From 11 to 13 June 2025, the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), through its Regional Agency for Agriculture and Food (RAAF), held a regional workshop in Lomé, Togo, to validate the baseline study for Phase 3 of the Regional Support Programme for Farmers' Organisations (PRAOP-3).

Over the course of three days, around 50 participants—including representatives from ECOWAS Member States and Chad, farmers’ organizations, stakeholders in the local dairy sector, technical and financial partners such as the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC), as well as agro-development experts and project managers—came together to review and discuss the findings of the baseline study conducted across the ECOWAS region.

The workshop focused on (i) analysing the current state of the local dairy sector, identifying its strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats; (ii) evaluating the relevance and practicality of the proposed indicators within the programme’s reference framework and (iii) assessing the robustness of the monitoring and evaluation system in alignment with RAAF’s mechanisms. Concrete recommendations were formulated to enhance the programme’s overall performance.

Launched in 2023, PRAOP-3 is now entering its third year of implementation. Its overarching objective is to reduce rural exodus and irregular migration by promoting the professional integration of young people into the agro-sylvo-pastoral and fisheries sectors, with a particular emphasis on strengthening local milk value chains.

This regional meeting represents a strategic step forward in the implementation of PRAOP-3. It highlights the programme’s dual role in supporting youth employability and promoting local dairy production key priorities of the ECOWAS Regional Agricultural Policy (ECOWAP).

The conclusions drawn from this workshop will inform the next stages of the programme and refine the tools for monitoring its tangible impact on the ground.