservation and sustainable use of biological diversity.

Challenge

The major challenge is to reduce poverty without exhausting the natural resources needed for development.

Strategy



Foundations Conventional

foundations Togo, by ratifying the Convention on Biological Diversity, has committed itself to a new vision for the conservation of biological diversity.

The convention recommends that contracting parties develop national strategies, plans or programmes for the conservation and sustainable use of biological diversity.

Political

foundations Major efforts have been made at the national level to develop a national environmental policy, the National Environmental Action Plan (PNAE), the National Programme to Combat Desertification (PAN) and the national communication on climate change, the National Forest Action Plan (PAFN), the National Forest Action Plan (PAFN), the Traditional Energy Management Strategy (RPTS).

Environmental policy and the PNAE also recommend the development of a strategy for the conservation of biological diversity.

Principles Partnership



The process of conserving biological diversity should be participatory. It will involve national or international stakeholders (sub-regional organizations and donors). Partnership agreements must be defined between national or international partners, whether from the public sector (State and local authorities) or from the private sector (civil society and NGOs), the poor, the rich, women, young people, etc.

Decentralization

In order to allow the co-management of resources, local authorities, local authorities, municipal and prefectural councils, village development committees involved in development ensure the project management of actions initiated in their localities.

Approaches Ecosystem

approach: it is not a question of conserving species, but a complex of ecosystems.

Multisectoral approach: there is now a need for coordination between the various sectors, i.e. between technical departments involved in the management of biodiversity (environment, agriculture, hydraulics, energy, etc.).

Objectives General

objective

The major objective of the strategy is to conserve and rationally exploit biodiversity in order to improve the living conditions and living environment of populations and to guarantee future generations sufficient natural resources in order to ensure the sustainable development of the country.

Strategic guidelines for the conservation of biological diversity

I- Strengthen the capacities of all actors involved in the management of biological diversity.

This capacity building will be carried out at the legal, technical and institutional levels.

II- Preserve representative areas of the various ecosystems in a participatory manner to guarantee their sustainability and maintain their constituent elements.
This will be done by:

* the development of a participatory and concerted management policy for state-owned protected areas,
* the conservation of sensitive ecosystems full of rare, endangered, endemic or commercialized species,
* the ex situ conservation of the genetic resources constituting and characteristics of the ecosystems in which they abound,

III- Ensuring the rational and sustainable use of resources and the sharing of resources equitable roles, responsibilities and benefits arising from the management of biological diversity.

It will be possible through:

* the development of practices aimed at mitigating the impact of policies, programmes, projects and production activities on biological diversity;
* the promotion of incentives to improve the management of biological diversity.

Action Plan

The action plan is based on four priority programs:

* Capacity building program with three components:

Component A: Strengthening legal capacities for the conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity.

Component B: Strengthening the institutional and technical capacities of stakeholders.

Component C: Strengthening national capacities for the characterization and monitoring of biological diversity.

* Program to secure the national conservation system with five components:

Component A: Consolidation of the conservation of priority protected areas within the national protected area system.

Component B: Increase in the representation of Togo's Afromontane ecosystems within the national system of protected areas.

Part C: Increase in the representation of wetland ecosystems in Togo.

Component D: Development of conservation initiatives in rural and urban areas through a network of micro-reserves.

Component E: Sustainable management of natural forest and savannah formations assigned to production and/or protection objectives.

* Ex-situ conservation support program.
* Program to support the sustainable use and equitable sharing of revenues from biological resources.

These programs cannot be carried out in isolation and must rely on what already exists, namely:

* the National Programme of Decentralized Action for Environmental Management (PNADE);
* the project for the rehabilitation of protected areas;
* the regional park project W/ECOPAS.

The implementation of the action plan

Principles

The implementation of the action plan is based on all categories of actors: national (State, technical services), non-governmental (NGOs), civil society (farmers' organizations, socio-professional corporations, local authorities, local authorities, local populations), and international actors (cooperation partners, international organizations, international NGOs).

It will be structured on five levels of intervention: one sub-regional level, four national levels (national, regional, prefectural and local).

The means to be mobilized

The implementation of the action plan will require the mobilization of:

* qualified human resources;
* internal and external financial resources;
* appropriate legal instruments.

Management and Coordination Central or decentralized technical

departments, local authorities, local authorities, NGOs, private and autonomous structures, project structures and others will be required to act as implementing agencies for the various multisectoral and multi-actor actions.

The operational coordination of the implementation of the Action Plan will be carried out by the National Environmental Management Agency when it is in place. Pending its creation, this mission will be carried out by the Coordination Unit of the National Environmental Action Plan on which the coordination of the PNGE is based. It is imperative that the coordination of the Action Plan actively involve actors from other departments directly or indirectly involved in the implementation.

Control, support, advice and monitoring and evaluation at the global level will be provided by the General Secretariat of the Ministry of the Environment and its technical departments.

Implementation period

The action plan lasts 15 years, like the PNGE, and is divided into 3 operational five-year phases. At the end of each of these phases, implementation should be evaluated and the order of priorities updated.

Priority actions

It is recognized that the order of priorities in the implementation of the Action Plan may change. In the immediate future, the operationalization of the Plan will take place through the identification of a program of priority actions for the conservation of biodiversity. This instruction will be carried out with the support of PDF funds, with a request for financing a PDF A having been developed jointly with the action plan.

Follow-up to

the action plan The implementation of the Action Plan will be monitored and reviewed annually by the National Commission on Environment and Sustainable Development.

Summary

Release date	24/02/2016
Contributor	Frédéric Akpamou
Geographical coverage	Togo,
Keywords	Strategy, action plan, thematic studies, capacity building

Togo's accession to the United Nations Convention on Biological Diversity in 1992 in Rio and its ratification in October 1995 offers a new framework for the conservation and management of the country's biological resources.

This provision allowed Togo to prepare, on the one hand, a national monograph document and, on the other hand, a strategy document for the conservation and sustainable use of biological diversity, as recommended by the Convention to all contracting parties.

The objective of the strategy and action plan for the conservation of biological diversity thus developed is to guarantee to present and future generations, rational and sustainable management of resources in order to improve the living conditions of citizens

State of biological

diversity Biodiversity is the living environment that surrounds us: terrestrial ecosystems (forests, savannas, etc.), aquatic ecosystems (rivers, lakes, etc.) Biodiversity is the living environment that surrounds us: terrestrial ecosystems (forests, savannas, etc.), aquatic ecosystems (rivers, lakes, etc.) pools, sea), flora and fauna.

Ecosystems Togolese

ecosystems, which are very diverse, include both terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems, which are unfortunately in perpetual deterioration as a result of numerous anthropogenic pressures.

Terrestrial ecosystems consist of semi-deciduous forests, dry forests and open forests, Guinean savannas, Sudanian savannas, gallery and riparian forests.

Aquatic ecosystems are made up of river, lake, marine ecosystems and a particular ecosystem (mangroves).

Fluvial ecosystems include river basins including the Volta basin, the Mono basin, the Zio-Haho basin. The flora consists of algae and water lilies and the fauna is rich in various species of fish and crustaceans.

Lake ecosystems include lakes, lagoons, artificial or natural pools, temporary or permanent. The flora consists of algae (poorly known), water lilies, but also invasive plants such as lettuce, water hyacinth and lentils. The wildlife is dominated by fish.

Marine ecosystems consist mainly of sand, with two rocky areas.

Underwater flora is very poorly known, with the exception of algae, of which some beach-rock populations have been the subject of summary inventories for educational purposes. The marine fauna is rich. Migratory species are also encountered, including mammals (Whales, Dolphins, etc.), reptiles (turtles) and birds.

Mangroves are considered to be specific ecosystems in Togo. They are halophilic edaphic formations, typically tropical and exclusively coastal, whose main characteristic is their floristic composition dominated by mangroves. They now cover less than 1000 ha with two mangrove species: Rhizophora racemosa and Avicennia germinans, with which Drepanocarpus lunatus, Pterocarpus santalinoides and Acrostichum aureum are associated. These ecosystems are rich in various fish species.

Species diversity Ecosystem

diversity has encouraged a great variety of flora and fauna.

Flora

The Togolese flora has 3491 terrestrial species and 261 aquatic species representing all the systematic groups currently recorded on the national territory. Viruses have 56 species, Bacteria 55, Cyanophyceae 6, Cyanophyceae 6, Algae 295, Fungi 190, 133 bryophytes, 114 Pteridophytes, 13 Gymnosperms, 13 Gymnosperms, 13 Gymnosperms including only one spontaneous. Angiosperms have 2990 spontaneous and cultivated species whose main families represented are Poaceae, Fabaceae, Cyperaceae, Rubiaceae and Euphorbiaceae. A single plant species, Phyllanthus rouxii (Euphorbiaceae) growing on the ferruginous hills north of Bassar is reported as endemic. Several species are threatened with extinction or are endangered or vulnerable.

However, the Togolese flora is poorly known since several phyla have not been studied. These are Lichens, Higher Fungi, Cyanophyceae, Algae etc. Wildlife



The inventory of Togolese fauna has made it possible to identify 3476 species including 2312 terrestrial species, 1146 aquatic species and 18 domestic terrestrial species (Mammals, Birds); it is also reported that some wild species

(3 Reptiles, 3 species of Fish, 4 species of Molluscs) are also occasionally domesticated.

This fauna consists of Protozoa (57 species), Cnidarians (17 species), Cnidarians (17 species), Platyhelminths (24 species), Nematodes (11 species), Annelids (13 species), Crustaceans (145 species), Insects (145 species), Insects (1493 species), Insects (1493 species), Insects (1493 species), Myriapods (43 species), Myriapods (43 species), Molluscs (177 species), Echinoderms (23 species), Amphibians (39 species), Amphibians (39 species), Amphibians (39 species), Amphibians (39 species), Amphibians (39 species), Amphibians (39 species), Amphibians (39 species), AmReptiles (156 species), Fish (342 species), Birds (708 species), Mammals (228 species).

Four endemic species are reported among the Togolese fauna: among the invertebrates, a Mollusc, the giant snail (Achatina togoensis) in the Adélé massif; among the vertebrates, 3 Amphibians: Conraua derooi in the semi-deciduous forests of Kloto (Plateaux Region), Aubria subsubgillata in Kovié (Maritime Region), Bufo togoensis in the Adélé Massif (Central Region).

Four species of migratory sea turtles frequent the Togolese coast either to lay eggs (Chelonia mydas, Lepidochelys olivacea, Dermochelys coriacea) or for food (Erethmochelys imbricata) or for food (Erethmochelys imbricata).

Dolphins and whales are also present in Togolese marine waters and breed there.

In some pools, crocodiles, hippopotamuses, manatees, protected species are recorded.

The causes of biodiversity loss

Four main causes underlie the loss of biological diversity in Togo. These are anthropogenic causes, legal causes, institutional causes, scientific causes.

Anthropogenic causes

The main anthropogenic causes are population growth, traditional agricultural practices, traditional agricultural practices, bush fires, overexploitation of biological resources, poaching, habitat destruction etc. From these anthropogenic causes, natural causes such as climate change, river siltation, etc. Legal and regulatory causes On the



In legal terms, the causes of the loss of biological diversity are: the sometimes
inappropriateness, inconsistency, inadequacy and lack or
poor application of texts, laws and regulations relating to the management of natural resources.

Institutional causes

Very few qualified agents work in the field of
Togolese biological diversity. It is also unfortunate to note a lack of coordination and
synergy between the technical services that exist in the various sectors and whose
responsibilities are poorly defined.

Scientific causes

There are shortcomings in the knowledge of the elements of Togolese biological diversity, but also a lack of studies on the impact of development projects likely to affect biodiversity.

Measures for the management and conservation of biological diversity

Apart from traditional methods of managing biological diversity (practice of agroforestry, creation of sacred forests, village forests, protection of venerated animals, conservation of agricultural products, etc.) management and conservation are carried out within a legal and institutional framework concerning natural resources in general.

The legal framework

The measures in force are mainly orders, decrees and national laws or international conventions.

National texts

There are general texts, including the Constitution of 14 October 1992, which establishes the right of everyone to a healthy environment and requires the State to ensure the protection of the environment and natural resources. Law No. 88-14 of November 03, 1988 on the Environmental Code, unfortunately not applied due to the lack of implementing texts.

Sectoral texts on the management of flora and fauna, hunting and fishing.

Togolese forest legislation is based on the decree of 5 February 1938 on the organization of the forest regime in Togolese territory. It is as a result of this text that protected areas have been created since colonial periods. In 1990, there were 83 protected areas. Today, most of them are partially or completely invaded by local populations.

International conventions

Togo has signed or ratified several conventions, treaties and agreements relating to the protection of the environment. In 1992, he signed the United Nations Conventions on Combating Desertification, Climate Change and Biological Diversity.

The institutional framework

In addition to the various ministries involved in the field, environmental management is mainly under the responsibility of the Minister of Environment and Forest Resources. These public services are complemented by local authorities.
In addition, several NGOs are involved in the environment in Togo.

Coordination and consultation frameworks have been established for better environmental management. Apart from the National Environmental Action Plan (PNAE), the others are non-functional. These are:

* the Interministerial Commission on the Environment (CIE);
* the National Environment Commission (CNE);
* the Committees for the Protection and Management of the Environment;
* the Local Planning Committees.

The challenges and the major challenge

Challenges

Encourage stakeholders to:

* grasp the importance of biodiversity;
* understand the complex process of biodiversity degradation;
* address the causes of the loss of this biological diversity at a multisectoral level;
* adopt and implement, in a consensual manner, appropriate mechanisms for conservation and sustainable use of biological diversity.

Challenge

The major challenge is to reduce poverty without exhausting the natural resources needed for development.

Strategy



Foundations Conventional

foundations Togo, by ratifying the Convention on Biological Diversity, has committed itself to a new vision for the conservation of biological diversity.

The convention recommends that contracting parties develop national strategies, plans or programmes for the conservation and sustainable use of biological diversity.

Political

foundations Major efforts have been made at the national level to develop a national environmental policy, the National Environmental Action Plan (PNAE), the National Programme to Combat Desertification (PAN) and the national communication on climate change, the National Forest Action Plan (PAFN), the National Forest Action Plan (PAFN), the Traditional Energy Management Strategy (RPTS).

Environmental policy and the PNAE also recommend the development of a strategy for the conservation of biological diversity.

Principles Partnership



The process of conserving biological diversity should be participatory. It will involve national or international stakeholders (sub-regional organizations and donors). Partnership agreements must be defined between national or international partners, whether from the public sector (State and local authorities) or from the private sector (civil society and NGOs), the poor, the rich, women, young people, etc.

Decentralization

In order to allow the co-management of resources, local authorities, local authorities, municipal and prefectural councils, village development committees involved in development ensure the project management of actions initiated in their localities.

Approaches Ecosystem

approach: it is not a question of conserving species, but a complex of ecosystems.

Multisectoral approach: there is now a need for coordination between the various sectors, i.e. between technical departments involved in the management of biodiversity (environment, agriculture, hydraulics, energy, etc.).

Objectives General

objective

The major objective of the strategy is to conserve and rationally exploit biodiversity in order to improve the living conditions and living environment of populations and to guarantee future generations sufficient natural resources in order to ensure the sustainable development of the country.

Strategic guidelines for the conservation of biological diversity

I- Strengthen the capacities of all actors involved in the management of biological diversity.

This capacity building will be carried out at the legal, technical and institutional levels.

II- Preserve representative areas of the various ecosystems in a participatory manner to guarantee their sustainability and maintain their constituent elements.
This will be done by:

* the development of a participatory and concerted management policy for state-owned protected areas,
* the conservation of sensitive ecosystems full of rare, endangered, endemic or commercialized species,
* the ex situ conservation of the genetic resources constituting and characteristics of the ecosystems in which they abound,

III- Ensuring the rational and sustainable use of resources and the sharing of resources equitable roles, responsibilities and benefits arising from the management of biological diversity.

