Key data for Togo

NCI45th HRCI41st HANCI45th
HANCI compares 45 countries for their performance on 22 indicators of political commitment to reduce hunger and undernutrition. All the countries compared in the index have high rates of hunger and undernutrition. The comparative approach of the index means that country scores are calculated in relation to the political commitment of the other countries in the index.
Existing rates of: Stunting: 23.8% Wasting: 5.7% Proportion of population underweight: 5.7% Source: Government of Togo (MICS,2017)

Strong Performance

  • Togo has devised a National Nutrition Policy/Strategy.
  • Policymakers in Togo benefit from regular nutrition surveys that are statistically representative at national level. The last survey was published in 2017.
  • The Government of Togo promotes complementary feeding practices.

Areas for improvement

  • Spending on agriculture (5.7% of public spending in 2018), does not meet government commitments set out in the African Union’s Maputo Declaration (10% of public spending).
  • Togo’s spending in its health sector (5.1% of public spending in 2017) does not fully meet (15%) commitments set out in the Abuja Declaration.
  • Agricultural extension services are the preserve of government and poor farmers have no say in setting policy priorities. The agricultural research and extension system is not properly reaching out to poor farmers. There is no policy promoting gender equity in access to extension services. This has been the case for an extended period.
  • In Togo, the law does not give women economic rights equal to men. Men and women have equal legal access to agricultural land, but this is not effectively enforced and discriminatory practices against women continue, increasing their vulnerability to hunger and undernutrition.
  • Togo does not have a separate budget line for nutrition; this prevents transparency and accountability for spending.
  • Even though Togo has developed a National Nutrition Policy/Strategy and clear time-bound nutrition targets, a multisectoral and multistakeholder policy coordination mechanism is still lacking.
  • The Government of Togo has not enshrined the International Code of Marketing of Breastmilk Substitutes into domestic law.
  • Weak access to improved sanitation facilities (16.1% in 2017) obstructs better hunger and nutrition outcomes.
  • In Togo only 51.6% of women aged 15-49 were visited at least once during pregnancy by skilled health personnel in 2017.
  • In Togo, constitutional protection of the right to social security is weak.
  • Social safety nets in Togo are basic and only cover few risks for a limited number of beneficiaries.

Hunger Reduction Commitment Index (HRCI)

Public Spending Score Year HRCI rank of 45
Public spending on agriculture as share of total public spending
?
5.7%201821st
Public spending on health as share of total public spending
?
5.1%2017Joint 26th
Policies Score Year HRCI rank of 45
Access to land (security of tenure)
?
Moderate201930th
Access to agricultural research and extension services
?
Very Weak201943rd
Civil registration system — coverage of live births
?
82.9%201711th
Functioning of social protection systems
?
Weak2018Joint 26th
Laws Score Year HRCI rank of 45
Level of constitutional protection of the right to food
?
Moderate2016Joint 10th
Equality of women’s access to agricultural land
?
In Law, not in Practice2019Joint 28th
Equality of women’s economic rights
?
Not in Law2019Joint 16th
Constitutional right to social security
?
No2014Joint 33rd

Nutrition Commitment Index (NCI)

Public Spending Score Year NCI rank of 45
Separate budget for nutrition
?
No2019Joint 42nd
Policies Score Year NCI rank of 45
Vitamin A supplementation coverage for children
?
89%2018Joint 11th
Government promotes complementary feeding
?
Yes2014Joint 1st
Population with access to an improved water source
?
70.9%201735th
Population with access to improved sanitation
?
16.1%201741st
Health care visits for pregnant women
?
51.6%201745th
Nutrition features in national development policy
?
Moderate2018-202226th
National Nutrition Policy/Strategy
?
Yes2019Joint 1st
Multisector and multistakeholder policy coordination
?
No2019Joint 42nd
Time bound nutrition targets
?
Yes2019Joint 1st
National nutrition survey in last 3 years
?
Yes2017Joint 1st
Laws Score Year NCI rank of 45
Enshrine ICBMS in domestic law
?
Not Enshrined in Law2019Joint 40th