Mangrove with Rhizophora entirely degraded in Aklakou, Channel Gbaga, South of Togo,Photo ANCE-Togo, December 2005.

This project aims to promote a participatory approach for a sustainable management of mangrove resources in Togo and to rehabilitate one hectare of mangrove in Agouegan. In Togo, the situation of mangroves is very alarming. The surface of the mangroves which was 4000 hectares in 1988, passed to 2000 hectares in 1995 and to 800 hectares only in 2004, that is to say a disappearance of more than 4/5 of the total surface of mangroves. The mangrove's ecosystems are threatened of disappearance. It becomes urgent to undertake concrete actions of information, training, re-forestation and lobbying/advocacy.

ANCE-Togo: local techniques of water reserves in mangrove zone to fight against the drying of water due to the erosion and the anarchistic exploitation of the mangrove resources. The water reserve is made with the sheets of palm trees.

The planned activities are:

- Sensitising, education and information of the local populations on the methods of access and exploitation of natural resources;

- Development of participatory mangrove management plans;

- Installation of village seedbeds and regeneration of the degraded zones of mangrove - Diffusion of beekeeping and oyster production techniques more adapted;

- Promotion of Income Generating Activities.

The identified target groups:

- Village Committees for Development (VCD) of the 10 villages will be closely associated at all stage of the implementation of this program;

- Farmer’s organizations: the project will train also the leaders of farmer’s organisations in the program’s zone on sustainable management of the ecosystems of mangrove and the techniques of production and marketing, the promotion of the income generating activities, etc;

- Community Basic Organizations (CBO)

- Rural media (Community radios, newspaper);

- Technical departments of the State concerned by the mangrove ecosystem management such as: the Department of Fauna and Hunting, the National Forestry Action Plan, the Department of Environment, the Department of Tourism, the Department of the Communication, the Department of Meteorology;

- The Fishermen Network;

- The Craftsmen Network;

- The other NGOs working on the conservation of mangroves.

- A fruitful partnership is built with several research departments of the University of Lomé such the Faculty of Environmental Law, the Faculty of Sciences, etc.