It will be possible through:

* the development of practices aimed at mitigating the impact of policies, programmes, projects and production activities on biological diversity;
* the promotion of incentives to improve the management of biological diversity.

Action Plan

The action plan is based on four priority programs:

* Capacity building program with three components:

Component A: Strengthening legal capacities for the conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity.

Component B: Strengthening the institutional and technical capacities of stakeholders.

Component C: Strengthening national capacities for the characterization and monitoring of biological diversity.

* Program to secure the national conservation system with five components:

Component A: Consolidation of the conservation of priority protected areas within the national protected area system.

Component B: Increase in the representation of Togo's Afromontane ecosystems within the national system of protected areas.

Part C: Increase in the representation of wetland ecosystems in Togo.

Component D: Development of conservation initiatives in rural and urban areas through a network of micro-reserves.

Component E: Sustainable management of natural forest and savannah formations assigned to production and/or protection objectives.

* Ex-situ conservation support program.
* Program to support the sustainable use and equitable sharing of revenues from biological resources.

These programs cannot be carried out in isolation and must rely on what already exists, namely:

* the National Programme of Decentralized Action for Environmental Management (PNADE);
* the project for the rehabilitation of protected areas;
* the regional park project W/ECOPAS.

The implementation of the action plan

Principles

The implementation of the action plan is based on all categories of actors: national (State, technical services), non-governmental (NGOs), civil society (farmers' organizations, socio-professional corporations, local authorities, local authorities, local populations), and international actors (cooperation partners, international organizations, international NGOs).

It will be structured on five levels of intervention: one sub-regional level, four national levels (national, regional, prefectural and local).

The means to be mobilized

The implementation of the action plan will require the mobilization of:

* qualified human resources;
* internal and external financial resources;
* appropriate legal instruments.

Management and Coordination Central or decentralized technical

departments, local authorities, local authorities, NGOs, private and autonomous structures, project structures and others will be required to act as implementing agencies for the various multisectoral and multi-actor actions.

The operational coordination of the implementation of the Action Plan will be carried out by the National Environmental Management Agency when it is in place. Pending its creation, this mission will be carried out by the Coordination Unit of the National Environmental Action Plan on which the coordination of the PNGE is based. It is imperative that the coordination of the Action Plan actively involve actors from other departments directly or indirectly involved in the implementation.

Control, support, advice and monitoring and evaluation at the global level will be provided by the General Secretariat of the Ministry of the Environment and its technical departments.

Implementation period

The action plan lasts 15 years, like the PNGE, and is divided into 3 operational five-year phases. At the end of each of these phases, implementation should be evaluated and the order of priorities updated.

Priority actions

It is recognized that the order of priorities in the implementation of the Action Plan may change. In the immediate future, the operationalization of the Plan will take place through the identification of a program of priority actions for the conservation of biodiversity. This instruction will be carried out with the support of PDF funds, with a request for financing a PDF A having been developed jointly with the action plan.

Follow-up to

the action plan The implementation of the Action Plan will be monitored and reviewed annually by the National Commission on Environment and Sustainable Development.

Summary

Release date	24/02/2016
Contributor	Frédéric Akpamou
Geographical coverage	Togo,
Keywords	Strategy, action plan, thematic studies, capacity building

Togo's accession to the United Nations Convention on Biological Diversity in 1992 in Rio and its ratification in October 1995 offers a new framework for the conservation and management of the country's biological resources.

This provision allowed Togo to prepare, on the one hand, a national monograph document and, on the other hand, a strategy document for the conservation and sustainable use of biological diversity, as recommended by the Convention to all contracting parties.

The objective of the strategy and action plan for the conservation of biological diversity thus developed is to guarantee to present and future generations, rational and sustainable management of resources in order to improve the living conditions of citizens

State of biological

diversity Biodiversity is the living environment that surrounds us: terrestrial ecosystems (forests, savannas, etc.), aquatic ecosystems (rivers, lakes, etc.) Biodiversity is the living environment that surrounds us: terrestrial ecosystems (forests, savannas, etc.), aquatic ecosystems (rivers, lakes, etc.) pools, sea), flora and fauna.

Ecosystems Togolese

ecosystems, which are very diverse, include both terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems, which are unfortunately in perpetual deterioration as a result of numerous anthropogenic pressures.

Terrestrial ecosystems consist of semi-deciduous forests, dry forests and open forests, Guinean savannas, Sudanian savannas, gallery and riparian forests.

Aquatic ecosystems are made up of river, lake, marine ecosystems and a particular ecosystem (mangroves).

Fluvial ecosystems include river basins including the Volta basin, the Mono basin, the Zio-Haho basin. The flora consists of algae and water lilies and the fauna is rich in various species of fish and crustaceans.

Lake ecosystems include lakes, lagoons, artificial or natural pools, temporary or permanent. The flora consists of algae (poorly known), water lilies, but also invasive plants such as lettuce, water hyacinth and lentils. The wildlife is dominated by fish.

Marine ecosystems consist mainly of sand, with two rocky areas.

Underwater flora is very poorly known, with the exception of algae, of which some beach-rock populations have been the subject of summary inventories for educational purposes. The marine fauna is rich. Migratory species are also encountered, including mammals (Whales, Dolphins, etc.), reptiles (turtles) and birds.

Mangroves are considered to be specific ecosystems in Togo. They are halophilic edaphic formations, typically tropical and exclusively coastal, whose main characteristic is their floristic composition dominated by mangroves. They now cover less than 1000 ha with two mangrove species: Rhizophora racemosa and Avicennia germinans, with which Drepanocarpus lunatus, Pterocarpus santalinoides and Acrostichum aureum are associated. These ecosystems are rich in various fish species.

Species diversity Ecosystem

diversity has encouraged a great variety of flora and fauna.

Flora

The Togolese flora has 3491 terrestrial species and 261 aquatic species representing all the systematic groups currently recorded on the national territory. Viruses have 56 species, Bacteria 55, Cyanophyceae 6, Cyanophyceae 6, Algae 295, Fungi 190, 133 bryophytes, 114 Pteridophytes, 13 Gymnosperms, 13 Gymnosperms, 13 Gymnosperms including only one spontaneous. Angiosperms have 2990 spontaneous and cultivated species whose main families represented are Poaceae, Fabaceae, Cyperaceae, Rubiaceae and Euphorbiaceae. A single plant species, Phyllanthus rouxii (Euphorbiaceae) growing on the ferruginous hills north of Bassar is reported as endemic. Several species are threatened with extinction or are endangered or vulnerable.

However, the Togolese flora is poorly known since several phyla have not been studied. These are Lichens, Higher Fungi, Cyanophyceae, Algae etc. Wildlife



The inventory of Togolese fauna has made it possible to identify 3476 species including 2312 terrestrial species, 1146 aquatic species and 18 domestic terrestrial species (Mammals, Birds); it is also reported that some wild species

(3 Reptiles, 3 species of Fish, 4 species of Molluscs) are also occasionally domesticated.

This fauna consists of Protozoa (57 species), Cnidarians (17 species), Cnidarians (17 species), Platyhelminths (24 species), Nematodes (11 species), Annelids (13 species), Crustaceans (145 species), Insects (145 species), Insects (1493 species), Insects (1493 species), Insects (1493 species), Myriapods (43 species), Myriapods (43 species), Molluscs (177 species), Echinoderms (23 species), Amphibians (39 species), Amphibians (39 species), Amphibians (39 species), Amphibians (39 species), Amphibians (39 species), Amphibians (39 species), Amphibians (39 species), AmReptiles (156 species), Fish (342 species), Birds (708 species), Mammals (228 species).

Four endemic species are reported among the Togolese fauna: among the invertebrates, a Mollusc, the giant snail (Achatina togoensis) in the Adélé massif; among the vertebrates, 3 Amphibians: Conraua derooi in the semi-deciduous forests of Kloto (Plateaux Region), Aubria subsubgillata in Kovié (Maritime Region), Bufo togoensis in the Adélé Massif (Central Region).

Four species of migratory sea turtles frequent the Togolese coast either to lay eggs (Chelonia mydas, Lepidochelys olivacea, Dermochelys coriacea) or for food (Erethmochelys imbricata) or for food (Erethmochelys imbricata).

Dolphins and whales are also present in Togolese marine waters and breed there.

In some pools, crocodiles, hippopotamuses, manatees, protected species are recorded.

The causes of biodiversity loss

Four main causes underlie the loss of biological diversity in Togo. These are anthropogenic causes, legal causes, institutional causes, scientific causes.

Anthropogenic causes

The main anthropogenic causes are population growth, traditional agricultural practices, traditional agricultural practices, bush fires, overexploitation of biological resources, poaching, habitat destruction etc. From these anthropogenic causes, natural causes such as climate change, river siltation, etc. Legal and regulatory causes On the



In legal terms, the causes of the loss of biological diversity are: the sometimes
inappropriateness, inconsistency, inadequacy and lack or
poor application of texts, laws and regulations relating to the management of natural resources.

Institutional causes

Very few qualified agents work in the field of
Togolese biological diversity. It is also unfortunate to note a lack of coordination and
synergy between the technical services that exist in the various sectors and whose
responsibilities are poorly defined.

Scientific causes

There are shortcomings in the knowledge of the elements of Togolese biological diversity, but also a lack of studies on the impact of development projects likely to affect biodiversity.

Measures for the management and conservation of biological diversity

Apart from traditional methods of managing biological diversity (practice of agroforestry, creation of sacred forests, village forests, protection of venerated animals, conservation of agricultural products, etc.) management and conservation are carried out within a legal and institutional framework concerning natural resources in general.

The legal framework

The measures in force are mainly orders, decrees and national laws or international conventions.

National texts

There are general texts, including the Constitution of 14 October 1992, which establishes the right of everyone to a healthy environment and requires the State to ensure the protection of the environment and natural resources. Law No. 88-14 of November 03, 1988 on the Environmental Code, unfortunately not applied due to the lack of implementing texts.

Sectoral texts on the management of flora and fauna, hunting and fishing.

Togolese forest legislation is based on the decree of 5 February 1938 on the organization of the forest regime in Togolese territory. It is as a result of this text that protected areas have been created since colonial periods. In 1990, there were 83 protected areas. Today, most of them are partially or completely invaded by local populations.

International conventions

Togo has signed or ratified several conventions, treaties and agreements relating to the protection of the environment. In 1992, he signed the United Nations Conventions on Combating Desertification, Climate Change and Biological Diversity.

The institutional framework

In addition to the various ministries involved in the field, environmental management is mainly under the responsibility of the Minister of Environment and Forest Resources. These public services are complemented by local authorities.
In addition, several NGOs are involved in the environment in Togo.

Coordination and consultation frameworks have been established for better environmental management. Apart from the National Environmental Action Plan (PNAE), the others are non-functional. These are:

* the Interministerial Commission on the Environment (CIE);
* the National Environment Commission (CNE);
* the Committees for the Protection and Management of the Environment;
* the Local Planning Committees.

The challenges and the major challenge

Challenges

Encourage stakeholders to:

* grasp the importance of biodiversity;
* understand the complex process of biodiversity degradation;
* address the causes of the loss of this biological diversity at a multisectoral level;
* adopt and implement, in a consensual manner, appropriate mechanisms for conservation and sustainable use of biological diversity.

Challenge

The major challenge is to reduce poverty without exhausting the natural resources needed for development.

Strategy



Foundations Conventional

foundations Togo, by ratifying the Convention on Biological Diversity, has committed itself to a new vision for the conservation of biological diversity.

The convention recommends that contracting parties develop national strategies, plans or programmes for the conservation and sustainable use of biological diversity.

Political

foundations Major efforts have been made at the national level to develop a national environmental policy, the National Environmental Action Plan (PNAE), the National Programme to Combat Desertification (PAN) and the national communication on climate change, the National Forest Action Plan (PAFN), the National Forest Action Plan (PAFN), the Traditional Energy Management Strategy (RPTS).

Environmental policy and the PNAE also recommend the development of a strategy for the conservation of biological diversity.

Principles Partnership



The process of conserving biological diversity should be participatory. It will involve national or international stakeholders (sub-regional organizations and donors). Partnership agreements must be defined between national or international partners, whether from the public sector (State and local authorities) or from the private sector (civil society and NGOs), the poor, the rich, women, young people, etc.

Decentralization

In order to allow the co-management of resources, local authorities, local authorities, municipal and prefectural councils, village development committees involved in development ensure the project management of actions initiated in their localities.

Approaches Ecosystem

approach: it is not a question of conserving species, but a complex of ecosystems.

Multisectoral approach: there is now a need for coordination between the various sectors, i.e. between technical departments involved in the management of biodiversity (environment, agriculture, hydraulics, energy, etc.).

Objectives General

objective

The major objective of the strategy is to conserve and rationally exploit biodiversity in order to improve the living conditions and living environment of populations and to guarantee future generations sufficient natural resources in order to ensure the sustainable development of the country.

Strategic guidelines for the conservation of biological diversity

I- Strengthen the capacities of all actors involved in the management of biological diversity.

This capacity building will be carried out at the legal, technical and institutional levels.

II- Preserve representative areas of the various ecosystems in a participatory manner to guarantee their sustainability and maintain their constituent elements.
This will be done by:

* the development of a participatory and concerted management policy for state-owned protected areas,
* the conservation of sensitive ecosystems full of rare, endangered, endemic or commercialized species,
* the ex situ conservation of the genetic resources constituting and characteristics of the ecosystems in which they abound,

III- Ensuring the rational and sustainable use of resources and the sharing of resources equitable roles, responsibilities and benefits arising from the management of biological diversity.

It will be possible through:

* the development of practices aimed at mitigating the impact of policies, programmes, projects and production activities on biological diversity;
* the promotion of incentives to improve the management of biological diversity.

Action Plan

The action plan is based on four priority programs:

* Capacity building program with three components:

Component A: Strengthening legal capacities for the conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity.

Component B: Strengthening the institutional and technical capacities of stakeholders.

Component C: Strengthening national capacities for the characterization and monitoring of biological diversity.

* Program to secure the national conservation system with five components:

Component A: Consolidation of the conservation of priority protected areas within the national protected area system.

Component B: Increase in the representation of Togo's Afromontane ecosystems within the national system of protected areas.

Part C: Increase in the representation of wetland ecosystems in Togo.

Component D: Development of conservation initiatives in rural and urban areas through a network of micro-reserves.

Component E: Sustainable management of natural forest and savannah formations assigned to production and/or protection objectives.

* Ex-situ conservation support program.
* Program to support the sustainable use and equitable sharing of revenues from biological resources.

These programs cannot be carried out in isolation and must rely on what already exists, namely:

* the National Programme of Decentralized Action for Environmental Management (PNADE);
* the project for the rehabilitation of protected areas;
* the regional park project W/ECOPAS.

The implementation of the action plan

Principles

The implementation of the action plan is based on all categories of actors: national (State, technical services), non-governmental (NGOs), civil society (farmers' organizations, socio-professional corporations, local authorities, local authorities, local populations), and international actors (cooperation partners, international organizations, international NGOs).

It will be structured on five levels of intervention: one sub-regional level, four national levels (national, regional, prefectural and local).

The means to be mobilized

The implementation of the action plan will require the mobilization of:

* qualified human resources;
* internal and external financial resources;
* appropriate legal instruments.

Management and Coordination Central or decentralized technical

departments, local authorities, local authorities, NGOs, private and autonomous structures, project structures and others will be required to act as implementing agencies for the various multisectoral and multi-actor actions.

The operational coordination of the implementation of the Action Plan will be carried out by the National Environmental Management Agency when it is in place. Pending its creation, this mission will be carried out by the Coordination Unit of the National Environmental Action Plan on which the coordination of the PNGE is based. It is imperative that the coordination of the Action Plan actively involve actors from other departments directly or indirectly involved in the implementation.

