Market gardening in Togo: a systematic and environmental analysis
As has been observed in other sub-Saharan African countries, the Togolese population is rapidly increasing. This situation poses the challenge of supplying urban centres with fresh produce. Market gardening is a solution that not only contributes to meeting this need, but that also reduces unemployment and poverty. Urban and peri-urban market gardening is, however, also a form of intensive agriculture that uses many different pesticides and fertilizers.
This study was based on fieldwork and laboratory analyses. It demonstrated that urban and peri-urban market gardening involves several groups including young people (59.26%) with low levels of education who are trained on the job. Market gardeners (62.96%) do, however, have considerable experience since they have done this work for several decades. Among them, 63.97% operate on small areas of less than one hectare (1 ha). Ways of accessing land and water, as well as irrigation methods, vary depending on the financial means and the region. The species grown are very diverse: 43 vegetable species spread among 30 genera and 17 families. The use of synthetic pesticides is very widespread. One hundred and thirtyeight (138) pesticides were identified, including 54.66% insecticides and 21.21% fungicides, of which 58.91% were unauthorized for use on market garden crops. Those applying such products seldom protect themselves. Application techniques, as well as harvesting periods after treatment, are not properly controlled.
Laboratory analyses showed that accumulated pesticide residue in grown vegetables, soil and water exceeded the maximum limits allowed by the World Health Organization (WHO) in some cases. Some concentrations (in vegetables and water, in particular) were higher than the maximum limits allowed by the WHO. This is also true for accumulated trace metals in the same samples. In all cases, these levels vary depending on the organ and the provenance of the sample.
18 May 2011
Translated from French by Unesco