Control, support, advice and monitoring and evaluation at the global level will be provided by the General Secretariat of the Ministry of the Environment and its technical departments.

Implementation period

The action plan lasts 15 years, like the PNGE, and is divided into 3 operational five-year phases. At the end of each of these phases, implementation should be evaluated and the order of priorities updated.

Priority actions

It is recognized that the order of priorities in the implementation of the Action Plan may change. In the immediate future, the operationalization of the Plan will take place through the identification of a program of priority actions for the conservation of biodiversity. This instruction will be carried out with the support of PDF funds, with a request for financing a PDF A having been developed jointly with the action plan.

Follow-up to

the action plan The implementation of the Action Plan will be monitored and reviewed annually by the National Commission on Environment and Sustainable Development.

Summary

Release date	24/02/2016
Contributor	Frédéric Akpamou
Geographical coverage	Togo,
Keywords	Strategy, action plan, thematic studies, capacity building

Togo's accession to the United Nations Convention on Biological Diversity in 1992 in Rio and its ratification in October 1995 offers a new framework for the conservation and management of the country's biological resources.

This provision allowed Togo to prepare, on the one hand, a national monograph document and, on the other hand, a strategy document for the conservation and sustainable use of biological diversity, as recommended by the Convention to all contracting parties.

The objective of the strategy and action plan for the conservation of biological diversity thus developed is to guarantee to present and future generations, rational and sustainable management of resources in order to improve the living conditions of citizens

State of biological diversity Biodiversity is

the living environment that surrounds us: terrestrial ecosystems (forests, savannas, etc.), aquatic ecosystems (rivers, lakes, pools, sea), flora and fauna.

Ecosystems Togolese

ecosystems, which are very diverse, include both terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems, which are unfortunately in perpetual deterioration as a result of numerous anthropogenic pressures.

Terrestrial ecosystems consist of semi-deciduous forests, dry forests and open forests, Guinean savannas, Sudanian savannas, gallery and riparian forests.

Aquatic ecosystems consist of river, lake, marine ecosystems and a particular ecosystem (mangroves).

Fluvial ecosystems include river basins including the Volta basin, the Mono basin, the Zio-Haho basin. The flora consists of algae and water lilies and the fauna is rich in various species of fish and crustaceans.

Lake ecosystems include lakes, lagoons, artificial or natural pools, temporary or permanent. The flora consists of algae (poorly known), water lilies, but also invasive plants such as lettuce, water hyacinth and lentils. The wildlife is dominated by fish.

Marine ecosystems consist mainly of sand, with two rocky areas.

Underwater flora is very poorly known, with the exception of algae, of which some beach-rock populations have been the subject of summary inventories for educational purposes. The marine fauna is rich. Migratory species are also encountered, including mammals (Whales, Dolphins, etc.), reptiles (turtles) and birds.

Mangroves are considered to be specific ecosystems in Togo. They are halophilic edaphic formations, typically tropical and exclusively coastal, whose main characteristic is their floristic composition dominated by mangroves. They now cover less than 1000 ha with two mangrove species: Rhizophora racemosa and Avicennia germinans, with which Drepanocarpus lunatus, Pterocarpus santalinoides and Acrostichum aureum are associated. These ecosystems are rich in various fish species.

Species diversity Ecosystem

diversity has encouraged a great variety of flora and fauna.

Flora

The Togolese flora has 3491 terrestrial species and 261 aquatic species representing all the systematic groups currently recorded on the national territory. Viruses have 56 species, Bacteria 55, Cyanophyceae 6, Cyanophyceae 6, Algae 295, Fungi 190, 133 bryophytes, 114 Pteridophytes, 13 Gymnosperms, 13 Gymnosperms, 13 Gymnosperms including only one spontaneous. Angiosperms have 2990 spontaneous and cultivated species whose main families represented are Poaceae, Fabaceae, Cyperaceae, Rubiaceae and Euphorbiaceae. A single plant species, Phyllanthus rouxii (Euphorbiaceae) growing on the ferruginous hills north of Bassar is reported as endemic. Several species are threatened with extinction or are endangered or vulnerable.

However, the Togolese flora is poorly known since several phyla have not been studied. These are Lichens, Higher Fungi, Cyanophyceae, Algae etc. Wildlife



The inventory of Togolese fauna has made it possible to identify 3476 species including 2312 terrestrial species, 1146 aquatic species and 18 domestic terrestrial species (Mammals, Birds); it is also reported that some wild species

(3 Reptiles, 3 species of Fish, 4 species of Molluscs) are also occasionally domesticated.

This fauna consists of Protozoa (57 species), Cnidarians (17 species), Cnidarians (17 species), Platyhelminths (24 species), Nematodes (11 species), Annelids (13 species), Crustaceans (145 species), Insects (145 species), Insects (1493 species), Insects (1493 species), Insects (1493 species), Myriapods (43 species), Myriapods (43 species), Molluscs (177 species), Echinoderms (23 species), Amphibians (39 species), Amphibians (39 species), Amphibians (39 species), Amphibians (39 species), Amphibians (39 species), Amphibians (39 species), Amphibians (39 species), AmReptiles (156 species), Fish (342 species), Birds (708 species), Mammals (228 species).

Four endemic species are reported among the Togolese fauna: among the invertebrates, a Mollusc, the giant snail (Achatina togoensis) in the Adélé massif; among the vertebrates, 3 Amphibians: Conraua derooi in the semi-deciduous forests of Kloto (Plateaux Region), Aubria subsubgillata in Kovié (Maritime Region), Bufo togoensis in the Adélé Massif (Central Region).

Four species of migratory sea turtles frequent the Togolese coast either to lay eggs (Chelonia mydas, Lepidochelys olivacea, Dermochelys coriacea) or for food (Erethmochelys imbricata) or for food (Erethmochelys imbricata).

Dolphins and whales are also present in Togolese marine waters and breed there.

In some pools, crocodiles, hippopotamuses, manatees, protected species are recorded.

The causes of biodiversity loss

Four main causes underlie the loss of biological diversity in Togo. These are anthropogenic causes, legal causes, institutional causes, scientific causes.

Anthropogenic causes

The main anthropogenic causes are population growth, traditional agricultural practices, traditional agricultural practices, bush fires, overexploitation of biological resources, poaching, habitat destruction etc. From these anthropogenic causes, natural causes such as climate change, river siltation, etc. Legal and regulatory causes On the



In legal terms, the causes of the loss of biological diversity are: the sometimes
inappropriateness, inconsistency, inadequacy and lack or
poor application of texts, laws and regulations relating to the management of natural resources.

Institutional causes

Very few qualified agents work in the field of
Togolese biological diversity. It is also unfortunate to note a lack of coordination and
synergy between the technical services that exist in the various sectors and whose
responsibilities are poorly defined.

Scientific causes

There are shortcomings in the knowledge of the elements of Togolese biological diversity, but also a lack of studies on the impact of development projects likely to affect biodiversity.

Measures for the management and conservation of biological diversity

Apart from traditional methods of managing biological diversity (practice of agroforestry, creation of sacred forests, village forests, protection of venerated animals, conservation of agricultural products, etc.) management and conservation are carried out within a legal and institutional framework concerning natural resources in general.

The legal framework

The measures in force are mainly orders, decrees and national laws or international conventions.

National texts

There are general texts, including the Constitution of 14 October 1992, which establishes the right of everyone to a healthy environment and requires the State to ensure the protection of the environment and natural resources. Law No. 88-14 of November 03, 1988 on the Environmental Code, unfortunately not applied due to the lack of implementing texts.

Sectoral texts on the management of flora and fauna, hunting and fishing.

Togolese forest legislation is based on the decree of 5 February 1938 on the organization of the forest regime in Togolese territory. It is as a result of this text that protected areas have been created since colonial periods. In 1990, there were 83 protected areas. Today, most of them are partially or completely invaded by local populations.

International conventions

Togo has signed or ratified several conventions, treaties and agreements relating to the protection of the environment. In 1992, he signed the United Nations Conventions on Combating Desertification, Climate Change and Biological Diversity.

The institutional framework

In addition to the various ministries involved in the field, environmental management is mainly under the responsibility of the Minister of Environment and Forest Resources. These public services are complemented by local authorities.
In addition, several NGOs are involved in the environment in Togo.

Coordination and consultation frameworks have been established for better environmental management. Apart from the National Environmental Action Plan (PNAE), the others are non-functional. These are:

* the Interministerial Commission on the Environment (CIE);
* the National Environment Commission (CNE);
* the Committees for the Protection and Management of the Environment;
* the Local Planning Committees.

The challenges and the major challenge



Challenges Encourage stakeholders to:

* grasp the importance of biodiversity;
* understand the complex process of biodiversity degradation;
* address the causes of the loss of this biological diversity on a multisectoral level;
* adopt and implement, by consensus, appropriate mechanisms for conservation and sustainable use of biological diversity.

Challenge

The major challenge is to reduce poverty without exhausting the natural resources needed for development.

Strategy



Foundations Conventional

foundations Togo, by ratifying the Convention on Biological Diversity, has committed itself to a new vision for the conservation of biological diversity.

The convention recommends that contracting parties develop national strategies, plans or programmes for the conservation and sustainable use of biological diversity.

Political

foundations Major efforts have been made at the national level to develop a national environmental policy, the National Environmental Action Plan (PNAE), the National Programme to Combat Desertification (PAN) and the national communication on climate change, the National Forest Action Plan (PAFN), the National Forest Action Plan (PAFN), the Traditional Energy Management Strategy (RPTS).

Environmental policy and the PNAE also recommend the development of a strategy for the conservation of biological diversity.

Principles Partnership



The process of conserving biological diversity should be participatory. It will involve national or international stakeholders (sub-regional organizations and donors). Partnership agreements must be defined between national or international partners, whether from the public sector (State and local authorities) or from the private sector (civil society and NGOs), the poor, the rich, women, young people, etc.

Decentralization

In order to allow the co-management of resources, local authorities, local authorities, municipal and prefectural councils, village development committees involved in development ensure the project management of actions initiated in their localities.

Approaches Ecosystem

approach: it is not a question of conserving species, but a complex of ecosystems.

Multisectoral approach: there is now a need for coordination between the various sectors, i.e. between technical departments involved in the management of biodiversity (environment, agriculture, hydraulics, energy, etc.).

Objectives General

objective

The major objective of the strategy is to conserve and rationally exploit biodiversity in order to improve the living conditions and living environment of populations and to guarantee future generations sufficient natural resources in order to ensure the sustainable development of the country.

Strategic guidelines for the conservation of biological diversity

I- Strengthen the capacities of all actors involved in the management of biological diversity.

This capacity building will be carried out at the legal, technical and institutional levels.

II- Preserve representative areas of the various ecosystems in a participatory manner to guarantee their sustainability and maintain their constituent elements.
This will be done by:

* the development of a participatory and concerted management policy for state-owned protected areas,
* the conservation of sensitive ecosystems full of rare, endangered, endemic or commercialized species,
* the ex situ conservation of the genetic resources constituting and characteristics of the ecosystems in which they abound,

III- Ensuring the rational and sustainable use of resources and the sharing of resources equitable roles, responsibilities and benefits arising from the management of biological diversity.

It will be possible through:

* the development of practices aimed at mitigating the impact of policies, programmes, projects and production activities on biological diversity;
* the promotion of incentives to improve the management of biological diversity.

Action Plan

The action plan is based on four priority programs:

* Capacity building program with three components:

Component A: Strengthening legal capacities for the conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity.

Component B: Strengthening the institutional and technical capacities of stakeholders.

Component C: Strengthening national capacities for the characterization and monitoring of biological diversity.

* Program to secure the national conservation system with five components:

Component A: Consolidation of the conservation of priority protected areas within the national protected area system.

Component B: Increase in the representation of Togo's Afromontane ecosystems within the national system of protected areas.

Part C: Increase in the representation of wetland ecosystems in Togo.

Component D: Development of conservation initiatives in rural and urban areas through a network of micro-reserves.

Component E: Sustainable management of natural forest and savannah formations assigned to production and/or protection objectives.

* Ex-situ conservation support program.
* Program to support the sustainable use and equitable sharing of revenues from biological resources.

These programs cannot be carried out in isolation and must rely on what already exists, namely:

* the National Programme of Decentralized Action for Environmental Management (PNADE);
* the project for the rehabilitation of protected areas;
* the regional park project W/ECOPAS.

The implementation of the action plan

Principles

The implementation of the action plan is based on all categories of actors: national (State, technical services), non-governmental (NGOs), civil society (farmers' organizations, socio-professional corporations, local authorities, local authorities, local populations), and international actors (cooperation partners, international organizations, international NGOs).

It will be structured on five levels of intervention: one sub-regional level, four national levels (national, regional, prefectural and local).

The means to be mobilized

The implementation of the action plan will require the mobilization of:

* qualified human resources;
* internal and external financial resources;
* appropriate legal instruments.

Management and Coordination Central or decentralized technical

departments, local authorities, local authorities, NGOs, private and autonomous structures, project structures and others will be required to act as implementing agencies for the various multisectoral and multi-actor actions.

The operational coordination of the implementation of the Action Plan will be carried out by the National Environmental Management Agency when it is in place. Pending its creation, this mission will be carried out by the Coordination Unit of the National Environmental Action Plan on which the coordination of the PNGE is based. It is imperative that the coordination of the Action Plan actively involve actors from other departments directly or indirectly involved in the implementation.

Control, support, advice and monitoring and evaluation at the global level will be provided by the General Secretariat of the Ministry of the Environment and its technical departments.

Implementation period

The action plan lasts 15 years, like the PNGE, and is divided into 3 operational five-year phases. At the end of each of these phases, implementation should be evaluated and the order of priorities updated.

Priority actions

It is recognized that the order of priorities in the implementation of the Action Plan may change. In the immediate future, the operationalization of the Plan will take place through the identification of a program of priority actions for the conservation of biodiversity. This instruction will be carried out with the support of PDF funds, with a request for financing a PDF A having been developed jointly with the action plan.

Follow-up to

the action plan The implementation of the Action Plan will be monitored and reviewed annually by the National Commission on Environment and Sustainable Development.

Summary

Release date	24/02/2016
Contributor	Frédéric Akpamou
Geographical coverage	Togo,
Keywords	Strategy, action plan, thematic studies, capacity building

Togo's accession to the United Nations Convention on Biological Diversity in 1992 in Rio and its ratification in October 1995 offers a new framework for the conservation and management of the country's biological resources.

This provision allowed Togo to prepare, on the one hand, a national monograph document and, on the other hand, a strategy document for the conservation and sustainable use of biological diversity, as recommended by the Convention to all contracting parties.

The objective of the strategy and action plan for the conservation of biological diversity thus developed is to guarantee to present and future generations, rational and sustainable management of resources in order to improve the living conditions of citizens

State of biological diversity Biodiversity is

the living environment that surrounds us: terrestrial ecosystems (forests, savannas, etc.), aquatic ecosystems (rivers, lakes, pools, sea), flora and fauna.

Ecosystems Togolese

ecosystems, which are very diverse, include both terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems, which are unfortunately in perpetual deterioration as a result of numerous anthropogenic pressures.

Terrestrial ecosystems consist of semi-deciduous forests, dry forests and open forests, Guinean savannas, Sudanian savannas, gallery and riparian forests.

Aquatic ecosystems consist of river, lake, marine ecosystems and a particular ecosystem (mangroves).

Fluvial ecosystems include river basins including the Volta basin, the Mono basin, the Zio-Haho basin. The flora consists of algae and water lilies and the fauna is rich in various species of fish and crustaceans.

Lake ecosystems include lakes, lagoons, artificial or natural pools, temporary or permanent. The flora consists of algae (poorly known), water lilies, but also invasive plants such as lettuce, water hyacinth and lentils. The wildlife is dominated by fish.

Marine ecosystems consist mainly of sand, with two rocky areas.

Underwater flora is very poorly known, with the exception of algae, of which some beach-rock populations have been the subject of summary inventories for educational purposes. The marine fauna is rich. Migratory species are also encountered, including mammals (Whales, Dolphins, etc.), reptiles (turtles) and birds.

Mangroves are considered to be specific ecosystems in Togo. They are halophilic edaphic formations, typically tropical and exclusively coastal, whose main characteristic is their floristic composition dominated by mangroves. They now cover less than 1000 ha with two mangrove species: Rhizophora racemosa and Avicennia germinans, with which Drepanocarpus lunatus, Pterocarpus santalinoides and Acrostichum aureum are associated. These ecosystems are rich in various fish species.

Species diversity Ecosystem

diversity has encouraged a great variety of flora and fauna.

Flora

The Togolese flora has 3491 terrestrial species and 261 aquatic species representing all the systematic groups currently recorded on the national territory. Viruses have 56 species, Bacteria 55, Cyanophyceae 6, Cyanophyceae 6, Algae 295, Fungi 190, 133 bryophytes, 114 Pteridophytes, 13 Gymnosperms, 13 Gymnosperms, 13 Gymnosperms including only one spontaneous. Angiosperms have 2990 spontaneous and cultivated species whose main families represented are Poaceae, Fabaceae, Cyperaceae, Rubiaceae and Euphorbiaceae. A single plant species, Phyllanthus rouxii (Euphorbiaceae) growing on the ferruginous hills north of Bassar is reported as endemic. Several species are threatened with extinction or are endangered or vulnerable.

However, the Togolese flora is poorly known since several phyla have not been studied. These are Lichens, Higher Fungi, Cyanophyceae, Algae etc. Wildlife



The inventory of Togolese fauna has made it possible to identify 3476 species including 2312 terrestrial species, 1146 aquatic species and 18 domestic terrestrial species (Mammals, Birds); it is also reported that some wild species

(3 Reptiles, 3 species of Fish, 4 species of Molluscs) are also occasionally domesticated.

This fauna consists of Protozoa (57 species), Cnidarians (17 species), Cnidarians (17 species), Platyhelminths (24 species), Nematodes (11 species), Annelids (13 species), Crustaceans (145 species), Insects (145 species), Insects (1493 species), Insects (1493 species), Insects (1493 species), Myriapods (43 species), Myriapods (43 species), Molluscs (177 species), Echinoderms (23 species), Amphibians (39 species), Amphibians (39 species), Amphibians (39 species), Amphibians (39 species), Amphibians (39 species), Amphibians (39 species), Amphibians (39 species), AmReptiles (156 species), Fish (342 species), Birds (708 species), Mammals (228 species).

Four endemic species are reported among the Togolese fauna: among the invertebrates, a Mollusc, the giant snail (Achatina togoensis) in the Adélé massif; among the vertebrates, 3 Amphibians: Conraua derooi in the semi-deciduous forests of Kloto (Plateaux Region), Aubria subsubgillata in Kovié (Maritime Region), Bufo togoensis in the Adélé Massif (Central Region).

Four species of migratory sea turtles frequent the Togolese coast either to lay eggs (Chelonia mydas, Lepidochelys olivacea, Dermochelys coriacea) or for food (Erethmochelys imbricata) or for food (Erethmochelys imbricata).

Dolphins and whales are also present in Togolese marine waters and breed there.

In some pools, crocodiles, hippopotamuses, manatees, protected species are recorded.

The causes of biodiversity loss

Four main causes underlie the loss of biological diversity in Togo. These are anthropogenic causes, legal causes, institutional causes, scientific causes.

Anthropogenic causes

The main anthropogenic causes are population growth, traditional agricultural practices, traditional agricultural practices, bush fires, overexploitation of biological resources, poaching, habitat destruction etc. From these anthropogenic causes, natural causes such as climate change, river siltation, etc. Legal and regulatory causes On the



In legal terms, the causes of the loss of biological diversity are: the sometimes
inappropriateness, inconsistency, inadequacy and lack or
poor application of texts, laws and regulations relating to the management of natural resources.

Institutional causes

Very few qualified agents work in the field of
Togolese biological diversity. It is also unfortunate to note a lack of coordination and
synergy between the technical services that exist in the various sectors and whose
responsibilities are poorly defined.

Scientific causes

There are shortcomings in the knowledge of the elements of Togolese biological diversity, but also a lack of studies on the impact of development projects likely to affect biodiversity.

Measures for the management and conservation of biological diversity

Apart from traditional methods of managing biological diversity (practice of agroforestry, creation of sacred forests, village forests, protection of venerated animals, conservation of agricultural products, etc.) management and conservation are carried out within a legal and institutional framework concerning natural resources in general.

The legal framework

The measures in force are mainly orders, decrees and national laws or international conventions.

National texts

There are general texts, including the Constitution of 14 October 1992, which establishes the right of everyone to a healthy environment and requires the State to ensure the protection of the environment and natural resources. Law No. 88-14 of November 03, 1988 on the Environmental Code, unfortunately not applied due to the lack of implementing texts.

Sectoral texts on the management of flora and fauna, hunting and fishing.

Togolese forest legislation is based on the decree of 5 February 1938 on the organization of the forest regime in Togolese territory. It is as a result of this text that protected areas have been created since colonial periods. In 1990, there were 83 protected areas. Today, most of them are partially or completely invaded by local populations.

International conventions

Togo has signed or ratified several conventions, treaties and agreements relating to the protection of the environment. In 1992, he signed the United Nations Conventions on Combating Desertification, Climate Change and Biological Diversity.

The institutional framework

In addition to the various ministries involved in the field, environmental management is mainly under the responsibility of the Minister of Environment and Forest Resources. These public services are complemented by local authorities.
In addition, several NGOs are involved in the environment in Togo.

Coordination and consultation frameworks have been established for better environmental management. Apart from the National Environmental Action Plan (PNAE), the others are non-functional. These are:

* the Interministerial Commission on the Environment (CIE);
* the National Environment Commission (CNE);
* the Committees for the Protection and Management of the Environment;
* the Local Planning Committees.

The challenges and the major challenge



Challenges Encourage stakeholders to:

* grasp the importance of biodiversity;
* understand the complex process of biodiversity degradation;
* address the causes of the loss of this biological diversity on a multisectoral level;
* adopt and implement, by consensus, appropriate mechanisms for conservation and sustainable use of biological diversity.

Challenge

The major challenge is to reduce poverty without exhausting the natural resources needed for development.

Strategy



Foundations Conventional

foundations Togo, by ratifying the Convention on Biological Diversity, has committed itself to a new vision for the conservation of biological diversity.

The convention recommends that contracting parties develop national strategies, plans or programmes for the conservation and sustainable use of biological diversity.

Political

foundations Major efforts have been made at the national level to develop a national environmental policy, the National Environmental Action Plan (PNAE), the National Programme to Combat Desertification (PAN) and the national communication on climate change, the National Forest Action Plan (PAFN), the National Forest Action Plan (PAFN), the Traditional Energy Management Strategy (RPTS).

Environmental policy and the PNAE also recommend the development of a strategy for the conservation of biological diversity.

Principles Partnership



The process of conserving biological diversity should be participatory. It will involve national or international stakeholders (sub-regional organizations and donors). Partnership agreements must be defined between national or international partners, whether from the public sector (State and local authorities) or from the private sector (civil society and NGOs), the poor, the rich, women, young people, etc.

Decentralization

In order to allow the co-management of resources, local authorities, local authorities, municipal and prefectural councils, village development committees involved in development ensure the project management of actions initiated in their localities.

Approaches Ecosystem

approach: it is not a question of conserving species, but a complex of ecosystems.

Multisectoral approach: there is now a need for coordination between the various sectors, i.e. between technical departments involved in the management of biodiversity (environment, agriculture, hydraulics, energy, etc.).

Objectives General

objective

The major objective of the strategy is to conserve and rationally exploit biodiversity in order to improve the living conditions and living environment of populations and to guarantee future generations sufficient natural resources in order to ensure the sustainable development of the country.

Strategic guidelines for the conservation of biological diversity

I- Strengthen the capacities of all actors involved in the management of biological diversity.

This capacity building will be carried out at the legal, technical and institutional levels.

II- Preserve representative areas of the various ecosystems in a participatory manner to guarantee their sustainability and maintain their constituent elements.
This will be done by:

* the development of a participatory and concerted management policy for state-owned protected areas,
* the conservation of sensitive ecosystems full of rare, endangered, endemic or commercialized species,
* the ex situ conservation of the genetic resources constituting and characteristics of the ecosystems in which they abound,

III- Ensuring the rational and sustainable use of resources and the sharing of resources equitable roles, responsibilities and benefits arising from the management of biological diversity.

It will be possible through:

* the development of practices aimed at mitigating the impact of policies, programmes, projects and production activities on biological diversity;
* the promotion of incentives to improve the management of biological diversity.

Action Plan

The action plan is based on four priority programs:

* Capacity building program with three components:

Component A: Strengthening legal capacities for the conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity.

Component B: Strengthening the institutional and technical capacities of stakeholders.

Component C: Strengthening national capacities for the characterization and monitoring of biological diversity.

* Program to secure the national conservation system with five components:

Component A: Consolidation of the conservation of priority protected areas within the national protected area system.

Component B: Increase in the representation of Togo's Afromontane ecosystems within the national system of protected areas.

Part C: Increase in the representation of wetland ecosystems in Togo.

Component D: Development of conservation initiatives in rural and urban areas through a network of micro-reserves.

Component E: Sustainable management of natural forest and savannah formations assigned to production and/or protection objectives.

* Ex-situ conservation support program.
* Program to support the sustainable use and equitable sharing of revenues from biological resources.

These programs cannot be carried out in isolation and must rely on what already exists, namely:

* the National Programme of Decentralized Action for Environmental Management (PNADE);
* the project for the rehabilitation of protected areas;
* the regional park project W/ECOPAS.

The implementation of the action plan

Principles

The implementation of the action plan is based on all categories of actors: national (State, technical services), non-governmental (NGOs), civil society (farmers' organizations, socio-professional corporations, local authorities, local authorities, local populations), and international actors (cooperation partners, international organizations, international NGOs).

It will be structured on five levels of intervention: one sub-regional level, four national levels (national, regional, prefectural and local).

The means to be mobilized

The implementation of the action plan will require the mobilization of:

* qualified human resources;
* internal and external financial resources;
* appropriate legal instruments.

Management and Coordination Central or decentralized technical

departments, local authorities, local authorities, NGOs, private and autonomous structures, project structures and others will be required to act as implementing agencies for the various multisectoral and multi-actor actions.

The operational coordination of the implementation of the Action Plan will be carried out by the National Environmental Management Agency when it is in place. Pending its creation, this mission will be carried out by the Coordination Unit of the National Environmental Action Plan on which the coordination of the PNGE is based. It is imperative that the coordination of the Action Plan actively involve actors from other departments directly or indirectly involved in the implementation.

Control, support, advice and monitoring and evaluation at the global level will be provided by the General Secretariat of the Ministry of the Environment and its technical departments.

Implementation period

The action plan lasts 15 years, like the PNGE, and is divided into 3 operational five-year phases. At the end of each of these phases, implementation should be evaluated and the order of priorities updated.

Priority actions

It is recognized that the order of priorities in the implementation of the Action Plan may change. In the immediate future, the operationalization of the Plan will take place through the identification of a program of priority actions for the conservation of biodiversity. This instruction will be carried out with the support of PDF funds, with a request for financing a PDF A having been developed jointly with the action plan.

Follow-up to

the action plan The implementation of the Action Plan will be monitored and reviewed annually by the National Commission on Environment and Sustainable Development.

Summary

Release date	24/02/2016
Contributor	Frédéric Akpamou
Geographical coverage	Togo,
Keywords	Strategy, action plan, thematic studies, capacity building

Togo's accession to the United Nations Convention on Biological Diversity in 1992 in Rio and its ratification in October 1995 offers a new framework for the conservation and management of the country's biological resources.

This provision allowed Togo to prepare, on the one hand, a national monograph document and, on the other hand, a strategy document for the conservation and sustainable use of biological diversity, as recommended by the Convention to all contracting parties.

The objective of the strategy and action plan for the conservation of biological diversity thus developed is to guarantee to present and future generations, rational and sustainable management of resources in order to improve the living conditions of citizens

State of biological diversity Biodiversity is

the living environment that surrounds us: terrestrial ecosystems (forests, savannas, etc.), aquatic ecosystems (rivers, lakes, pools, sea), flora and fauna.

Ecosystems Togolese

ecosystems, which are very diverse, include both terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems, which are unfortunately in perpetual deterioration as a result of numerous anthropogenic pressures.

Terrestrial ecosystems consist of semi-deciduous forests, dry forests and open forests, Guinean savannas, Sudanian savannas, gallery and riparian forests.

Aquatic ecosystems consist of river, lake, marine ecosystems and a particular ecosystem (mangroves).

Fluvial ecosystems include river basins including the Volta basin, the Mono basin, the Zio-Haho basin. The flora consists of algae and water lilies and the fauna is rich in various species of fish and crustaceans.

Lake ecosystems include lakes, lagoons, artificial or natural pools, temporary or permanent. The flora consists of algae (poorly known), water lilies, but also invasive plants such as lettuce, water hyacinth and lentils. The wildlife is dominated by fish.

Marine ecosystems consist mainly of sand, with two rocky areas.

Underwater flora is very poorly known, with the exception of algae, of which some beach-rock populations have been the subject of summary inventories for educational purposes. The marine fauna is rich. Migratory species are also encountered, including mammals (Whales, Dolphins, etc.), reptiles (turtles) and birds.

Mangroves are considered to be specific ecosystems in Togo. They are halophilic edaphic formations, typically tropical and exclusively coastal, whose main characteristic is their floristic composition dominated by mangroves. They now cover less than 1000 ha with two mangrove species: Rhizophora racemosa and Avicennia germinans, with which Drepanocarpus lunatus, Pterocarpus santalinoides and Acrostichum aureum are associated. These ecosystems are rich in various fish species.

Species diversity Ecosystem

diversity has encouraged a great variety of flora and fauna.

Flora

The Togolese flora has 3491 terrestrial species and 261 aquatic species representing all the systematic groups currently recorded on the national territory. Viruses have 56 species, Bacteria 55, Cyanophyceae 6, Cyanophyceae 6, Algae 295, Fungi 190, 133 bryophytes, 114 Pteridophytes, 13 Gymnosperms, 13 Gymnosperms, 13 Gymnosperms including only one spontaneous. Angiosperms have 2990 spontaneous and cultivated species whose main families represented are Poaceae, Fabaceae, Cyperaceae, Rubiaceae and Euphorbiaceae. A single plant species, Phyllanthus rouxii (Euphorbiaceae) growing on the ferruginous hills north of Bassar is reported as endemic. Several species are threatened with extinction or are endangered or vulnerable.

However, the Togolese flora is poorly known since several phyla have not been studied. These are Lichens, Higher Fungi, Cyanophyceae, Algae etc. Wildlife



The inventory of Togolese fauna has made it possible to identify 3476 species including 2312 terrestrial species, 1146 aquatic species and 18 domestic terrestrial species (Mammals, Birds); it is also reported that some wild species

(3 Reptiles, 3 species of Fish, 4 species of Molluscs) are also occasionally domesticated.

This fauna consists of Protozoa (57 species), Cnidarians (17 species), Cnidarians (17 species), Platyhelminths (24 species), Nematodes (11 species), Annelids (13 species), Crustaceans (145 species), Insects (145 species), Insects (1493 species), Insects (1493 species), Insects (1493 species), Myriapods (43 species), Myriapods (43 species), Molluscs (177 species), Echinoderms (23 species), Amphibians (39 species), Amphibians (39 species), Amphibians (39 species), Amphibians (39 species), Amphibians (39 species), Amphibians (39 species), Amphibians (39 species), AmReptiles (156 species), Fish (342 species), Birds (708 species), Mammals (228 species).

Four endemic species are reported among the Togolese fauna: among the invertebrates, a Mollusc, the giant snail (Achatina togoensis) in the Adélé massif; among the vertebrates, 3 Amphibians: Conraua derooi in the semi-deciduous forests of Kloto (Plateaux Region), Aubria subsubgillata in Kovié (Maritime Region), Bufo togoensis in the Adélé Massif (Central Region).

Four species of migratory sea turtles frequent the Togolese coast either to lay eggs (Chelonia mydas, Lepidochelys olivacea, Dermochelys coriacea) or for food (Erethmochelys imbricata) or for food (Erethmochelys imbricata).

Dolphins and whales are also present in Togolese marine waters and breed there.

In some pools, crocodiles, hippopotamuses, manatees, protected species are recorded.

The causes of biodiversity loss

Four main causes underlie the loss of biological diversity in Togo. These are anthropogenic causes, legal causes, institutional causes, scientific causes.

Anthropogenic causes

The main anthropogenic causes are population growth, traditional agricultural practices, traditional agricultural practices, bush fires, overexploitation of biological resources, poaching, habitat destruction etc. From these anthropogenic causes, natural causes such as climate change, river siltation, etc. Legal and regulatory causes On the



In legal terms, the causes of the loss of biological diversity are: the sometimes
inappropriateness, inconsistency, inadequacy and lack or
poor application of texts, laws and regulations relating to the management of natural resources.

Institutional causes

Very few qualified agents work in the field of
Togolese biological diversity. It is also unfortunate to note a lack of coordination and
synergy between the technical services that exist in the various sectors and whose
responsibilities are poorly defined.

Scientific causes

There are shortcomings in the knowledge of the elements of Togolese biological diversity, but also a lack of studies on the impact of development projects likely to affect biodiversity.

Measures for the management and conservation of biological diversity

Apart from traditional methods of managing biological diversity (practice of agroforestry, creation of sacred forests, village forests, protection of venerated animals, conservation of agricultural products, etc.) management and conservation are carried out within a legal and institutional framework concerning natural resources in general.

The legal framework

The measures in force are mainly orders, decrees and national laws or international conventions.

National texts

There are general texts, including the Constitution of 14 October 1992, which establishes the right of everyone to a healthy environment and requires the State to ensure the protection of the environment and natural resources. Law No. 88-14 of November 03, 1988 on the Environmental Code, unfortunately not applied due to the lack of implementing texts.

Sectoral texts on the management of flora and fauna, hunting and fishing.

Togolese forest legislation is based on the decree of 5 February 1938 on the organization of the forest regime in Togolese territory. It is as a result of this text that protected areas have been created since colonial periods. In 1990, there were 83 protected areas. Today, most of them are partially or completely invaded by local populations.

International conventions

Togo has signed or ratified several conventions, treaties and agreements relating to the protection of the environment. In 1992, he signed the United Nations Conventions on Combating Desertification, Climate Change and Biological Diversity.

The institutional framework

In addition to the various ministries involved in the field, environmental management is mainly under the responsibility of the Minister of Environment and Forest Resources. These public services are complemented by local authorities.
In addition, several NGOs are involved in the environment in Togo.

Coordination and consultation frameworks have been established for better environmental management. Apart from the National Environmental Action Plan (PNAE), the others are non-functional. These are:

* the Interministerial Commission on the Environment (CIE);
* the National Environment Commission (CNE);
* the Committees for the Protection and Management of the Environment;
* the Local Planning Committees.

The challenges and the major challenge



Challenges Encourage stakeholders to:

* grasp the importance of biodiversity;
* understand the complex process of biodiversity degradation;
* address the causes of the loss of this biological diversity on a multisectoral level;
* adopt and implement, by consensus, appropriate mechanisms for conservation and sustainable use of biological diversity.

Challenge

The major challenge is to reduce poverty without exhausting the natural resources needed for development.

Strategy



Foundations Conventional

foundations Togo, by ratifying the Convention on Biological Diversity, has committed itself to a new vision for the conservation of biological diversity.

The convention recommends that contracting parties develop national strategies, plans or programmes for the conservation and sustainable use of biological diversity.

Political

foundations Major efforts have been made at the national level to develop a national environmental policy, the National Environmental Action Plan (PNAE), the National Programme to Combat Desertification (PAN) and the national communication on climate change, the National Forest Action Plan (PAFN), the National Forest Action Plan (PAFN), the Traditional Energy Management Strategy (RPTS).

Environmental policy and the PNAE also recommend the development of a strategy for the conservation of biological diversity.

Principles Partnership



The process of conserving biological diversity should be participatory. It will involve national or international stakeholders (sub-regional organizations and donors). Partnership agreements must be defined between national or international partners, whether from the public sector (State and local authorities) or from the private sector (civil society and NGOs), the poor, the rich, women, young people, etc.

Decentralization

In order to allow the co-management of resources, local authorities, local authorities, municipal and prefectural councils, village development committees involved in development ensure the project management of actions initiated in their localities.

Approaches Ecosystem

approach: it is not a question of conserving species, but a complex of ecosystems.

Multisectoral approach: there is now a need for coordination between the various sectors, i.e. between technical departments involved in the management of biodiversity (environment, agriculture, hydraulics, energy, etc.).

Objectives General

objective

The major objective of the strategy is to conserve and rationally exploit biodiversity in order to improve the living conditions and living environment of populations and to guarantee future generations sufficient natural resources in order to ensure the sustainable development of the country.

Strategic guidelines for the conservation of biological diversity

I- Strengthen the capacities of all actors involved in the management of biological diversity.

This capacity building will be carried out at the legal, technical and institutional levels.

II- Preserve representative areas of the various ecosystems in a participatory manner to guarantee their sustainability and maintain their constituent elements.
This will be done by:

* the development of a participatory and concerted management policy for state-owned protected areas,
* the conservation of sensitive ecosystems full of rare, endangered, endemic or commercialized species,
* the ex situ conservation of the genetic resources constituting and characteristics of the ecosystems in which they abound,

III- Ensuring the rational and sustainable use of resources and the sharing of resources equitable roles, responsibilities and benefits arising from the management of biological diversity.

It will be possible through:

* the development of practices aimed at mitigating the impact of policies, programmes, projects and production activities on biological diversity;
* the promotion of incentives to improve the management of biological diversity.

Action Plan

The action plan is based on four priority programs:

* Capacity building program with three components:

Component A: Strengthening legal capacities for the conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity.

Component B: Strengthening the institutional and technical capacities of stakeholders.

Component C: Strengthening national capacities for the characterization and monitoring of biological diversity.

* Program to secure the national conservation system with five components:

Component A: Consolidation of the conservation of priority protected areas within the national protected area system.

Component B: Increase in the representation of Togo's Afromontane ecosystems within the national system of protected areas.

Part C: Increase in the representation of wetland ecosystems in Togo.

Component D: Development of conservation initiatives in rural and urban areas through a network of micro-reserves.

Component E: Sustainable management of natural forest and savannah formations assigned to production and/or protection objectives.

* Ex-situ conservation support program.
* Program to support the sustainable use and equitable sharing of revenues from biological resources.

These programs cannot be carried out in isolation and must rely on what already exists, namely:

* the National Programme of Decentralized Action for Environmental Management (PNADE);
* the project for the rehabilitation of protected areas;
* the regional park project W/ECOPAS.

The implementation of the action plan

Principles

The implementation of the action plan is based on all categories of actors: national (State, technical services), non-governmental (NGOs), civil society (farmers' organizations, socio-professional corporations, local authorities, local authorities, local populations), and international actors (cooperation partners, international organizations, international NGOs).

It will be structured on five levels of intervention: one sub-regional level, four national levels (national, regional, prefectural and local).

The means to be mobilized

The implementation of the action plan will require the mobilization of:

* qualified human resources;
* internal and external financial resources;
* appropriate legal instruments.

Management and Coordination Central or decentralized technical

departments, local authorities, local authorities, NGOs, private and autonomous structures, project structures and others will be required to act as implementing agencies for the various multisectoral and multi-actor actions.

The operational coordination of the implementation of the Action Plan will be carried out by the National Environmental Management Agency when it is in place. Pending its creation, this mission will be carried out by the Coordination Unit of the National Environmental Action Plan on which the coordination of the PNGE is based. It is imperative that the coordination of the Action Plan actively involve actors from other departments directly or indirectly involved in the implementation.

Control, support, advice and monitoring and evaluation at the global level will be provided by the General Secretariat of the Ministry of the Environment and its technical departments.

Implementation period

The action plan lasts 15 years, like the PNGE, and is divided into 3 operational five-year phases. At the end of each of these phases, implementation should be evaluated and the order of priorities updated.

Priority actions

It is recognized that the order of priorities in the implementation of the Action Plan may change. In the immediate future, the operationalization of the Plan will take place through the identification of a program of priority actions for the conservation of biodiversity. This instruction will be carried out with the support of PDF funds, with a request for financing a PDF A having been developed jointly with the action plan.

Follow-up to

the action plan The implementation of the Action Plan will be monitored and reviewed annually by the National Commission on Environment and Sustainable Development.

Summary

Release date	24/02/2016
Contributor	Frédéric Akpamou
Geographical coverage	Togo,
Keywords	Strategy, action plan, thematic studies, capacity building

Togo's accession to the United Nations Convention on Biological Diversity in 1992 in Rio and its ratification in October 1995 offers a new framework for the conservation and management of the country's biological resources.

This provision allowed Togo to prepare, on the one hand, a national monograph document and, on the other hand, a strategy document for the conservation and sustainable use of biological diversity, as recommended by the Convention to all contracting parties.

The objective of the strategy and action plan for the conservation of biological diversity thus developed is to guarantee to present and future generations, rational and sustainable management of resources in order to improve the living conditions of citizens

State of biological diversity Biodiversity is

the living environment that surrounds us: terrestrial ecosystems (forests, savannas, etc.), aquatic ecosystems (rivers, lakes, pools, sea), flora and fauna.

Ecosystems Togolese

ecosystems, which are very diverse, include both terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems, which are unfortunately in perpetual deterioration as a result of numerous anthropogenic pressures.

Terrestrial ecosystems consist of semi-deciduous forests, dry forests and open forests, Guinean savannas, Sudanian savannas, gallery and riparian forests.

Aquatic ecosystems consist of river, lake, marine ecosystems and a particular ecosystem (mangroves).

Fluvial ecosystems include river basins including the Volta basin, the Mono basin, the Zio-Haho basin. The flora consists of algae and water lilies and the fauna is rich in various species of fish and crustaceans.

Lake ecosystems include lakes, lagoons, artificial or natural pools, temporary or permanent. The flora consists of algae (poorly known), water lilies, but also invasive plants such as lettuce, water hyacinth and lentils. The wildlife is dominated by fish.

Marine ecosystems consist mainly of sand, with two rocky areas.

Underwater flora is very poorly known, with the exception of algae, of which some beach-rock populations have been the subject of summary inventories for educational purposes. The marine fauna is rich. Migratory species are also encountered, including mammals (Whales, Dolphins, etc.), reptiles (turtles) and birds.

Mangroves are considered to be specific ecosystems in Togo. They are halophilic edaphic formations, typically tropical and exclusively coastal, whose main characteristic is their floristic composition dominated by mangroves. They now cover less than 1000 ha with two mangrove species: Rhizophora racemosa and Avicennia germinans, with which Drepanocarpus lunatus, Pterocarpus santalinoides and Acrostichum aureum are associated. These ecosystems are rich in various fish species.

Species diversity Ecosystem

diversity has encouraged a great variety of flora and fauna.

Flora

The Togolese flora has 3491 terrestrial species and 261 aquatic species representing all the systematic groups currently recorded on the national territory. Viruses have 56 species, Bacteria 55, Cyanophyceae 6, Cyanophyceae 6, Algae 295, Fungi 190, 133 bryophytes, 114 Pteridophytes, 13 Gymnosperms, 13 Gymnosperms, 13 Gymnosperms including only one spontaneous. Angiosperms have 2990 spontaneous and cultivated species whose main families represented are Poaceae, Fabaceae, Cyperaceae, Rubiaceae and Euphorbiaceae. A single plant species, Phyllanthus rouxii (Euphorbiaceae) growing on the ferruginous hills north of Bassar is reported as endemic. Several species are threatened with extinction or are endangered or vulnerable.

However, the Togolese flora is poorly known since several phyla have not been studied. These are Lichens, Higher Fungi, Cyanophyceae, Algae etc. Wildlife



The inventory of Togolese fauna has made it possible to identify 3476 species including 2312 terrestrial species, 1146 aquatic species and 18 domestic terrestrial species (Mammals, Birds); it is also reported that some wild species

(3 Reptiles, 3 species of Fish, 4 species of Molluscs) are also occasionally domesticated.

This fauna consists of Protozoa (57 species), Cnidarians (17 species), Cnidarians (17 species), Platyhelminths (24 species), Nematodes (11 species), Annelids (13 species), Crustaceans (145 species), Insects (145 species), Insects (1493 species), Insects (1493 species), Insects (1493 species), Myriapods (43 species), Myriapods (43 species), Molluscs (177 species), Echinoderms (23 species), Amphibians (39 species), Amphibians (39 species), Amphibians (39 species), Amphibians (39 species), Amphibians (39 species), Amphibians (39 species), Amphibians (39 species), AmReptiles (156 species), Fish (342 species), Birds (708 species), Mammals (228 species).

Four endemic species are reported among the Togolese fauna: among the invertebrates, a Mollusc, the giant snail (Achatina togoensis) in the Adélé massif; among the vertebrates, 3 Amphibians: Conraua derooi in the semi-deciduous forests of Kloto (Plateaux Region), Aubria subsubgillata in Kovié (Maritime Region), Bufo togoensis in the Adélé Massif (Central Region).

Four species of migratory sea turtles frequent the Togolese coast either to lay eggs (Chelonia mydas, Lepidochelys olivacea, Dermochelys coriacea) or for food (Erethmochelys imbricata) or for food (Erethmochelys imbricata).

Dolphins and whales are also present in Togolese marine waters and breed there.

In some pools, crocodiles, hippopotamuses, manatees, protected species are recorded.

The causes of biodiversity loss

Four main causes underlie the loss of biological diversity in Togo. These are anthropogenic causes, legal causes, institutional causes, scientific causes.

Anthropogenic causes

The main anthropogenic causes are population growth, traditional agricultural practices, traditional agricultural practices, bush fires, overexploitation of biological resources, poaching, habitat destruction etc. From these anthropogenic causes, natural causes such as climate change, river siltation, etc. Legal and regulatory causes On the



In legal terms, the causes of the loss of biological diversity are: the sometimes
inappropriateness, inconsistency, inadequacy and lack or
poor application of texts, laws and regulations relating to the management of natural resources.

Institutional causes

Very few qualified agents work in the field of
Togolese biological diversity. It is also unfortunate to note a lack of coordination and
synergy between the technical services that exist in the various sectors and whose
responsibilities are poorly defined.

Scientific causes

There are shortcomings in the knowledge of the elements of Togolese biological diversity, but also a lack of studies on the impact of development projects likely to affect biodiversity.

Measures for the management and conservation of biological diversity

Apart from traditional methods of managing biological diversity (practice of agroforestry, creation of sacred forests, village forests, protection of venerated animals, conservation of agricultural products, etc.) management and conservation are carried out within a legal and institutional framework concerning natural resources in general.

The legal framework

The measures in force are mainly orders, decrees and national laws or international conventions.

National texts

There are general texts, including the Constitution of 14 October 1992, which establishes the right of everyone to a healthy environment and requires the State to ensure the protection of the environment and natural resources. Law No. 88-14 of November 03, 1988 on the Environmental Code, unfortunately not applied due to the lack of implementing texts.

Sectoral texts on the management of flora and fauna, hunting and fishing.

Togolese forest legislation is based on the decree of 5 February 1938 on the organization of the forest regime in Togolese territory. It is as a result of this text that protected areas have been created since colonial periods. In 1990, there were 83 protected areas. Today, most of them are partially or completely invaded by local populations.

International conventions

Togo has signed or ratified several conventions, treaties and agreements relating to the protection of the environment. In 1992, he signed the United Nations Conventions on Combating Desertification, Climate Change and Biological Diversity.

The institutional framework

In addition to the various ministries involved in the field, environmental management is mainly under the responsibility of the Minister of Environment and Forest Resources. These public services are complemented by local authorities.
In addition, several NGOs are involved in the environment in Togo.

Coordination and consultation frameworks have been established for better environmental management. Apart from the National Environmental Action Plan (PNAE), the others are non-functional. These are:

* the Interministerial Commission on the Environment (CIE);
* the National Environment Commission (CNE);
* the Committees for the Protection and Management of the Environment;
* the Local Planning Committees.

The challenges and the major challenge



Challenges Encourage stakeholders to:

* grasp the importance of biodiversity;
* understand the complex process of biodiversity degradation;
* address the causes of the loss of this biological diversity on a multisectoral level;
* adopt and implement, by consensus, appropriate mechanisms for conservation and sustainable use of biological diversity.

Challenge

The major challenge is to reduce poverty without exhausting the natural resources needed for development.

Strategy



Foundations Conventional

foundations Togo, by ratifying the Convention on Biological Diversity, has committed itself to a new vision for the conservation of biological diversity.

The convention recommends that contracting parties develop national strategies, plans or programmes for the conservation and sustainable use of biological diversity.

Political

foundations Major efforts have been made at the national level to develop a national environmental policy, the National Environmental Action Plan (PNAE), the National Programme to Combat Desertification (PAN) and the national communication on climate change, the National Forest Action Plan (PAFN), the National Forest Action Plan (PAFN), the Traditional Energy Management Strategy (RPTS).

Environmental policy and the PNAE also recommend the development of a strategy for the conservation of biological diversity.

Principles Partnership



The process of conserving biological diversity should be participatory. It will involve national or international stakeholders (sub-regional organizations and donors). Partnership agreements must be defined between national or international partners, whether from the public sector (State and local authorities) or from the private sector (civil society and NGOs), the poor, the rich, women, young people, etc.

Decentralization

In order to allow the co-management of resources, local authorities, local authorities, municipal and prefectural councils, village development committees involved in development ensure the project management of actions initiated in their localities.

Approaches Ecosystem

approach: it is not a question of conserving species, but a complex of ecosystems.

Multisectoral approach: there is now a need for coordination between the various sectors, i.e. between technical departments involved in the management of biodiversity (environment, agriculture, hydraulics, energy, etc.).

Objectives General

objective

The major objective of the strategy is to conserve and rationally exploit biodiversity in order to improve the living conditions and living environment of populations and to guarantee future generations sufficient natural resources in order to ensure the sustainable development of the country.

Strategic guidelines for the conservation of biological diversity

I- Strengthen the capacities of all actors involved in the management of biological diversity.

This capacity building will be carried out at the legal, technical and institutional levels.

II- Preserve representative areas of the various ecosystems in a participatory manner to guarantee their sustainability and maintain their constituent elements.
This will be done by:

* the development of a participatory and concerted management policy for state-owned protected areas,
* the conservation of sensitive ecosystems full of rare, endangered, endemic or commercialized species,
* the ex situ conservation of the genetic resources constituting and characteristics of the ecosystems in which they abound,

III- Ensuring the rational and sustainable use of resources and the sharing of resources equitable roles, responsibilities and benefits arising from the management of biological diversity.

It will be possible through:

* the development of practices aimed at mitigating the impact of policies, programmes, projects and production activities on biological diversity;
* the promotion of incentives to improve the management of biological diversity.

Action Plan

The action plan is based on four priority programs:

* Capacity building program with three components:

Component A: Strengthening legal capacities for the conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity.

Component B: Strengthening the institutional and technical capacities of stakeholders.

Component C: Strengthening national capacities for the characterization and monitoring of biological diversity.

* Program to secure the national conservation system with five components:

Component A: Consolidation of the conservation of priority protected areas within the national protected area system.

Component B: Increase in the representation of Togo's Afromontane ecosystems within the national system of protected areas.

Part C: Increase in the representation of wetland ecosystems in Togo.

Component D: Development of conservation initiatives in rural and urban areas through a network of micro-reserves.

Component E: Sustainable management of natural forest and savannah formations assigned to production and/or protection objectives.

* Ex-situ conservation support program.
* Program to support the sustainable use and equitable sharing of revenues from biological resources.

These programs cannot be carried out in isolation and must rely on what already exists, namely:

* the National Programme of Decentralized Action for Environmental Management (PNADE);
* the project for the rehabilitation of protected areas;
* the regional park project W/ECOPAS.

The implementation of the action plan

Principles

The implementation of the action plan is based on all categories of actors: national (State, technical services), non-governmental (NGOs), civil society (farmers' organizations, socio-professional corporations, local authorities, local authorities, local populations), and international actors (cooperation partners, international organizations, international NGOs).

It will be structured on five levels of intervention: one sub-regional level, four national levels (national, regional, prefectural and local).

The means to be mobilized

The implementation of the action plan will require the mobilization of:

* qualified human resources;
* internal and external financial resources;
* appropriate legal instruments.

Management and Coordination Central or decentralized technical

departments, local authorities, local authorities, NGOs, private and autonomous structures, project structures and others will be required to act as implementing agencies for the various multisectoral and multi-actor actions.

The operational coordination of the implementation of the Action Plan will be carried out by the National Environmental Management Agency when it is in place. Pending its creation, this mission will be carried out by the Coordination Unit of the National Environmental Action Plan on which the coordination of the PNGE is based. It is imperative that the coordination of the Action Plan actively involve actors from other departments directly or indirectly involved in the implementation.

Control, support, advice and monitoring and evaluation at the global level will be provided by the General Secretariat of the Ministry of the Environment and its technical departments.

Implementation period

The action plan lasts 15 years, like the PNGE, and is divided into 3 operational five-year phases. At the end of each of these phases, implementation should be evaluated and the order of priorities updated.

Priority actions

It is recognized that the order of priorities in the implementation of the Action Plan may change. In the immediate future, the operationalization of the Plan will take place through the identification of a program of priority actions for the conservation of biodiversity. This instruction will be carried out with the support of PDF funds, with a request for financing a PDF A having been developed jointly with the action plan.

Follow-up to

the action plan The implementation of the Action Plan will be monitored and reviewed annually by the National Commission on Environment and Sustainable Development.

Summary

Release date	24/02/2016
Contributor	Frédéric Akpamou
Geographical coverage	Togo,
Keywords	Strategy, action plan, thematic studies, capacity building

Togo's accession to the United Nations Convention on Biological Diversity in 1992 in Rio and its ratification in October 1995 offers a new framework for the conservation and management of the country's biological resources.

This provision allowed Togo to prepare, on the one hand, a national monograph document and, on the other hand, a strategy document for the conservation and sustainable use of biological diversity, as recommended by the Convention to all contracting parties.

The objective of the strategy and action plan for the conservation of biological diversity thus developed is to guarantee to present and future generations, rational and sustainable management of resources in order to improve the living conditions of citizens

State of biological

diversity Biodiversity is the living environment that surrounds us: terrestrial ecosystems (forests, savannas, etc.), aquatic ecosystems (rivers, lakes, etc.) Biodiversity is the living environment that surrounds us: terrestrial ecosystems (forests, savannas, etc.), aquatic ecosystems (rivers, lakes, etc.) pools, sea), flora and fauna.

Ecosystems Togolese

ecosystems, which are very diverse, include both terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems, which are unfortunately in perpetual deterioration as a result of numerous anthropogenic pressures.

Terrestrial ecosystems consist of semi-deciduous forests, dry forests and open forests, Guinean savannas, Sudanian savannas, gallery and riparian forests.

Aquatic ecosystems are made up of river, lake, marine ecosystems and a particular ecosystem (mangroves).

Fluvial ecosystems include river basins including the Volta basin, the Mono basin, the Zio-Haho basin. The flora consists of algae and water lilies and the fauna is rich in various species of fish and crustaceans.

Lake ecosystems include lakes, lagoons, artificial or natural pools, temporary or permanent. The flora consists of algae (poorly known), water lilies, but also invasive plants such as lettuce, water hyacinth and lentils. The wildlife is dominated by fish.

Marine ecosystems consist mainly of sand, with two rocky areas.

Underwater flora is very poorly known, with the exception of algae, of which some beach-rock populations have been the subject of summary inventories for educational purposes. The marine fauna is rich. Migratory species are also encountered, including mammals (Whales, Dolphins, etc.), reptiles (turtles) and birds.

Mangroves are considered to be specific ecosystems in Togo. They are halophilic edaphic formations, typically tropical and exclusively coastal, whose main characteristic is their floristic composition dominated by mangroves. They now cover less than 1000 ha with two mangrove species: Rhizophora racemosa and Avicennia germinans, with which Drepanocarpus lunatus, Pterocarpus santalinoides and Acrostichum aureum are associated. These ecosystems are rich in various fish species.

Species diversity Ecosystem

diversity has encouraged a great variety of flora and fauna.

Flora

The Togolese flora has 3491 terrestrial species and 261 aquatic species representing all the systematic groups currently recorded on the national territory. Viruses have 56 species, Bacteria 55, Cyanophyceae 6, Cyanophyceae 6, Algae 295, Fungi 190, 133 bryophytes, 114 Pteridophytes, 13 Gymnosperms, 13 Gymnosperms, 13 Gymnosperms including only one spontaneous. Angiosperms have 2990 spontaneous and cultivated species whose main families represented are Poaceae, Fabaceae, Cyperaceae, Rubiaceae and Euphorbiaceae. A single plant species, Phyllanthus rouxii (Euphorbiaceae) growing on the ferruginous hills north of Bassar is reported as endemic. Several species are threatened with extinction or are endangered or vulnerable.

However, the Togolese flora is poorly known since several phyla have not been studied. These are Lichens, Higher Fungi, Cyanophyceae, Algae etc. Wildlife



The inventory of Togolese fauna has made it possible to identify 3476 species including 2312 terrestrial species, 1146 aquatic species and 18 domestic terrestrial species (Mammals, Birds); it is also reported that some wild species

(3 Reptiles, 3 species of Fish, 4 species of Molluscs) are also occasionally domesticated.

This fauna consists of Protozoa (57 species), Cnidarians (17 species), Cnidarians (17 species), Platyhelminths (24 species), Nematodes (11 species), Annelids (13 species), Crustaceans (145 species), Insects (145 species), Insects (1493 species), Insects (1493 species), Insects (1493 species), Myriapods (43 species), Myriapods (43 species), Molluscs (177 species), Echinoderms (23 species), Amphibians (39 species), Amphibians (39 species), Amphibians (39 species), Amphibians (39 species), Amphibians (39 species), Amphibians (39 species), Amphibians (39 species), AmReptiles (156 species), Fish (342 species), Birds (708 species), Mammals (228 species).

Four endemic species are reported among the Togolese fauna: among the invertebrates, a Mollusc, the giant snail (Achatina togoensis) in the Adélé massif; among the vertebrates, 3 Amphibians: Conraua derooi in the semi-deciduous forests of Kloto (Plateaux Region), Aubria subsubgillata in Kovié (Maritime Region), Bufo togoensis in the Adélé Massif (Central Region).

Four species of migratory sea turtles frequent the Togolese coast either to lay eggs (Chelonia mydas, Lepidochelys olivacea, Dermochelys coriacea) or for food (Erethmochelys imbricata) or for food (Erethmochelys imbricata).

Dolphins and whales are also present in Togolese marine waters and breed there.

In some pools, crocodiles, hippopotamuses, manatees, protected species are recorded.

The causes of biodiversity loss

Four main causes underlie the loss of biological diversity in Togo. These are anthropogenic causes, legal causes, institutional causes, scientific causes.

Anthropogenic causes

The main anthropogenic causes are population growth, traditional agricultural practices, traditional agricultural practices, bush fires, overexploitation of biological resources, poaching, habitat destruction etc. From these anthropogenic causes, natural causes such as climate change, river siltation, etc. Legal and regulatory causes On the



In legal terms, the causes of the loss of biological diversity are: the sometimes
inappropriateness, inconsistency, inadequacy and lack or
poor application of texts, laws and regulations relating to the management of natural resources.

Institutional causes

Very few qualified agents work in the field of
Togolese biological diversity. It is also unfortunate to note a lack of coordination and
synergy between the technical services that exist in the various sectors and whose
responsibilities are poorly defined.

Scientific causes

There are shortcomings in the knowledge of the elements of Togolese biological diversity, but also a lack of studies on the impact of development projects likely to affect biodiversity.

Measures for the management and conservation of biological diversity

Apart from traditional methods of managing biological diversity (practice of agroforestry, creation of sacred forests, village forests, protection of venerated animals, conservation of agricultural products, etc.) management and conservation are carried out within a legal and institutional framework concerning natural resources in general.

The legal framework

The measures in force are mainly orders, decrees and national laws or international conventions.

National texts

There are general texts, including the Constitution of 14 October 1992, which establishes the right of everyone to a healthy environment and requires the State to ensure the protection of the environment and natural resources. Law No. 88-14 of November 03, 1988 on the Environmental Code, unfortunately not applied due to the lack of implementing texts.

Sectoral texts on the management of flora and fauna, hunting and fishing.

Togolese forest legislation is based on the decree of 5 February 1938 organizing the forest regime in Togolese territory. It is as a result of this text that protected areas have been created since colonial periods. In 1990, there were 83 protected areas. Today, most are partially or completely invaded by local populations.

International conventions

Togo has signed or ratified several conventions, treaties and agreements relating to the protection of the environment. In 1992, he signed the United Nations Conventions on Combating Desertification, Climate Change and Biological Diversity.

The institutional framework

In addition to the various ministries involved in the field, environmental management is mainly under the responsibility of the Minister of Environment and Forest Resources. These public services are complemented by local authorities.
In addition, several NGOs are involved in the environment in Togo.

Coordination and consultation frameworks have been established for better environmental management. Apart from the National Environmental Action Plan (PNAE), the others are non-functional. These are:

* the Interministerial Commission on the Environment (CIE);
* the National Environment Commission (CNE);
* the Committees for the Protection and Management of the Environment;
* the Local Planning Committees.

The challenges and the major challenge



Challenges Encourage stakeholders to:

* grasp the importance of biodiversity;
* understand the complex process of biodiversity degradation;
* address the causes of the loss of this biological diversity on a multisectoral level;
* adopt and implement, by consensus, appropriate mechanisms for conservation and sustainable use of biological diversity.

Challenge

The major challenge is to reduce poverty without exhausting the natural resources needed for development.

Strategy



Foundations Conventional

foundations Togo, by ratifying the Convention on Biological Diversity, has committed itself to a new vision for the conservation of biological diversity.

The convention recommends that contracting parties develop national strategies, plans or programmes for the conservation and sustainable use of biological diversity.

Political

foundations Major efforts have been made at the national level to develop a national environmental policy, the National Environmental Action Plan (PNAE), the National Programme to Combat Desertification (PAN) and the national communication on climate change, the National Forest Action Plan (PAFN), the National Forest Action Plan (PAFN), the Traditional Energy Management Strategy (RPTS).

Environmental policy and the PNAE also recommend the development of a strategy for the conservation of biological diversity.

Principles Partnership



The process of conserving biological diversity should be participatory. It will involve national or international stakeholders (sub-regional organizations and donors). Partnership agreements must be defined between national or international partners, whether from the public sector (State and local authorities) or from the private sector (civil society and NGOs), the poor, the rich, women, young people, etc.

Decentralization

In order to allow the co-management of resources, local authorities, local authorities, municipal and prefectural councils, village development committees involved in development ensure: the project management of actions initiated in their localities.

Approaches Ecosystem

approach: it is not a question of conserving species, but a complex of ecosystems.

Multisectoral approach: there is now a need for coordination between the various sectors, i.e. between technical departments involved in the management of biodiversity (environment, agriculture, hydraulics, energy, etc.).

Objectives General

objective

The major objective of the strategy is to conserve and rationally exploit biodiversity in order to improve the living conditions and living environment of populations and to guarantee future generations sufficient natural resources in order to ensure the sustainable development of the country.

Strategic guidelines for the conservation of biological diversity

I- Strengthen the capacities of all actors involved in the management of biological diversity.

This capacity building will be carried out at the legal, technical and institutional levels.

II- Preserve representative areas of the various ecosystems in a participatory manner to guarantee their sustainability and maintain their constituent elements.
This will be done by:

* the development of a participatory and concerted management policy for state-owned protected areas,
* the conservation of sensitive ecosystems full of rare, endangered, endemic or commercialized species,
* the ex situ conservation of the genetic resources constituting and characteristics of the ecosystems in which they abound,

III- Ensuring the rational and sustainable use of resources and the sharing of resources equitable roles, responsibilities and benefits arising from the management of biological diversity.

It will be possible through:

* the development of practices aimed at mitigating the impact of policies, programmes, projects and production activities on biological diversity;
* the promotion of incentives to improve the management of biological diversity.

Action Plan

The action plan is based on four priority programs:

* Capacity building program with three components:

Component A: Strengthening legal capacities for the conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity.

Component B: Strengthening the institutional and technical capacities of stakeholders.

Component C: Strengthening national capacities for the characterization and monitoring of biological diversity.

* Program to secure the national conservation system with five components:

Component A: Consolidation of the conservation of priority protected areas within the national protected area system.

Component B: Increase in the representation of Togo's Afromontane ecosystems within the national system of protected areas.

Part C: Increase in the representation of wetland ecosystems in Togo.

Component D: Development of conservation initiatives in rural and urban areas through a network of micro-reserves.

Component E: Sustainable management of natural forest and savannah formations assigned to production and/or protection objectives.

* Ex-situ conservation support program.
* Program to support the sustainable use and equitable sharing of revenues from biological resources.

These programs cannot be carried out in isolation and must rely on what already exists, namely:

* the National Programme of Decentralized Action for Environmental Management (PNADE);
* the project for the rehabilitation of protected areas;
* the regional park project W/ECOPAS.

The implementation of the action plan

Principles

The implementation of the action plan is based on all categories of actors: national (State, technical services), non-governmental (NGOs), civil society (farmers' organizations, socio-professional corporations, local authorities, local authorities, local populations), and international actors (cooperation partners, international organizations, international NGOs).

It will be structured on five levels of intervention: one sub-regional level, four national levels (national, regional, prefectural and local).

The means to be mobilized

The implementation of the action plan will require the mobilization of:

* qualified human resources;
* internal and external financial resources;
* appropriate legal instruments.

Management and Coordination Central or decentralized technical

departments, local authorities, local authorities, NGOs, private and autonomous structures, project structures and others will be required to act as implementing agencies for the various multisectoral and multi-actor actions.

The operational coordination of the implementation of the Action Plan will be carried out by the National Environmental Management Agency when it is in place. Pending its creation, this mission will be carried out by the Coordination Unit of the National Environmental Action Plan on which the coordination of the PNGE is based. It is imperative that the coordination of the Action Plan actively involve actors from other departments directly or indirectly involved in the implementation.

Control, support, advice and monitoring and evaluation at the global level will be provided by the General Secretariat of the Ministry of the Environment and its technical departments.

Implementation period

The action plan lasts 15 years, like the PNGE, and is divided into 3 operational five-year phases. At the end of each of these phases, implementation should be evaluated and the order of priorities updated.

Priority actions

It is recognized that the order of priorities in the implementation of the Action Plan may change. In the immediate future, the operationalization of the Plan will take place through the identification of a program of priority actions for the conservation of biodiversity. This instruction will be carried out with the support of PDF funds, a request for financing a PDF A having been developed jointly with the action plan.

Follow-up to

the action plan The implementation of the Action Plan will be monitored and reviewed annually by the National Commission on Environment and Sustainable Development.

Summary

Release date	24/02/2016
Contributor	Frédéric Akpamou
Geographical coverage	Togo,
Keywords	Strategy, action plan, thematic studies, capacity building

Togo's accession to the United Nations Convention on Biological Diversity in 1992 in Rio and its ratification in October 1995 offers a new framework for the conservation and management of the country's biological resources.

This provision allowed Togo to prepare, on the one hand, a national monograph document and, on the other hand, a strategy document for the conservation and sustainable use of biological diversity, as recommended by the Convention to all contracting parties.

The objective of the strategy and action plan for the conservation of biological diversity thus developed is to guarantee to present and future generations, rational and sustainable management of resources in order to improve the living conditions of citizens

State of biological

diversity Biodiversity is the living environment that surrounds us: terrestrial ecosystems (forests, savannas, etc.), aquatic ecosystems (rivers, lakes, etc.) Biodiversity is the living environment that surrounds us: terrestrial ecosystems (forests, savannas, etc.), aquatic ecosystems (rivers, lakes, etc.) pools, sea), flora and fauna.

Ecosystems Togolese

ecosystems, which are very diverse, include both terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems, which are unfortunately in perpetual deterioration as a result of numerous anthropogenic pressures.

Terrestrial ecosystems consist of semi-deciduous forests, dry forests and open forests, Guinean savannas, Sudanian savannas, gallery and riparian forests.

Aquatic ecosystems are made up of river, lake, marine ecosystems and a particular ecosystem (mangroves).

Fluvial ecosystems include river basins including the Volta basin, the Mono basin, the Zio-Haho basin. The flora consists of algae and water lilies and the fauna is rich in various species of fish and crustaceans.

Lake ecosystems include lakes, lagoons, artificial or natural pools, temporary or permanent. The flora consists of algae (poorly known), water lilies, but also invasive plants such as lettuce, water hyacinth and lentils. The wildlife is dominated by fish.

Marine ecosystems consist mainly of sand, with two rocky areas.

Underwater flora is very poorly known, with the exception of algae, of which some beach-rock populations have been the subject of summary inventories for educational purposes. The marine fauna is rich. Migratory species are also encountered, including mammals (Whales, Dolphins, etc.), reptiles (turtles) and birds.

Mangroves are considered to be specific ecosystems in Togo. They are halophilic edaphic formations, typically tropical and exclusively coastal, whose main characteristic is their floristic composition dominated by mangroves. They now cover less than 1000 ha with two mangrove species: Rhizophora racemosa and Avicennia germinans, with which Drepanocarpus lunatus, Pterocarpus santalinoides and Acrostichum aureum are associated. These ecosystems are rich in various fish species.

Species diversity Ecosystem

diversity has encouraged a great variety of flora and fauna.

Flora

The Togolese flora has 3491 terrestrial species and 261 aquatic species representing all the systematic groups currently recorded on the national territory. Viruses have 56 species, Bacteria 55, Cyanophyceae 6, Cyanophyceae 6, Algae 295, Fungi 190, 133 bryophytes, 114 Pteridophytes, 13 Gymnosperms, 13 Gymnosperms, 13 Gymnosperms including only one spontaneous. Angiosperms have 2990 spontaneous and cultivated species whose main families represented are Poaceae, Fabaceae, Cyperaceae, Rubiaceae and Euphorbiaceae. A single plant species, Phyllanthus rouxii (Euphorbiaceae) growing on the ferruginous hills north of Bassar is reported as endemic. Several species are threatened with extinction or are endangered or vulnerable.

However, the Togolese flora is poorly known since several phyla have not been studied. These are Lichens, Higher Fungi, Cyanophyceae, Algae etc. Wildlife



The inventory of Togolese fauna has made it possible to identify 3476 species including 2312 terrestrial species, 1146 aquatic species and 18 domestic terrestrial species (Mammals, Birds); it is also reported that some wild species

(3 Reptiles, 3 species of Fish, 4 species of Molluscs) are also occasionally domesticated.

This fauna consists of Protozoa (57 species), Cnidarians (17 species), Cnidarians (17 species), Platyhelminths (24 species), Nematodes (11 species), Annelids (13 species), Crustaceans (145 species), Insects (145 species), Insects (1493 species), Insects (1493 species), Insects (1493 species), Myriapods (43 species), Myriapods (43 species), Molluscs (177 species), Echinoderms (23 species), Amphibians (39 species), Amphibians (39 species), Amphibians (39 species), Amphibians (39 species), Amphibians (39 species), Amphibians (39 species), Amphibians (39 species), AmReptiles (156 species), Fish (342 species), Birds (708 species), Mammals (228 species).

Four endemic species are reported among the Togolese fauna: among the invertebrates, a Mollusc, the giant snail (Achatina togoensis) in the Adélé massif; among the vertebrates, 3 Amphibians: Conraua derooi in the semi-deciduous forests of Kloto (Plateaux Region), Aubria subsubgillata in Kovié (Maritime Region), Bufo togoensis in the Adélé Massif (Central Region).

Four species of migratory sea turtles frequent the Togolese coast either to lay eggs (Chelonia mydas, Lepidochelys olivacea, Dermochelys coriacea) or for food (Erethmochelys imbricata) or for food (Erethmochelys imbricata).

Dolphins and whales are also present in Togolese marine waters and breed there.

In some pools, crocodiles, hippopotamuses, manatees, protected species are recorded.

The causes of biodiversity loss

Four main causes underlie the loss of biological diversity in Togo. These are anthropogenic causes, legal causes, institutional causes, scientific causes.

Anthropogenic causes

The main anthropogenic causes are population growth, traditional agricultural practices, traditional agricultural practices, bush fires, overexploitation of biological resources, poaching, habitat destruction etc. From these anthropogenic causes, natural causes such as climate change, river siltation, etc. Legal and regulatory causes On the



In legal terms, the causes of the loss of biological diversity are: the sometimes
inappropriateness, inconsistency, inadequacy and lack or
poor application of texts, laws and regulations relating to the management of natural resources.

Institutional causes

Very few qualified agents work in the field of
Togolese biological diversity. It is also unfortunate to note a lack of coordination and
synergy between the technical services that exist in the various sectors and whose
responsibilities are poorly defined.

Scientific causes

There are shortcomings in the knowledge of the elements of Togolese biological diversity, but also a lack of studies on the impact of development projects likely to affect biodiversity.

Measures for the management and conservation of biological diversity

Apart from traditional methods of managing biological diversity (practice of agroforestry, creation of sacred forests, village forests, protection of venerated animals, conservation of agricultural products, etc.) management and conservation are carried out within a legal and institutional framework concerning natural resources in general.

The legal framework

The measures in force are mainly orders, decrees and national laws or international conventions.

National texts

There are general texts, including the Constitution of 14 October 1992, which establishes the right of everyone to a healthy environment and requires the State to ensure the protection of the environment and natural resources. Law No. 88-14 of November 03, 1988 on the Environmental Code, unfortunately not applied due to the lack of implementing texts.

Sectoral texts on the management of flora and fauna, hunting and fishing.

Togolese forest legislation is based on the decree of 5 February 1938 organizing the forest regime in Togolese territory. It is as a result of this text that protected areas have been created since colonial periods. In 1990, there were 83 protected areas. Today, most are partially or completely invaded by local populations.

International conventions

Togo has signed or ratified several conventions, treaties and agreements relating to the protection of the environment. In 1992, he signed the United Nations Conventions on Combating Desertification, Climate Change and Biological Diversity.

The institutional framework

In addition to the various ministries involved in the field, environmental management is mainly under the responsibility of the Minister of Environment and Forest Resources. These public services are complemented by local authorities.
In addition, several NGOs are involved in the environment in Togo.

Coordination and consultation frameworks have been established for better environmental management. Apart from the National Environmental Action Plan (PNAE), the others are non-functional. These are:

* the Interministerial Commission on the Environment (CIE);
* the National Environment Commission (CNE);
* the Committees for the Protection and Management of the Environment;
* the Local Planning Committees.

The challenges and the major challenge



Challenges Encourage stakeholders to:

* grasp the importance of biodiversity;
* understand the complex process of biodiversity degradation;
* address the causes of the loss of this biological diversity on a multisectoral level;
* adopt and implement, by consensus, appropriate mechanisms for conservation and sustainable use of biological diversity.

Challenge

The major challenge is to reduce poverty without exhausting the natural resources needed for development.

Strategy



Foundations Conventional

foundations Togo, by ratifying the Convention on Biological Diversity, has committed itself to a new vision for the conservation of biological diversity.

The convention recommends that contracting parties develop national strategies, plans or programmes for the conservation and sustainable use of biological diversity.

Political

foundations Major efforts have been made at the national level to develop a national environmental policy, the National Environmental Action Plan (PNAE), the National Programme to Combat Desertification (PAN) and the national communication on climate change, the National Forest Action Plan (PAFN), the National Forest Action Plan (PAFN), the Traditional Energy Management Strategy (RPTS).

Environmental policy and the PNAE also recommend the development of a strategy for the conservation of biological diversity.

Principles Partnership



The process of conserving biological diversity should be participatory. It will involve national or international stakeholders (sub-regional organizations and donors). Partnership agreements must be defined between national or international partners, whether from the public sector (State and local authorities) or from the private sector (civil society and NGOs), the poor, the rich, women, young people, etc.

Decentralization

In order to allow the co-management of resources, local authorities, local authorities, municipal and prefectural councils, village development committees involved in development ensure: the project management of actions initiated in their localities.

Approaches Ecosystem

approach: it is not a question of conserving species, but a complex of ecosystems.

Multisectoral approach: there is now a need for coordination between the various sectors, i.e. between technical departments involved in the management of biodiversity (environment, agriculture, hydraulics, energy, etc.).

Objectives General

objective

The major objective of the strategy is to conserve and rationally exploit biodiversity in order to improve the living conditions and living environment of populations and to guarantee future generations sufficient natural resources in order to ensure the sustainable development of the country.

Strategic guidelines for the conservation of biological diversity

I- Strengthen the capacities of all actors involved in the management of biological diversity.

This capacity building will be carried out at the legal, technical and institutional levels.

II- Preserve representative areas of the various ecosystems in a participatory manner to guarantee their sustainability and maintain their constituent elements.
This will be done by:

* the development of a participatory and concerted management policy for state-owned protected areas,
* the conservation of sensitive ecosystems full of rare, endangered, endemic or commercialized species,
* the ex situ conservation of the genetic resources constituting and characteristics of the ecosystems in which they abound,

III- Ensuring the rational and sustainable use of resources and the sharing of resources equitable roles, responsibilities and benefits arising from the management of biological diversity.

It will be possible through:

* the development of practices aimed at mitigating the impact of policies, programmes, projects and production activities on biological diversity;
* the promotion of incentives to improve the management of biological diversity.

Action Plan

The action plan is based on four priority programs:

* Capacity building program with three components:

Component A: Strengthening legal capacities for the conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity.

Component B: Strengthening the institutional and technical capacities of stakeholders.

Component C: Strengthening national capacities for the characterization and monitoring of biological diversity.

* Program to secure the national conservation system with five components:

Component A: Consolidation of the conservation of priority protected areas within the national protected area system.

Component B: Increase in the representation of Togo's Afromontane ecosystems within the national system of protected areas.

Part C: Increase in the representation of wetland ecosystems in Togo.

Component D: Development of conservation initiatives in rural and urban areas through a network of micro-reserves.

Component E: Sustainable management of natural forest and savannah formations assigned to production and/or protection objectives.

* Ex-situ conservation support program.
* Program to support the sustainable use and equitable sharing of revenues from biological resources.

These programs cannot be carried out in isolation and must rely on what already exists, namely:

* the National Programme of Decentralized Action for Environmental Management (PNADE);
* the project for the rehabilitation of protected areas;
* the regional park project W/ECOPAS.

The implementation of the action plan

Principles

The implementation of the action plan is based on all categories of actors: national (State, technical services), non-governmental (NGOs), civil society (farmers' organizations, socio-professional corporations, local authorities, local authorities, local populations), and international actors (cooperation partners, international organizations, international NGOs).

It will be structured on five levels of intervention: one sub-regional level, four national levels (national, regional, prefectural and local).

The means to be mobilized

The implementation of the action plan will require the mobilization of:

* qualified human resources;
* internal and external financial resources;
* appropriate legal instruments.

Management and Coordination Central or decentralized technical

departments, local authorities, local authorities, NGOs, private and autonomous structures, project structures and others will be required to act as implementing agencies for the various multisectoral and multi-actor actions.

The operational coordination of the implementation of the Action Plan will be carried out by the National Environmental Management Agency when it is in place. Pending its creation, this mission will be carried out by the Coordination Unit of the National Environmental Action Plan on which the coordination of the PNGE is based. It is imperative that the coordination of the Action Plan actively involve actors from other departments directly or indirectly involved in the implementation.

Control, support, advice and monitoring and evaluation at the global level will be provided by the General Secretariat of the Ministry of the Environment and its technical departments.

Implementation period

The action plan lasts 15 years, like the PNGE, and is divided into 3 operational five-year phases. At the end of each of these phases, implementation should be evaluated and the order of priorities updated.

Priority actions

It is recognized that the order of priorities in the implementation of the Action Plan may change. In the immediate future, the operationalization of the Plan will take place through the identification of a program of priority actions for the conservation of biodiversity. This instruction will be carried out with the support of PDF funds, a request for financing a PDF A having been developed jointly with the action plan.

Follow-up to

the action plan The implementation of the Action Plan will be monitored and reviewed annually by the National Commission on Environment and Sustainable Development.

Summary

Release date	24/02/2016
Contributor	Frédéric Akpamou
Geographical coverage	Togo,
Keywords	Strategy, action plan, thematic studies, capacity building

Togo's accession to the United Nations Convention on Biological Diversity in 1992 in Rio and its ratification in October 1995 offers a new framework for the conservation and management of the country's biological resources.

This provision allowed Togo to prepare, on the one hand, a national monograph document and, on the other hand, a strategy document for the conservation and sustainable use of biological diversity, as recommended by the Convention to all contracting parties.

The objective of the strategy and action plan for the conservation of biological diversity thus developed is to guarantee to present and future generations, rational and sustainable management of resources in order to improve the living conditions of citizens

State of biological

diversity Biodiversity is the living environment that surrounds us: terrestrial ecosystems (forests, savannas, etc.), aquatic ecosystems (rivers, lakes, etc.) Biodiversity is the living environment that surrounds us: terrestrial ecosystems (forests, savannas, etc.), aquatic ecosystems (rivers, lakes, etc.) pools, sea), flora and fauna.

Ecosystems Togolese

ecosystems, which are very diverse, include both terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems, which are unfortunately in perpetual deterioration as a result of numerous anthropogenic pressures.

Terrestrial ecosystems consist of semi-deciduous forests, dry forests and open forests, Guinean savannas, Sudanian savannas, gallery and riparian forests.

Aquatic ecosystems are made up of river, lake, marine ecosystems and a particular ecosystem (mangroves).

Fluvial ecosystems include river basins including the Volta basin, the Mono basin, the Zio-Haho basin. The flora consists of algae and water lilies and the fauna is rich in various species of fish and crustaceans.

Lake ecosystems include lakes, lagoons, artificial or natural pools, temporary or permanent. The flora consists of algae (poorly known), water lilies, but also invasive plants such as lettuce, water hyacinth and lentils. The wildlife is dominated by fish.

Marine ecosystems consist mainly of sand, with two rocky areas.

Underwater flora is very poorly known, with the exception of algae, of which some beach-rock populations have been the subject of summary inventories for educational purposes. The marine fauna is rich. Migratory species are also encountered, including mammals (Whales, Dolphins, etc.), reptiles (turtles) and birds.

Mangroves are considered to be specific ecosystems in Togo. They are halophilic edaphic formations, typically tropical and exclusively coastal, whose main characteristic is their floristic composition dominated by mangroves. They now cover less than 1000 ha with two mangrove species: Rhizophora racemosa and Avicennia germinans, with which Drepanocarpus lunatus, Pterocarpus santalinoides and Acrostichum aureum are associated. These ecosystems are rich in various fish species.

Species diversity Ecosystem

diversity has encouraged a great variety of flora and fauna.

Flora

The Togolese flora has 3491 terrestrial species and 261 aquatic species representing all the systematic groups currently recorded on the national territory. Viruses have 56 species, Bacteria 55, Cyanophyceae 6, Cyanophyceae 6, Algae 295, Fungi 190, 133 bryophytes, 114 Pteridophytes, 13 Gymnosperms, 13 Gymnosperms, 13 Gymnosperms including only one spontaneous. Angiosperms have 2990 spontaneous and cultivated species whose main families represented are Poaceae, Fabaceae, Cyperaceae, Rubiaceae and Euphorbiaceae. A single plant species, Phyllanthus rouxii (Euphorbiaceae) growing on the ferruginous hills north of Bassar is reported as endemic. Several species are threatened with extinction or are endangered or vulnerable.

However, the Togolese flora is poorly known since several phyla have not been studied. These are Lichens, Higher Fungi, Cyanophyceae, Algae etc. Wildlife



The inventory of Togolese fauna has made it possible to identify 3476 species including 2312 terrestrial species, 1146 aquatic species and 18 domestic terrestrial species (Mammals, Birds); it is also reported that some wild species

(3 Reptiles, 3 species of Fish, 4 species of Molluscs) are also occasionally domesticated.

This fauna consists of Protozoa (57 species), Cnidarians (17 species), Cnidarians (17 species), Platyhelminths (24 species), Nematodes (11 species), Annelids (13 species), Crustaceans (145 species), Insects (145 species), Insects (1493 species), Insects (1493 species), Insects (1493 species), Myriapods (43 species), Myriapods (43 species), Molluscs (177 species), Echinoderms (23 species), Amphibians (39 species), Amphibians (39 species), Amphibians (39 species), Amphibians (39 species), Amphibians (39 species), Amphibians (39 species), Amphibians (39 species), AmReptiles (156 species), Fish (342 species), Birds (708 species), Mammals (228 species).

Four endemic species are reported among the Togolese fauna: among the invertebrates, a Mollusc, the giant snail (Achatina togoensis) in the Adélé massif; among the vertebrates, 3 Amphibians: Conraua derooi in the semi-deciduous forests of Kloto (Plateaux Region), Aubria subsubgillata in Kovié (Maritime Region), Bufo togoensis in the Adélé Massif (Central Region).

Four species of migratory sea turtles frequent the Togolese coast either to lay eggs (Chelonia mydas, Lepidochelys olivacea, Dermochelys coriacea) or for food (Erethmochelys imbricata) or for food (Erethmochelys imbricata).

Dolphins and whales are also present in Togolese marine waters and breed there.

In some pools, crocodiles, hippopotamuses, manatees, protected species are recorded.

The causes of biodiversity loss

Four main causes underlie the loss of biological diversity in Togo. These are anthropogenic causes, legal causes, institutional causes, scientific causes.

Anthropogenic causes

The main anthropogenic causes are population growth, traditional agricultural practices, traditional agricultural practices, bush fires, overexploitation of biological resources, poaching, habitat destruction etc. From these anthropogenic causes, natural causes such as climate change, river siltation, etc. Legal and regulatory causes On the



In legal terms, the causes of the loss of biological diversity are: the sometimes
inappropriateness, inconsistency, inadequacy and lack or
poor application of texts, laws and regulations relating to the management of natural resources.

Institutional causes

Very few qualified agents work in the field of
Togolese biological diversity. It is also unfortunate to note a lack of coordination and
synergy between the technical services that exist in the various sectors and whose
responsibilities are poorly defined.

Scientific causes

There are shortcomings in the knowledge of the elements of Togolese biological diversity, but also a lack of studies on the impact of development projects likely to affect biodiversity.

Measures for the management and conservation of biological diversity

Apart from traditional methods of managing biological diversity (practice of agroforestry, creation of sacred forests, village forests, protection of venerated animals, conservation of agricultural products, etc.) management and conservation are carried out within a legal and institutional framework concerning natural resources in general.

The legal framework

The measures in force are mainly orders, decrees and national laws or international conventions.

National texts

There are general texts, including the Constitution of 14 October 1992, which establishes the right of everyone to a healthy environment and requires the State to ensure the protection of the environment and natural resources. Law No. 88-14 of November 03, 1988 on the Environmental Code, unfortunately not applied due to the lack of implementing texts.

Sectoral texts on the management of flora and fauna, hunting and fishing.

Togolese forest legislation is based on the decree of 5 February 1938 organizing the forest regime in Togolese territory. It is as a result of this text that protected areas have been created since colonial periods. In 1990, there were 83 protected areas. Today, most are partially or completely invaded by local populations.

International conventions

Togo has signed or ratified several conventions, treaties and agreements relating to the protection of the environment. In 1992, he signed the United Nations Conventions on Combating Desertification, Climate Change and Biological Diversity.

The institutional framework

In addition to the various ministries involved in the field, environmental management is mainly under the responsibility of the Minister of Environment and Forest Resources. These public services are complemented by local authorities.
In addition, several NGOs are involved in the environment in Togo.

Coordination and consultation frameworks have been established for better environmental management. Apart from the National Environmental Action Plan (PNAE), the others are non-functional. These are:

* the Interministerial Commission on the Environment (CIE);
* the National Environment Commission (CNE);
* the Committees for the Protection and Management of the Environment;
* the Local Planning Committees.

The challenges and the major challenge



Challenges Encourage stakeholders to:

* grasp the importance of biodiversity;
* understand the complex process of biodiversity degradation;
* address the causes of the loss of this biological diversity on a multisectoral level;
* adopt and implement, by consensus, appropriate mechanisms for conservation and sustainable use of biological diversity.

Challenge

The major challenge is to reduce poverty without exhausting the natural resources needed for development.

Strategy



Foundations Conventional

foundations Togo, by ratifying the Convention on Biological Diversity, has committed itself to a new vision for the conservation of biological diversity.

The convention recommends that contracting parties develop national strategies, plans or programmes for the conservation and sustainable use of biological diversity.

Political

foundations Major efforts have been made at the national level to develop a national environmental policy, the National Environmental Action Plan (PNAE), the National Programme to Combat Desertification (PAN) and the national communication on climate change, the National Forest Action Plan (PAFN), the National Forest Action Plan (PAFN), the Traditional Energy Management Strategy (RPTS).

Environmental policy and the PNAE also recommend the development of a strategy for the conservation of biological diversity.

Principles Partnership



The process of conserving biological diversity should be participatory. It will involve national or international stakeholders (sub-regional organizations and donors). Partnership agreements must be defined between national or international partners, whether from the public sector (State and local authorities) or from the private sector (civil society and NGOs), the poor, the rich, women, young people, etc.

Decentralization

In order to allow the co-management of resources, local authorities, local authorities, municipal and prefectural councils, village development committees involved in development ensure: the project management of actions initiated in their localities.

Approaches Ecosystem

approach: it is not a question of conserving species, but a complex of ecosystems.

Multisectoral approach: there is now a need for coordination between the various sectors, i.e. between technical departments involved in the management of biodiversity (environment, agriculture, hydraulics, energy, etc.).

Objectives General

objective

The major objective of the strategy is to conserve and rationally exploit biodiversity in order to improve the living conditions and living environment of populations and to guarantee future generations sufficient natural resources in order to ensure the sustainable development of the country.

Strategic guidelines for the conservation of biological diversity

I- Strengthen the capacities of all actors involved in the management of biological diversity.

This capacity building will be carried out at the legal, technical and institutional levels.

II- Preserve representative areas of the various ecosystems in a participatory manner to guarantee their sustainability and maintain their constituent elements.
This will be done by:

* the development of a participatory and concerted management policy for state-owned protected areas,
* the conservation of sensitive ecosystems full of rare, endangered, endemic or commercialized species,
* the ex situ conservation of the genetic resources constituting and characteristics of the ecosystems in which they abound,

III- Ensuring the rational and sustainable use of resources and the sharing of resources equitable roles, responsibilities and benefits arising from the management of biological diversity.

It will be possible through:

* the development of practices aimed at mitigating the impact of policies, programmes, projects and production activities on biological diversity;
* the promotion of incentives to improve the management of biological diversity.

Action Plan

The action plan is based on four priority programs:

* Capacity building program with three components:

Component A: Strengthening legal capacities for the conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity.

Component B: Strengthening the institutional and technical capacities of stakeholders.

Component C: Strengthening national capacities for the characterization and monitoring of biological diversity.

* Program to secure the national conservation system with five components:

Component A: Consolidation of the conservation of priority protected areas within the national protected area system.

Component B: Increase in the representation of Togo's Afromontane ecosystems within the national system of protected areas.

Part C: Increase in the representation of wetland ecosystems in Togo.

Component D: Development of conservation initiatives in rural and urban areas through a network of micro-reserves.

Component E: Sustainable management of natural forest and savannah formations assigned to production and/or protection objectives.

* Ex-situ conservation support program.
* Program to support the sustainable use and equitable sharing of revenues from biological resources.

These programs cannot be carried out in isolation and must rely on what already exists, namely:

* the National Programme of Decentralized Action for Environmental Management (PNADE);
* the project for the rehabilitation of protected areas;
* the regional park project W/ECOPAS.

The implementation of the action plan

Principles

The implementation of the action plan is based on all categories of actors: national (State, technical services), non-governmental (NGOs), civil society (farmers' organizations, socio-professional corporations, local authorities, local authorities, local populations), and international actors (cooperation partners, international organizations, international NGOs).

It will be structured on five levels of intervention: one sub-regional level, four national levels (national, regional, prefectural and local).

The means to be mobilized

The implementation of the action plan will require the mobilization of:

* qualified human resources;
* internal and external financial resources;
* appropriate legal instruments.

Management and Coordination Central or decentralized technical

departments, local authorities, local authorities, NGOs, private and autonomous structures, project structures and others will be required to act as implementing agencies for the various multisectoral and multi-actor actions.

The operational coordination of the implementation of the Action Plan will be carried out by the National Environmental Management Agency when it is in place. Pending its creation, this mission will be carried out by the Coordination Unit of the National Environmental Action Plan on which the coordination of the PNGE is based. It is imperative that the coordination of the Action Plan actively involve actors from other departments directly or indirectly involved in the implementation.

Control, support, advice and monitoring and evaluation at the global level will be provided by the General Secretariat of the Ministry of the Environment and its technical departments.

Implementation period

The action plan lasts 15 years, like the PNGE, and is divided into 3 operational five-year phases. At the end of each of these phases, implementation should be evaluated and the order of priorities updated.

Priority actions

It is recognized that the order of priorities in the implementation of the Action Plan may change. In the immediate future, the operationalization of the Plan will take place through the identification of a program of priority actions for the conservation of biodiversity. This instruction will be carried out with the support of PDF funds, a request for financing a PDF A having been developed jointly with the action plan.

Follow-up to

the action plan The implementation of the Action Plan will be monitored and reviewed annually by the National Commission on Environment and Sustainable Development.